Little League World Series teams, ages, pitch count & more to know for 2023 tournament

Break out the peanuts and Cracker Jack. 

Everyone's favorite summer baseball tradition, the Little League World Series, is back in action this week. Twenty of the best teams from around the globe are in Williamsport, Pa., for the annual tournament, battling to be crowned world champions. 

The 2022 competition saw some changes to its structure, including expanding the number of teams and the age limits of kids competing. Those restrictions have rolled over into this year's event. 

Hawaii ran through its opposition last year to claim the 2022 Little League World Series, but who comes out on top in 2023?

MORE: Watch the Little League World Series live with Fubo (free trial)

The Sporting News has everything you need to know about this year's tournament:

Little League World Series teams 2023

For the second consecutive year, the Little League World Series will feature a 20-team field. Last year, the tournament was expanded to add two teams from both brackets — Metro and Mountain in the U.S., and two of either Panama, Cuba and Puerto Rico internationally. 

To note, the Little League World Series' expansion teams began a three-year rotation in 2022 among Panama, Puerto Rico and Cuba. The rotation of auto bids drew Panama and Cuba in 2023 and will draw Cuba and Puerto Rico in 2024. The third country each year will still have a chance to qualify through its regional tournament (Puerto Rico did not qualify from the Caribbean Region in 2023).

Here's a look at the teams set to challenge for the 2023 Little League World Series title:

United States teams

International teams

2023 Little League World Series bracket

You can download a PDF of the full 2023 Little League World Series bracket here.

Little League World Series location

The Little League World Series returns to Williamsport, Pa., which has hosted the event every year since its inception in 1947.

How old are Little League World Series players?

This year, the eligible age range for participants is 10 to 12 years old as of Aug. 31, 2023. 

In 2020 and 2021, the league accepted only 11- and 12-year-olds. Before then, the age group allowed children as old as 13 to play.

What is the LLWS pitch count limit?

With the Little League World Series allowing 10-year-olds at the tournament, there are differing pitch count rules for its participants. 

Per Little League Baseball regulations, 10-year-olds have a 75-pitch count. Participants who are 11 or 12 can throw as many as 85 pitches in a game.

The designated rest period per pitch count is the same for all participants aged 10-12, and remains the same as in previous years:

Little League World Series field size

• 46 feet: Pitching rubber to home plate
• 60 feet: Length of basepaths
• 225 feet: Home plate to outfield fence

Once again, the Little League World Series will take place in Williamsport, Pa., and the games will be split between Howard J. Lamade and Little League Volunteer stadiums, both of which have the same dimensions.

Who won the LLWS in 2022?

Honolulu Little League, representing the West region, were crowned the 2022 Little League World Series champions.

The team from Hawaii ran through the competition with ease, defeating Curacao 13-3 in the final game, which ended early due to the run rule put in place by the LLWS. 

Hawaii breezed through the entire tournament with ease. The team went 4-0 in the Hawaii State tournament before posting a perfect 3-0 record in the West Regional Tournament. At the Little League World Series, Hawaii went 6-0, outscoring its opponents 60-5, with four of those games cut short via the run rule. 

List of past Little League World Series champions

Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) has claimed the most Little League World Series titles, with 17 in its history, but the last one was in 1996.

Next on the list is Japan and California, who have nine each. Japan last won in 2017, while California took the championship in 2011.