Following the success of the second annual event, the “Maria Pepe Little League Baseball® Legacy Series: A Girls with Game Experience”, an all-girls baseball weekend opportunity, is set to return to the home of the Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on June 5-7, 2026. Applications are now open for girls interested in securing one of the limited spots for this year’s event.
“As we continue our commitment to girls in our program, we are excited to announce that the memorable experience that the Maria Pepe Legacy Series offers will be returning, giving nearly 100 young Girls with Game the chance to make new friends and play the game they love,” said Patrick Wilson, Little League President and CEO. “Being able to see the passion, talent, and determination of our young female athletes, along with the female coaches and umpires that support this event, has been truly inspiring, and we look forward to welcoming this year’s participants.”
The event will once again be open for a total of 96 female baseball players (League Age 11-12, based on the Baseball Age Determination Date) who may submit an application at LittleLeague.org/LegacySeries between now and the deadline on March 1, 2026. Once the deadline has concluded and all submissions are received, Little League staff will evaluate the applications and identify the 96 candidates who will be selected to participate.
The weekend-long event will kick off with an opening evaluation clinic on Friday, June 5, which will help the all-female coaching staff divide the 96 players into the eight teams. Teams will play a minimum of three games over the course of the weekend, with games being held in both Howard J. Lamade and Volunteer Stadiums.
Each of the 96 selected players will be provided with housing accommodations in the dorms at the Dr. Creighton J. Hale International Grove, with chaperones provided by Little League International. As part of the overall experience, participants will also have access to other activities on the complex throughout the weekend and will be provided with meals during their stay at the event.
The registration fee for the 96 selected individuals is $100, which will cover housing, meals, games, and activities for the players. Assistance is available for individuals unable to pay the $100 registration fee. NOTE: The registration fee will not be charged unless you are selected as a participant for this event.
With the event scheduled for the anniversary of the first-ever Little League game played on June 6, 1939, the event will also once again lead into the start of National Little League Week, which will be celebrated by communities across the United States from June 8-14, 2026.
The event is named in honor of Maria Pepe, an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of females across generations, who was enshrined in the Little League Hall of Excellence during the inaugural event in 2024. During her own childhood, Pepe helped spearhead a movement in the 1970s that would lead to girls having the opportunity to participate in the Little League program, changing the game forever and opening doors to provide opportunities that had never been available before. A native of Hoboken, New Jersey, where her Little League journey first began, Maria Pepe’s name is inscribed on the community’s batting cages, cementing her name in history as she remains committed to inspiring girls all around the world to get involved with sports.
Thanks to the perseverance that Pepe showed over the past 50+ years, girls from all around the world continue to shine on their own community baseball fields each year, which has resulted in a total of 24 individuals who have gone on to compete at the highest stage in the Little League Baseball World Series, including in each of the last six events. Inspired by her efforts, the Maria Pepe Legacy Series is one of the many examples of Little League’s continued strategic efforts to encourage and empower the girls and women within its program, with an ultimate goal of providing equal participation opportunities for girls by 2032.
Those interested in learning more about Maria’s experience and the lasting impact she has had on the Little League program are also encouraged to check out the exhibit on display within the World of Little League Museum.