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Little League World Series Kicks Off in Williamsport With Full 20‑Team Field and 38‑Game TV Plan

National broadcasters will carry every game on ESPN networks and ABC with Little League enforcing age and pitch‑count rules to protect players.

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.
A general view before the game between Mountain Region and Metro Region at Howard J. Lamade Stadium.
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Overview

  • The 2026 Little League World Series opens in Williamsport with 20 teams—10 U.S. and 10 international—playing a modified double‑elimination bracket that leads to U.S. and International championship games and a title game on Aug. 30.
  • All 38 tournament games are scheduled for national broadcast across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC and are available on ESPN streaming platforms with additional carriage noted on services such as fubo.
  • The field includes regional qualifiers and automatic entries for Panama and Curaçao this year and features locally notable teams such as East Side Little League of West Chester, Pennsylvania.
  • Little League rules set player eligibility at ages 10–12 as of Aug. 31, 2026 and impose pitch limits and mandatory rest periods—10‑year‑olds max 75 pitches and 11–12 year‑olds max 85—to manage safety and pitcher availability.
  • The week also includes the MLB Little League Classic at Bowman Field on Aug. 23 and rising commercial interest, including offshore betting markets, which Little League has publicly flagged as a concern for the tournament’s integrity.