Little League World Series 2025: Schedule, teams, bracket and how to watch the prestigious tournament

Yahoo

2 days ago

One of the most prestigious youth sporting events is about to get underway. The Little League World Series kicks off Wednesday and promises another year of excellent play from some future major-league stars.
The tournament will see a new winner in 2025 after defending champion Lake Mary was knocked off by another team from the Southwest. As fans gather in Williamsport to watch all the action, here's everything you need to know about the 2025 Little League World Series.
When is the Little League World Series?
The 2025 Little League World Series will take place Wednesday, Aug. 13 through Sunday, Aug. 24. That's typical for the event, which was first held in 1947 and has generally taken place in August.
Little League World Series schedule
Here's how things will shake out during the event.
Bracket play begins Wednesday, Aug. 13. Throughout most of the tournament, games will begin at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., all ET, in the early rounds.
Winners of those first four games will advance to the next round, where Canada, the Caribbean, the Northwest and West teams will get in their first game action. That will take place Friday, Aug. 15.
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Between Aug. 16 and Aug. 17, the teams that lost in the first set of games will fight to keep their championship dreams alive. Game times will shift Sunday, Aug. 17, with 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. start times on that day.
Play will then alternate between the winners and losers bracket between Aug. 18 and Aug. 19.
On Aug. 20, eight teams will remain in contention. All teams will play that day.
The two teams in the winners bracket that lose on the 20th will then play on the 21st to determine which team will head to the its respective final.
The U.S. championship game and the international championship game will both occur Saturday, Aug. 23. The international game will happen first, with play starting at 12:30 p.m. ET. The U.S. championship game will take place at 3:30 p.m. ET.
The next day, Sunday, Aug. 24, both the consolation game and the LLBWS championship game will be held. The consolation game begins at 10 a.m. ET. The LLBWS championship game is set for 3 p.m. ET.
Little League World Series format
A total of 20 teams — 10 from the United States and 10 International clubs — will compete in a modified double-elimination tournament. Play begins Aug. 13, with the winners advancing and remaining in the winners portion of the bracket.
Starting Aug. 16, the teams that lost their first games will face off to determine which teams remain in the event. Once a team loses twice, it is eliminated.
But that changes once the championships begin. The U.S. championship game and international championship game will be held Saturday, Aug. 23, and will both be single-elimination games. That creates a scenario where a team could be eliminated from the event with just one loss.
The same thing will hold true for the LLBWS championship game. It's a single-elimination contest.
Games will last six innings. If a game is tied after six innings, both teams will play the seventh inning as normal, with no runners on base. But if the game extends past the seventh inning, a runner will open each inning on second base.
Little League World Series teams
The following 20 teams will take part in the 2025 Little League World Series:
Region
Team
City/State
Great Lakes
Clarendon Hills LL
Clarendon Hills
Metro
Fairfield National LL
Fairfield, Connecticut
Mid-Atlantic
Glenmoore Eagle LL
Upper Uwchlan Township, Pennsylvania
Midwest
Sioux Falls LL
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Mountain
Summerlin South LL
Las Vegas, Nevada
New England
Braintree American LL
Braintree, Massachusetts
Northwest
Bonney Lake/Sumner LL
Bonney Lake, Washington
Southeast
Irmo LL
Irmo, South Carolina
Southwest
Lamar LL
Richmond, Texas
West
Honolulu LL
Honolulu, Hawaii
Asia-Pacific
Tung-Yuan LL
Taipei, Chinese Taipei
Australia
Brisbane North Region Little League
Brisbane, Queensland
Canada
Little Mountain LL
Vancouver, British Columbia
Caribbean
Aruba Center LL
Santa Cruz, Aruba
Europe-Africa
South Czech Republic LL
Brno, Czechia
Japan
Joto LL
Tokyo, Japan
Latin America
Cardenales Little League
Barquisimeto, Venezuela
Mexico
El Swing Perfecto Little League
Chihuahua, Mexico
Panama
Vacamonte Little League
Arraijan, Panama
Puerto Rico
Juan A. Bibiloni LL
Yabucoa, Puerto Rico
Little League World Series bracket
A full bracket for the 2025 Little League World Series can be found here.
Little League World Series age range
Little League World Series players must be between the ages of 10 and 12. The tournament previously allowed 13-year-olds to take part in the event, but altered that rule in 2015.
Given the ages of the players involved, there are strict rules on pitching limits at the event. Players who are 10 are capped at 75 pitches a day. Players who are 11 or 12 are allowed to throw 85 pitches in a day.
There are also mandatory days of rest for players based on how many pitches they throw in a game. Players who throw between 0 and 20 pitches are not required to rest. Players who throw between 21 and 35 pitches must rest for one day. That figure jumps to two days of rest if a pitcher throws between 36 and 50 pitches. Three days of rest are required for players who throw between 51 and 65 pitches. Once a pitcher throws 66 or more pitches, they need to rest for four days.
Where is the Little League World Series played?
Since the first Little League World Series in 1947, the event has been held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. These days, games are held at either Howard J. Lamade Stadium or Volunteer Stadium, which are located at the Little League headquarters complex.
Williamsport won the first-ever Little League World Series, which featured teams from 17 different Little Leagues around the United States. Twelve total teams took part in the first Little League World Series in 1947.
How to watch the Little League World Series
Every single game and event between Aug. 13 and Aug. 22 — including the Little League Home Run Derby and the MLB Little League Classic between the Seattle Mariners and the New York Mets — will air on ESPN.
On Aug. 23, both the U.S. championship game and the international championship game will air on ABC.
The LLBWS championship will also air on ABC on Aug. 24. That game will begin at 3 p.m. ET.
Fans looking to watch the consolation game on the 24th will be able to do so over on ESPN2. That game begins at 10 a.m. ET.