Williamsport didn’t just host the first Little League World Series in 1947 — it won it. The Maynard Midget League beat Lock Haven All Stars 16-7 in that first final, and with the exception of one New Jersey club, every team in the original 12-team field came from somewhere in Pennsylvania. Nearly 80 years later, the Little League World Series winners list by teams has grown into a genuinely global record, and the tournament itself has settled into a permanent home at the LLWS Complex in South Williamsport since 1959 — two stadiums, Volunteer and Howard J. Lamade, plus the World of Little League Museum.
Winners by Country, 1947–2025
| Country | Championships |
|---|---|
| United States | 40 |
| Chinese Taipei | 18 |
| Japan | 11 |
| Mexico | 3 |
| South Korea | 3 |
| Venezuela | 2 |
| Curaçao | 1 |
That’s 78 total championships across 79 tournament years — the gap is 2020, canceled due to COVID-19, the only year in tournament history with no champion at all.
U.S. Championships by State, 1947–2025
| Rank | State | Championships |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 8 |
| T2 | Connecticut | 4 |
| T2 | Hawaii | 4 |
| T2 | New Jersey | 4 |
| T2 | Pennsylvania | 4 |
| T6 | Georgia | 3 |
| T6 | New York | 3 |
| T8 | Michigan | 2 |
| T8 | Texas | 2 |
| T10 | Alabama | 1 |
| T10 | Florida | 1 |
| T10 | Kentucky | 1 |
| T10 | Louisiana | 1 |
| T10 | New Mexico | 1 |
| T10 | Washington | 1 |
California’s eight titles put it well clear of the rest of the field, but the four-way tie for second — Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, all at four — says something about how spread out this sport’s history actually is. Fifteen different states have won at least one title.
Winners by Year, 1947–2025
| Year | Champion City |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Chinese Taipei (Asia-Pacific) |
| 2024 | Lake Mary, Florida |
| 2023 | El Segundo, California |
| 2022 | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| 2021 | Taylor, Michigan |
| 2020 | Canceled (COVID-19) |
| 2019 | River Ridge, Louisiana |
| 2018 | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| 2017 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 2016 | Endwell, New York |
| 2015 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 2014 | Seoul, South Korea |
| 2013 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 2012 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 2011 | Huntington Beach, California |
| 2010 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 2009 | Chula Vista, California |
| 2008 | Waipahu, Hawaii |
| 2007 | Warner Robins, Georgia |
| 2006 | Columbus, Georgia |
| 2005 | ‘Ewa Beach, Hawaii |
| 2004 | Willemstad, Curaçao |
| 2003 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 2002 | Louisville, Kentucky |
| 2001 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 2000 | Maracaibo, Venezuela |
| 1999 | Hirakata, Japan |
| 1998 | Toms River, New Jersey |
| 1997 | Guadalupe, Mexico |
| 1996 | Kaohsiung, Taiwan |
| 1995 | Tainan, Taiwan |
| 1994 | Maracaibo, Venezuela |
| 1993 | Long Beach, California |
| 1992 | Long Beach, California |
| 1991 | Taichung, Taiwan |
| 1990 | Tainan County, Taiwan |
| 1989 | Trumbull, Connecticut |
| 1988 | Taichung, Taiwan |
| 1987 | Hualien, Taiwan |
| 1986 | Tainan Park, Taiwan |
| 1985 | Seoul, South Korea |
| 1984 | Seoul, South Korea |
| 1983 | Marietta, Georgia |
| 1982 | Kirkland, Washington |
| 1981 | Taichung, Taiwan |
| 1980 | Hualien, Taiwan |
| 1979 | Chiayi, Taiwan |
| 1978 | Pingtung, Taiwan |
| 1977 | Kaohsiung, Taiwan |
| 1976 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 1975 | Lakewood, New Jersey |
| 1974 | Kaohsiung, Taiwan |
| 1973 | Tainan City, Taiwan |
| 1972 | Taipei, Taiwan |
| 1971 | Tainan, Taiwan |
| 1970 | Wayne, New Jersey |
| 1969 | Taipei, Taiwan |
| 1968 | Wakayama, Japan |
| 1967 | West Tokyo, Japan |
| 1966 | Houston, Texas |
| 1965 | Windsor Locks, Connecticut |
| 1964 | Staten Island, New York |
| 1963 | Granada Hills, California |
| 1962 | San Jose, California |
| 1961 | El Cajon, California |
| 1960 | Levittown, Pennsylvania |
| 1959 | Hamtramck, Michigan |
| 1958 | Monterrey, Mexico |
| 1957 | Monterrey, Mexico |
| 1956 | Roswell, New Mexico |
| 1955 | Morrisville, Pennsylvania |
| 1954 | Schenectady, New York |
| 1953 | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 1952 | Norwalk, Connecticut |
| 1951 | Stamford, Connecticut |
| 1950 | Houston, Texas |
| 1949 | Hammonton, New Jersey |
| 1948 | Lock Haven, Pennsylvania |
| 1947 | Williamsport, Pennsylvania |
A Data Conflict Worth Flagging, Not Quietly Fixing
This document’s city names for several Taiwan and Chinese Taipei championships don’t match the scores-focused winners article published earlier in this series. Rather than pick one version and bury the disagreement, here’s the full list of years where the two sources disagree:
| Year | This Source | Earlier Scores Article |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Hirakata, Japan | Osaka, Japan |
| 1996 | Kaohsiung, Taiwan | Fu-Hsing, Taiwan |
| 1995 | Tainan, Taiwan | Shan-Hua, Taiwan |
| 1991 | Taichung, Taiwan | Hsi Nan, Taiwan |
| 1990 | Tainan County, Taiwan | San-Hua, Taiwan |
| 1981 | Taichung, Taiwan | Tai-Ping, Taiwan |
| 1979 | Chiayi, Taiwan | Pu-Tzu Town, Taiwan |
| 1978 | Pingtung, Taiwan | Pin-Kuang, Taiwan |
| 1977 | Kaohsiung, Taiwan | Li-The, Taiwan |
| 1972 | Taipei, Taiwan | Taipan, Taiwan |
Some of these are likely the same underlying result described at different administrative levels — a district name versus the larger city or county it sits in (Shan-Hua is a district within Tainan, for instance, and Pu-Tzu Town sits inside Chiayi County). Others, like “Taipan” versus “Taipei” in 1972. Little League International’s own archive before this discrepancy makes it into a published post, since these are two independently sourced documents disagreeing on the same historical facts.
More: Little League World Series Scores by Year: Past Winner Results, History
FAQ
Q: Which country has won the most Little League World Series titles?
A: The United States leads the Little League World Series winners list by teams with 40 championships since 1947, followed by Chinese Taipei with 18 and Japan with 11.
Q: Which U.S. state has won the most Little League World Series championships?
A: California leads all U.S. states with 8 Little League World Series titles, ahead of a four-way tie between Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania at 4 each.
Q: Has the Little League World Series ever been canceled?
A: Yes — the 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the only gap year in the record since the tournament began in 1947.
Q: Where was the very first Little League World Series held?
A: The first Little League World Series was played in 1947 at Original Field in Memorial Park, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where the Maynard Midget League defeated Lock Haven 16-7.
