As originally posted in the ESPN Press Room
Summary
- Little League Baseball World Series audience up 7% year over year
- Most-watched tournament since 2015
- World Championship Game audience up 21% year over year
- Consolation Game delivered largest audience since 2016
ESPN’s presentation of the 2026 Little League Baseball World Series, Presented by T-Mobile averaged 1.1M viewers across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel. Viewership increased 7% year over year and ranks as the most-watched Little League Baseball World Series since 2015.
The Little League Baseball World Series Championship Game between Curaçao and Henderson, Nevada, averaged 2.9M viewers on ABC, up 21% year over year. The telecast peaked at 3.7M viewers in the final quarter-hour.
The United States Championship Game averaged 2.5M viewers on ABC.
The International Championship Game averaged 1.6M viewers, up 27% year over year and ranking as the most-watched International Championship since 2023. The Consolation Game between Hamilton, Ohio, and Japan averaged 903K viewers, up 39% year over year and ranking as the most-watched Consolation Game since 2016.
Additionally, Hamilton, Ohio, versus Phenix City, Alabama on August 26, averaged 2.1M viewers, making it the most-watched non-championship Little League Baseball World Series game since 2021 and the most-watched ESPN telecast of the tournament since 2015.