2026 LLWS Team Hosts: Full List, Assignments & 500 Years of Service
Every team that reaches the Little League World Series gets a team host. Not a staff member. Not a paid employee. A volunteer who shows up every single day for 12 days and makes sure those kids have the best experience of their lives.
Teams
20
Supported
Combined
500+ Years
Service
Longest
34 Years
Serving
LLWS
Aug 19, 2026
Starts
Little League International announced the 2026 LLWS team host assignments on June 11, 2026, during the 67th National Little League Week. The drawing took place at the World of Little League Museum. All 20 teams now know who stands beside them from August 19 through August 30 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
| Announced | June 11, 2026 |
| Total Teams Hosted | 20 |
| Combined Experience | 500+ Years |
| Longest Serving Host | Larry Missigman – 34 Yrs |
| Hosts with 20+ Years | 9 Volunteers |
| Tournament Begins | August 19, 2026 |
Together, the 2026 team hosts bring over 500 years of combined service to the tournament. Nine of them have served for 20 years or more. One has never missed a year in over three decades.
What Is a Team Host at the Little League World Series?
A team host is a volunteer assigned to one specific regional team for the full duration of the LLWS. They are not coaches, officials, or Little League staff. They are community volunteers who give up two weeks every August to serve the players and families who come to Williamsport from around the world.
Most team hosts come from the Williamsport area and surrounding communities in central Pennsylvania. They go through a selection process run by Little League International each year. Many return year after year and build relationships with former players that last long after the tournament ends.
Game Day Logistics
Team hosts make sure every player is on time for games and practices. They handle daily scheduling and keep the team on track throughout the tournament window.
Uniform Fittings
Hosts coordinate official adidas uniform fittings for each team on arrival. Every player gets properly fitted before they step on the field at Lamade or Volunteer Stadium.
Media Coordination
Hosts help manage media access and activities for their assigned team. ESPN, ABC, and other outlets cover the LLWS closely, and hosts facilitate those interactions for players and coaches.
Daily Operations
From meals to transport to team outings around Williamsport, hosts handle the daily details that let coaches focus on baseball and players focus on the experience.
2026 LLWS Team Host Assignments: Full List
All 20 regional assignments are confirmed. US bracket teams are marked in blue. International bracket teams are marked in green. Years of service appear beside each host name.
| Region | Team Hosts | Years of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | Mike Konopski, Jim Scott | 2, 5 |
| Metro | Frank Missigman, Brad Walmer, Mike Miller | 21, 2, 11 |
| Mid-Atlantic | Mike Aso, Mike Gray, Bill Pearson | 5, 4, 4 |
| Midwest | Mike Mensch, Chris Long | 4, 6 |
| Mountain | Gary Weaver, Doug Alexander | 28, 21 |
| New England | Terry Parker | 8 |
| Northwest | Phil Sunderland, Jamie Foster, Larry Missigman | 5, 8, 34 |
| Southeast | Steve Moyer, Bruce Sechrist | 4, 22 |
| Southwest | Ron Frick, Mike Lundy | 23, 17 |
| West | Ryan Cioffi, JJ Manikowski | 6, 5 |
| Asia-Pacific | Kyle Daugherty, Lynn Datres, John Blacheck | 2, 25, 4 |
| Australia | Pete Lupacchino, Josh Lupacchino | 33, 12 |
| Canada | John Engle, Jamie Flick | 4, 6 |
| Caribbean | Joe Girio, Lee Miller | 28, 25 |
| Curacao | Jeff Tompkins, Van Ransom | 15, 21 |
| Europe and Africa | Willy Weber, Gary Whiteman, Tina Remsnyder | 19, 10, 4 |
| Japan | Scott Metzger, Joe Hamm | 17, 2 |
| Latin America | Lou Cromley, Bernie LaBelle | 7, 5 |
| Mexico | Curt Schmucker, Keith Johnson | 5, 5 |
| Panama | Ron Bainbridge, Matt Burrows | 2, 7 |
Red years = 20 or more years of service. All times and assignments subject to change.
Most Experienced Team Hosts in 2026
Nine team hosts bring 20 or more years of service to the 2026 tournament. Larry Missigman leads the entire group at 34 years. Pete Lupacchino is right behind him at 33. Together, these nine veterans account for a significant share of the group’s 500-plus combined years of service.
| Host | Region | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Larry Missigman | Northwest + Southeast | 34 |
| Pete Lupacchino | Australia | 33 |
| Gary Weaver | Mountain | 28 |
| Joe Girio | Caribbean | 28 |
| Denny Loner | Utility Host | 27 |
| Lynn Datres | Asia-Pacific | 25 |
| Frank Missigman | Metro | 21 |
| Doug Alexander | Mountain | 21 |
Utility Host Supporting the 2026 LLWS
A utility host works alongside all team hosts during the tournament. He does not have a single assigned team. Instead, he supports all 20 teams and all other hosts throughout the full two-week window in Williamsport.
Team Host Experience by the Numbers
| Combined Years of Service | 500+ |
| Teams Hosted in 2026 | 20 |
| Hosts with 20+ Years | 9 |
| Years – Longest Serving | 34 |
| Hosts in Their Second Year | 5 |
| Days of Service per Host | 12 |
How Team Hosts Are Assigned to LLWS Teams
Little League does not hand-pick which host goes with which team. The assignments happen through a random drawing held each year during National Little League Week. The 2026 drawing took place at the World of Little League Museum on June 10, 2026 as part of the Team Host Celebration event.
2026 Assignment Process:
Why Team Hosts Matter at the LLWS
The Little League World Series runs on its players. But the experience those players have in Williamsport depends heavily on the volunteers around them. Team hosts handle the details that let 10 to 12-year-old kids from 20 countries focus entirely on baseball and on each other.
Pete Lupacchino and his son Josh host the Australia region in 2026. Pete’s father started hosting in 1958. Josh grew up coming to the complex as a child. That kind of multi-generational connection to the program shows how deeply the host role runs in this community. Many former players stay in touch with their hosts for years after the tournament ends.
For more on attending the 2026 LLWS, visit the LLWS 2026 location and stadium guide. All games are free to attend. See the LLWS 2026 tickets guide for details on the championship game.
Conclusion
The 2026 LLWS team hosts bring over 500 combined years of volunteer service to South Williamsport. Larry Missigman leads at 34 years. Pete Lupacchino follows at 33. Nine hosts have served 20 years or more. All of them do it without pay and without hesitation.
The tournament runs from August 19 to 30. All 20 teams now know who stands beside them from the first practice to the last out. For game schedules, broadcast times, and everything else about the 2026 LLWS, check the full schedule and guides here.
