The last teams have punched their tickets to the 2026 Little League World Series! Unfortunately, there won't be a team from Florida in Williamsport this year.
Ten teams from across the country will join 10 teams from all over the world to take part in the nearly two-weeklong youth baseball tournament starting Wednesday, Aug. 19, in central Pennsylvania. Two years ago, the boys from Lake Mary won Florida's first championship in the event's 80-year history. This year, Florida was represented by the Chaires-Capitola team from Tallahassee, who won their first state title by shutting out Lake Mary 6-0.
But for the second straight year, the Sunshine State came up short of winning their regional tournament and earning a trip to Williamsport. After Lake Mary was upset in the 2025 championship game, Chaires went 2-2 and saw the team from Phenix City, Alabama, celebrate at the end of the Southeast regional.
Watch Little League World Series on Fubo (free trial)
Alabama will play in the first game of the U.S. bracket. The modified double-elimination format means every team will play at least two games, plus a consolation game against a team from the international bracket. It all concludes Sunday, Aug. 30, with the LLWS championship game.
Here's what to know about the 2026 Little League World Series, including the schedule, teams, brackets and how to watch on TV and streaming.
Did Florida make the Little League World Series?
No. The Chaires-Capitola Little League team from Tallahassee was a game away from playing for the Southeast regional championship in Warner Robins, Georgia. They opened with a dominating 16-1 run-rule victory over Columbus, Georgia, before taking down last year's regional champs from Irmo, South Carolina, in an 8-1 win.
But then the Tallahassee boys ran into Phenix City, Alabama, who stormed back from a four-run deficit to win 8-5 and force Florida into an elimination game. Chaires was shut out 4-0 by Nolensville, Tennessee, to come one game short of the regional title game.
Florida did see one team make the Little League World Series: the Lake Mary girls, who played in the softball tournament for the second year in a row. They made it all the way to the semifinals and lost to only one team, the eventual champions from Clayton, North Carolina. Lake Mary finished their tournament by beating Toms River, New Jersey, 5-4 on a walk-off hit to claim third place.
Little League World Series 2026 teams
Here are the 10 teams who qualified for the United States bracket:
- Great Lakes: Hamilton, Ohio (West Side Little League)
- Metro:Bayonne, New Jersey (Bayonne Central Little League)
- Mid-Atlantic:West Chester, Pennsylvania (East Side Little League)
- Midwest:Davenport, Iowa (Davenport Northwest Little League)
- Mountain: Henderson, Nevada (Paseo Verde Little League)
- New England: Bridgewater, Massachusetts (Bridgewater Joe Lazaro Little League)
- Northwest: Tacoma, Washington (Soundview Little League)
- Southeast: Phenix City, Alabama (Phenix City Youth Baseball Little League)
- Southwest: Boerne, Texas (Boerne Little League)
- West:Bonita, California (Sweetwater Valley Little League)
And here are the 10 teams in the international bracket:
- Asia-Pacific: Seoul, South Korea (West Seoul B Little League)
- Australia: Sydney, New South Wales (Ryde Little League)
- Canada: Vancouver, British Columbia (Little Mountain Little League)
- Caribbean: Santiago, Dominican Republic (Los Nacionales Little League)
- Curaçao: Willemstad, Curaçao (Pariba Little League)
- Europe-Africa: Brno, Czechia (South Czech Republic Little League)
- Japan: Tokyo, Japan (Joto Little League)
- Latin America: Leon, Nicaragua (Ministerio Sobre Las Alas Del Aguila Little League)
- Mexico: Tijuana, Baja California (Municipal De Tijuana Little League)
- Panama: Chiriquí, Panama (David Doleguita Little League)
When does the Little League World Series start?
With the regional tournaments all finished, the 20 champions now head to South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, for the 2026 Little League World Series. Games begin Wednesday, Aug. 19, culminating with the 2026 LLWS championship Sunday, Aug. 30.
2026 Little League World Series schedule
Here's each team's first game at the Little League World Series. All times Eastern. Check out the full schedule.
Wednesday, Aug. 19
- 1 p.m.: Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic | ESPN
- 3 p.m.: Alabama vs. Washington | ESPN
- 5 p.m.: Canada vs. South Korea | ESPN
- 7 p.m.: New Jersey vs. Massachusetts | ESPN
Thursday, Aug. 20
- Noon: Australia vs. Mexico | ESPN
- 2 p.m.: Ohio vs. Nevada | ESPN
- 4 p.m.: Curaçao vs. Japan | ESPN
- 6 p.m.: California vs. Iowa | ESPN2
Friday, Aug. 21
- 1 p.m.: Panama vs. Nicaragua-Dominican Republic winner | ESPN
- 3 p.m.: Texas vs. Alabama-Washington winner | ESPN
- 5 p.m.: Czechia vs. Canada-South Korea winner | ESPN
- 7 p.m.: Pennsylvania vs. New Jersey-Massachusetts winner | ESPN
Little League World Series bracket
See the full schedule and each team's path to the championship with the updating LLWS bracket.
How to watch LLWS 2026
Most games in the 2026 Little League World Series will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN2 with select games, including the semifinals and championship game, airing on ABC. Streaming options include Fubo, which carries all three channels and offers a free trial for new subscribers.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Little League World Series schedule is set! Did Florida win LLWS regionals?