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4d ago

Little League World Series Kicks Off in Williamsport With 20 Teams

A court ruling cleared the final team so the full field can play a double‑elimination U.S. and international bracket that will be shown nationally on ESPN and ABC.

A general view before the game between Mountain Region and Metro Region at Howard J. Lamade Stadium.
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The Southeast Region team from Lake Mary, Florida poses for photos after beating the Asia-Pacific Region team from Taoyuan Ciy, Chinese Taipei 2-1 to win the Little League World Series Championship Game at Howard J. Lamade Stadium on August 25, 2024, in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Overview

  • The tournament began Wednesday, Aug. 19, in Williamsport and runs through Aug. 30 with separate double‑elimination U.S. and international brackets that produce a U.S. champion and an international champion for the Aug. 30 title game.
  • The locked 20‑team field includes 10 U.S. regional winners and 10 international winners, with hometown interest for East Side Little League of West Chester, Pennsylvania, and only three returnees from last year’s field.
  • Boerne Little League of Texas overcame a temporary restraining order related to an eligibility dispute and has been cleared to play in Williamsport, leaving the bracket intact and the schedule unchanged.
  • All games will air across ESPN networks and ABC with streaming on ESPN platforms, and the week includes the MLB Little League Classic at Bowman Field on Aug. 23 and a Challenger Division exhibition on Aug. 29.
  • The tournament features a small but visible presence of female players, a field shaped by regional legal and eligibility rules, and continues the 20‑team format adopted in 2022 that adds extra play‑in games for some squads.