There are 41 participants registered to take part, with the seminar aimed at supporting the growth of the tournament and officials' development.

Nine teams are dur to compete in the inaugural Baseball5 Asia Cup which will follow the seminar and begin on Wednesday (August 17).

They are hosts Malyasia, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Chinese Taipei.

Teams have been spilt into three groups of three, with the top two due to advance to a super round.

From there, six will become four, with semi-finals, a final and a third-place playoff scheduled.

That third-place playoff is particularly important as the tournament's top three teams will be rewarded with places at the first Baseball5 World Cup in Mexico later this year.

"Since it’s a new tournament nobody is a clear favourite to win it," WBSC secretary general and Softball Asia President Beng Choo Low said. 

"We’re expecting a strong challenge from the participating countries especially Tokyo 2020 Olympic champions Japan, South Korea and host Malaysia."

Baseball5 is a pitcher-free discipline which requires only a rubber ball to play and no bat, so is designed to bring baseball to previously inaccessible areas.

Any playing surface can be used and hitting is done by hand.

Mixed-gender Baseball5 is on the programme for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.