DURHAM, N.C. -- The U.S. national baseball team will play 12 exhibition games as part of the Arizona Fall League schedule, USA Baseball and Major League Baseball announced Tuesday.

Team USA will be preparing for the Olympic qualifying tournament, to be held in Panama City, Panama, Nov. 1-11. The top two teams of the 12 in that tournament will advance to next year's Athens Olympics.

Team USA will play the 12 games in the Arizona Fall League from Oct. 10-23.

The 30 professional players and coaching staff for the qualifying team will be announced at the end of September. The roster will be reduced to 24 players for the qualifying tournament.

The United States is the defending Olympic gold medalist.