Major League Baseball hopes the showdown between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at the London Stadium can help capture a whole new set of fans.

West Ham’s home ground has been transformed into a 60,000-seater ballpark for two matches between the fierce rivals on June 29 and 30.

The MLB London Series 2019 will be the first regular season games played in Europe, and at a venue which took centre stage for the Olympics six years ago.

With the eyes of the sporting world now focused on Stratford once again, MLB Europe’s vice president of international strategic development Charlie Hill believes it provides “an amazing first step” for the organisation’s continued drive for growth.

“It is an important part of us trying to grow the sport internationally. Bringing these two iconic teams to a world city like London speaks to the ambition to make sure that our sport is reaching new audiences,” Hill told PA.

“Europe is a really important place for us to grow – bringing this game to London is an amazing first step in that journey.

“There is an existing fan community which has been waiting quite a long time for Major League Baseball to come and play, and we know they are extremely excited.

“As much as that group is excited we are also looking at the casual fans who have heard about baseball, have maybe seen it when they go on holiday but have not had a chance to get to really know the sport in depth.”

London has hosted several successful NFL matches, with more scheduled.

The capital now follows Mexico, Japan, Australia and Puerto Rico as an international destination for the MLB. Hill is confident the event will prove a successful venture.

“It speaks to the intent the league has to continue to grow the sport internationally,” he said.

“We have a great track record of bringing big events to Asia and Mexico most recently.

“This is new for us in the UK, in that we have not done this before, we are not as established as we are in those other markets.

“So to make a first impression is really important – to do that with arguably our biggest two teams and certainly the biggest rivalry in baseball, maybe even in sports, it is such an exciting way to make a first introductory step to new markets.”

More than 141,900 square feet of artificial turf has been imported from France as the transformation got under way at the London Stadium.

There will be 18 metre tall foul poles with more than 400m of fencing installed, along with a batter’s eye, backstop, batting cages, dugouts and temporary clubhouses.

Around 345 tonnes of dirt had been brought on site for the infield, the specially-manufactured clay for the pitcher’s mound and home plate, while some 53,000 square feet of chicken wire has been used as a protective cover for lights.

The London Stadium has been transformed to host Major League Baseball
The London Stadium has been transformed to host Major League Baseball (Victoria Jones/PA)

London Stadium chief executive Graham Gilmore feels all of the effort will be worthwhile – and could yet lead to a long-term partnership with the MLB.

“It is an incredible transformation considering at the beginning of May we finished the Premier League season, went into a sold-out Muse concert and then to deliver this with four weeks of hard work. It is an amazing achievement by all of our team,” Gilmore told PA.

“The way the MLB have embraced this venue and the stadium has turned out, I have no doubts this will really become a home for MLB for years to come and that is what we hope.”