Australia has joined four Asian countries in the bidding to host Major League Baseball games in the next two years, local media reported on Tuesday.

The league is looking to open either the 2008 or 2009 seasons overseas for only the fifth time in its history with Australia vying with Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan for the rights to stage games.

"To host a high-profile game like an opening series of any Major League team would be outstanding for Australian baseball," Australian Baseball Federation special projects manager Alan Weir told Australian Associated Press.

"We and Major League Baseball have been working on this for a while and we'll see what happens."

He said Melbourne had been earmarked as the venue for any game to be held in Australia, and talks had opened with local government.

Tom Nicholson, the MLB's director for Australia and New Zealand, was quoted as saying the League was looking to stage several games overseas rather than just the season opener.

The MLB has held games overseas on four occasions in Mexico (1999), Puerto Rico (2001), and twice in Japan (2000 and 2004).