The Keystone State will be well represented at the 2026 Little League World Series. Of course the event is hosted and played at Williamsport, Pa., but it's not every year a PA team makes it to the Series.
Last week, East Side squad from West Chester assured there would be a 'home' team at Williamsport, winning the Mid-Atlantic Region Aug. 14 to punch its ticket to the World Series.
East Side Little League is among 20 teams in the Little League World Series 2026, with 10 U.S. teams and 10 international teams headed to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, with play to begin on Aug. 19.
With the 2026 Little League World Series bracket finalized, here's a look at the teams that qualified for Williamsport, the tournament schedule, first-round matchups, how to watch
and what comes next as the LLWS gets underway.
How did PA champ East Side get to Little League World Series
East Side Little League, of West Chester, Pa., is making its first Little League World Series appearance, but has the pitching and plate prowess to make a deep run in the tournament. East Side stormed through the Mid-Atlantic Region with three consecutive wins, outscoring their opponents 21-2. Pitchers Cole Warner and Ryan Donnelly combined for a 3-1 tournament championship victory against Naamans Little League of Wilmington, Del. With Warner also flashing power at the plate, East Side's offense has shown it has plenty of pop to support its strong starting rotation. West Chester is a roughly three-hour drive from Williamsport, so expect this team to have a raucous following as they move through play.
The West Chester team hopes to be the first Little League World Series team to win it all since Levittown accomplished the feat in 1960.
Little League World Series 2026 teams: Who qualified for LLWS?
The 2026 Little League World Series features 20 teams, including 10 from the United States and 10 international champions.
Bayonne Little League of New Jersey, East Side Little League of West Chester, Pennsylvania, and Bridgewater Little League of Massachusetts are among the East Coast teams. Other U.S. LLWS 2026 teams include West Side Little League of Ohio, Soundview Little League of Washington and Sweetwater Valley Little League of California.
International qualifiers for the tournament include teams from South Korea, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Australia, the Dominican Republic, Canada and other regions around the world.
Is there a Little League World Series game today? When does LLWS 2026 start?
No. The 2026 Little League World Series begins Wednesday, Aug. 19, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The tournament runs through Aug. 30 and features a double-elimination format before the United States and International championship games and Little League World Series championship.
Little League World Series 2026 bracket
The 2026 Little League World Series bracket is split into U.S. and International sides.
Bayonne enters the tournament as the Metro Region champion, while East Side represents the Mid-Atlantic Region. Teams must navigate the double-elimination bracket in pursuit of the Little League Baseball World Series U.S. championship game and, ultimately, the Little League World Series title game. You can view the printable Little League World Series bracket below or head to the official Little League website.
Little League World Series location: Where is the Little League World Series played?
The Little League World Series is played each year in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Games take place at Lamade Stadium and Volunteer Stadium on the Little League International Complex, which has hosted the tournament for decades and welcomes teams from around the world each summer.
How to watch the Little League World Series 2026
Little League World Series games air across ESPN platforms throughout the tournament.
Games will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. Fans can also stream games through ESPN+ and the ESPN app by signing in with a participating TV provider. ESPN notes that customers with providers including Xfinity, DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Spectrum TV, Verizon Fios and YouTube TV may have access through their existing subscriptions.
Watch the 2026 Little League World Series on Fubo
Which New Jersey and Pennsylvania teams qualified?
Bayonne Little League qualified for Williamsport by winning the Metro Region championship, defeating Darien, Connecticut, 8-6.
East Side Little League of West Chester, Pennsylvania, earned its berth by winning the Mid-Atlantic Region championship with a 3-1 victory over Naamans Little League of Delaware.
Bayonne represents the Metro Region, while East Side represents the Mid-Atlantic Region in this year's tournament.
When does East Side PA Little League play in the Little League Baseball World Series 2026?
East Side of West Chester opens its Little League World Series schedule on Friday, Aug. 21, against the winner of Wednesday night's game between Bayonne, N.J. (Metro champ) and Bridgewater, Mass., the New England Region champion.
Friday's game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport as West Chester begins its quest for a Little League World Series championship.
When did Morrisville, Levittown win the Little League World Series
International teams have won the majority of the Little League World Series titles in recent years, but two Bucks County teams hold the honor of keeping the crown in the United States. The 1955 Morrisville 12 year olds took the title and five years later in 1960, Levittown duplicated the feat.
Sherlon Christie and Tom Haines of USA Today contributed to this story.
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based reporter covering trending news with USA TODAY Network's Mid-Atlantic Connect Team. She covers news in the Northeast, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Reach her at LComstock@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: When does PA Little League team start Williamsport World Series 2026?
