Upon signing the agreement, WBSC Europe had 700 Little League teams chartered (aka registered) throughout the continent. By way of the agreement, WBSC Europe and Little League committed to raising the number of teams through a number of tools and incentives.
When the Little League chartering period closed on June 1st, the number of teams had risen to over 1.300 teams for the 2024 season.
As a non-profit organization, Little League® aims to increase access to development initiatives, ensure player growth and retention, and maximize the overall experience for all participants.
As part of its commitment, Little League® has provided essential funding to enhance youth baseball and softball programs across Europe.
National Federations are encouraged to request financial support from WBSC Europe to develop Little League teams within their regions. To ensure a fair and efficient process, WBSC Europe has established a comprehensive development procedure for submitting funding requests. This procedure guarantees transparency and equity in the evaluation and allocation of development funds.
The application submission deadline is July 20th.
Extended application submission deadline: September 15th, 2024.
Little League has pledged to focus on increasing female inclusion and opportunities at every level of the program. This prioritization aligns with WBSC Europe's goals for 2024, which emphasize increasing youth participation in baseball and softball and expanding opportunities for female athletes.
Detailed instructions and guidelines for submitting funding requests can be found in the documents released by the WBSC Europe Development Commission:
For any questions or further clarification, please contact development@wbsceurope.org.
Cover photo by Czech Softball
