The first ticket to the 2026 Little League Baseball® World Series, Presented by T-Mobile (LLBWS), has officially been punched as David Doleguita Little League (Chiriquí, Panamá) has been crowned Panamá Region Champion.
Throughout the tournament, David Doleguita LL went 11-3 overall and earned its spot at the LLBWS after winning the three-game championship series over Barrio Colon Little League (Panamá Oeste, Panamá) to claim the region banner.
This will be the second time David Doleguita LL appears in the LLBWS, dating back to the league’s first appearance in 1993 when it finished as runner-up to the champion Long Beach (Calif.) Little League.
Additionally, it will be the 14th time a team from Panamá will make the trip to Williamsport, its first appearance dating back to 1984 with Willys R. Cook Little League earning the country’s first nod. Since expanding the tournament internationally to 10 teams in 2022, Panama has received direct entry to the LLBWS every year outside of the 2024 event, with last year’s representative, Vacamonte Little League, finishing 1-2 in the tournament.
Throughout the years, Panamá has been engrained in the history of the Little League program, even outside of the World Series. In 1950, the first leagues established outside the United States were formed on either side of the Panama Canal with the Pacific and Atlantic Little Leagues of Balboa. The country is also home a number of active MLB players, in addition to 2004 LLBWS graduate, Christian Bethancourt; class of 1991 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, Rod Carew; and Mariano Rivera, the only unanimous selection into the Baseball Hall of Fame and a 2015 Little League Hall of Excellence enshrinee who played for Barrio Colon Little League in La Chorrera, Panamá, growing up.
The official schedule and website information for the 2026 LLBWS will be announced by the end of March, while first-round matchup’s will be shared in mid-June as the 79th Little League Baseball World Series will take place from August 19-30, 2026. For more information about the LLBWS, including visitor resources, special guests, and more, check back all summer long at LittleLeague.org/World Series. To start planning your visit to Williamsport, go to LittleLeague.org/visit.
Team Information:
- Region: Panama
- Region Tournament Record: 11-3
- League LLBWS Appearances: Second (1993, 2026)
- Country LLBWS Appearances: 14th
- League Notable Alumni: Javy Guerra (MLB 2018-23)
- Little League Charter Since: 1985
- Country Fun Fact: In 1950, the first leagues established outside the United States were formed on either side of the Panama Canal with the Pacific and Atlantic Little Leagues of Balboa.