Little League Softball World Series teams, ages, rules & more to know for 2026 tournament

As July turns to August, one of the premiere youth sports events of the year has arrived.

The 2026 Little League Softball World Series will last from Aug. 2-8, with 12 teams contending to tournament featuring some of the best young players in the country. 

Around since 1974, the LLSWS will soon take center stage prior to the start of the Little League World Series.

Here's your guide to the 2026 Little League Softball World Series, including the teams involved, rules and more.

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Little League Softball World Series teams 2026

Twelve teams will compete in the Little League Softball World Series, with eight from the United States and four international. 

Here's a look at all the teams in the 2026 tournament:

Purple Bracket

Orange Bracket

2026 Little League Softball World Series bracket

The 2026 bracket features two sides with six teams each: purple and orange. After a double-elimination tournament on each side of the bracket, the purple-and-orange-side winners will meet to play for the Little League Softball World Series championship.

You can access a PDF version of the bracket on the LLSWS official website.

Little League Softball World Series location

The Little League Softball World Series will be played at Stallings Stadium in Greenville, N.C., for the sixth consecutive year. The tournament begins on Aug. 2 and runs through Aug. 9. 

How old are Little League Softball World Series players?

The eligible age range for participants in the Little League Softball World Series is 10 to 12. Guidelines state that players who turn 12 before January 1 of that year remain eligible to compete in the tournament.

Players ages 12 to 14 are instead eligible for the Junior League in Kirkland, Washington. Players aged 13 to 16 are eligible for the Senior League World Series in Sussex County, Del.

What is the LLSWS pitch count limit?

For the Little League Softball World Series, a pitcher may pitch no more than 12 innings in one day. If a player pitches in seven or more innings in a single day, one calendar day of rest is mandatory, per Little League rules. Just throwing one pitch in an inning still qualifies as a full inning. No rest is required if the pitcher pitches in less than seven innings in a calendar day.

MORE: How Little League World Series pitch counts work

Little League Softball World Series field size

• 60 feet: Diamond
• 40 feet: Pitching distance

Little League, also referred to as the Major Division, uses a 60-foot diamond. There is also a 40-foot distance between the pitcher and batter at Stallings Stadium in Greenville, N.C.

Who won the LLSWS in 2025?

Last year, West Suburban Little League, from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, won the Little League Softball World Series. 

Representing the Mid-Atlantic Region, West Suburban LL didn't lose a game in the entire tournament, going a clean 5-0. In the championshop, the squad bested Floyds Knobs Community Club Little League, based out of Indiana, with a 1-0 final score.

West Suburban LL also had four consecutive shutout wins to close out the tournament, securing Pennsylvania's first LLSWS title since 1978.

List of past Little League Softball World Series champions

Texas has the most LLSWS titles all-time, owning 14, including a run of 11 wins in 13 years by Waco between 1992 and 2004. Florida follows with eight championships, but no team from the state has won since 1996. 

Here's a complete list of winners since the event began in 1974.