Starting with the 2025 season, children at the youngest levels of the Little League® Baseball and Softball program (League Age 4-7) throughout the United States will have the ability to register and play for any local Little League program they choose, without respect to any geography- or school-related eligibility requirements. Those players who register under this option will also be fully eligible to participate in all aspects of league play, including International Tournament play, for the duration of their Little League careers provided they have continuous and unbroken participation from the time they are League Age seven within the specific league where initially registered and provided all other participation eligibility requirements have been met.
“As we continue to find ways to support and promote the youngest levels of our program, as well as look to remove barriers of entry to our program for families around the world, we are excited to share this evolution to our regulation starting with the 2025 season,” said Dan Velte, Little League Senior Operations Executive. “League Boundaries are at the core of Little League’s community value, and as we continue to provide more flexibility for families to enjoy their Little League experience, this evolution provides opportunities for families first entering the Little League program, while also ensuring our tournament-aged players have a fair and competitive playing field.”
As part of this strategic change, which is detailed in Little League’s Regulation II as found in the Little League Rulebook App, players League Age 8-16 as of the 2025 season (born on or before September 1, 2017, for Baseball or January 1, 2017, for Softball) will continue to utilize the current boundary requirement based on residency or school enrollment.
Opportunities and waivers will continue to be available as an option for players should they be interested in switching leagues that are outside of these requirements, based on approval and potential stipulations from the Little League International Charter Committee.
In an effort to assist these families at these youngest divisions to choose the best league for their situation, as well as to further support the administrative needs of our local league volunteers, Little League International will also be launching a Central Registration Platform, which will be mandatory for U.S. leagues to use starting with the 2025 season, at PlayLittleLeague.org.
“Through our Central Registration platform, families will have an easier time signing their child up for the Little League program while also tracking their eligibility throughout their Little League journey,” said Mr. Velte. “Additionally, this process will also help ease the administrative burden of our local league volunteers while providing an enhanced experience to our players throughout every step of their time in the Little League Baseball and Softball program.”
Supported and operated through Sports Connect, the Official Local League Technology Provider of Little League, the transition to the new Central Registration system will be relatively seamless for those leagues who already utilize a Sports Connect website, and those leagues who are not utilizing one are strongly encouraged to do so prior to the conclusion of the 2024 season to aid their efforts.
In 2015, Little League International first expanded participation opportunity to allow children to participate in a Little League program based on the location of the school in which they are enrolled. This latest evolution provides even more flexibility and support to remove barriers of entry and provide all families and children the opportunity to enjoy a Little League experience, developing life lessons and building stronger individuals and communities.
Over the course of the 2024 season, additional information will be communicated directly to local league and district officials, as well as parents, to help understand the evolution of this regulation as well as Central Registration. To learn more about the impact of Regulation II and the establishment of Central Registration for the 2025 season, as well as to read more FAQs about how it impacts families, league officials, and District Administrators, please visit LittleLeague.org/2025Registration.