Little League Softball World Series returns to Greenville for 2026 edition
The 2026 Little League Softball World Series returns to Greenville, North Carolina, from August 2 to 9, though many details of this year's tournament remain unconfirmed.
The 2026 Little League Softball World Series takes place in Greenville, North Carolina, from August 2 to August 9, 2026. The tournament, for girls aged 10 to 12, has been held each August at Stallings Stadium in Greenville since it was first staged in 1974.
The 2026 Little League Softball World Series is set to run from August 2 to August 9, 2026, at Stallings Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina, bringing together the best girls' teams in the 10-to-12 age group. The tournament has been staged each August in Greenville for decades, with one notable exception: the 1975 edition was held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The event itself dates back to 1974, making it one of the longest-running showcases in youth softball. Teams reach Greenville through regional qualifying, and for many players the path also runs through travel ball alongside their Little League seasons. The week-long event draws national attention, with ESPN among the broadcasters covering the action. For Greenville, it is both a sporting fixture and an annual gathering of families from across the country. For the players, it is the pinnacle of their Little League careers — a chance to compete on a stage that has hosted generations of champions before them.
Greenville prepares to host the 2026 Softball World Series
The 2026 Little League Softball World Series will run from August 2 to August 9, 2026, at Stallings Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina, the tournament's established home each August. The competition is for girls aged 10 to 12.
ESPN is associated with the event's coverage, with broadcaster Karl Ravech among the named figures connected to it, underscoring the national profile the Greenville tournament has built over the years.
As of now, however, much about the 2026 edition remains unconfirmed. The field of participating teams has not been finalised, and no results are available. Regional and qualifying tournaments around the United States will determine which teams make the trip to North Carolina, and those outcomes were still being decided at the time of writing. Details of the bracket, schedule and broadcast assignments are expected to emerge closer to the August 2 opening.
A tournament dating back to 1974
The Little League Softball World Series began in 1974, created as a championship tournament for girls aged 10 to 12. Its second edition, in 1975, was staged in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the town long associated with Little League's flagship baseball event. After that, the tournament settled in Greenville, North Carolina, where it has been played each August at Stallings Stadium.
Over the decades, that consistency turned the event into a fixture of the Little League calendar. Greenville became as central to girls' Little League softball as Williamsport is to baseball, with teams from across the United States and beyond qualifying annually for the week-long tournament. The 2026 edition, running from August 2 to August 9, continues that tradition at Stallings Stadium.
The Little League Softball World Series, a tournament for girls aged 10 to 12, was held for the first time.
The tournament was staged in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, instead of Greenville, North Carolina.
The tournament is held annually at Stallings Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina.
The 2026 Little League Softball World Series begins in Greenville, North Carolina.
The 2026 Little League Softball World Series concludes in Greenville, North Carolina.
Lightning delay and elimination drama, as reported
Several details from tournament play have surfaced in media reports but remain unconfirmed, and their outcomes are not yet known.
According to reports, a game between Lake Mary, Florida and Snohomish, Washington was halted by a lightning delay in the fourth inning, with Lake Mary holding a 1-0 lead when play stopped. When the game took place and how it finished have not been confirmed.
Reports also indicate that Lake Mary lost a game to a North Carolina team during the tournament and then faced an elimination game. The timing of that loss and whether Lake Mary survived the elimination matchup are not yet established.
Separately, a New Jersey team is reported to have won an elimination-round game at a World Series tournament in Greenville. Which New Jersey team was involved, and when that game was played, have not been confirmed.
All of these accounts come from publisher reports and have not been independently verified. Scores, schedules, and final outcomes may be revised as official information becomes available.
The road teams travel to reach the World Series
Reaching the World Series stage can take teams down very different roads, according to reports. A team from Snohomish, Washington, was said to be chasing a place in the tournament, though whether it ultimately qualified is not confirmed. Reports also suggest that some athletes balance Little League play with travel ball as they work their way toward the World Series, splitting their seasons between the two circuits.
Not every path ends in Greenville. According to reports, a team from Freehold Township, New Jersey, advanced to the Junior League World Series, a separate tournament held in Michigan. How the team performed there, and when its run took place, has not been established. None of these accounts has been independently corroborated, and the details should be treated as preliminary until confirmed by official sources.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is the 2026 Little League Softball World Series?
The 2026 Little League Softball World Series runs from August 2 to August 9, 2026. It is being held at Stallings Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina, the tournament's traditional home each August. The event features girls aged 10 to 12. The teams participating in the 2026 edition and its results have not yet been confirmed.
What age group plays in the Little League Softball World Series?
The tournament is for girls aged 10 to 12. It was first held in 1974, making it a long-running fixture of the Little League calendar. It takes place each August at Stallings Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina, though the 1975 edition was staged in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, instead of Greenville.
What happened in the Lake Mary vs. Snohomish game at the Little League Softball World Series?
According to reports, a game between Lake Mary, Florida and Snohomish, Washington was stopped by a lightning delay in the fourth inning, with Lake Mary ahead 1-0. The timing of the game and its final outcome have not yet been confirmed, so it is unclear whether Lake Mary's lead held once play resumed.
Did Lake Mary get eliminated from the Little League Softball World Series?
Reports indicate Lake Mary lost a game to a North Carolina team at the tournament and subsequently faced an elimination game. It is not yet confirmed when that loss occurred or whether Lake Mary survived the elimination game. The Florida team's run at the World Series remains an unresolved part of this developing story.
Where has the Little League Softball World Series been held over the years?
The tournament was first held in 1974. It is played each August at Stallings Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina, which has become its established home. One exception came in 1975, when the edition was held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, rather than Greenville. The 2026 tournament returns to Greenville from August 2 to August 9.
Compiled from reporting by 10 independent outlets. How we source our reporting.
