The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic is rapidly changing the way that
we, as global citizens, think, act, gather, learn, and live our daily
lives. And, yes, that also means how we play Little League.
With the most recent guidance from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Little League
International Board of Directors and staff is now strongly advising all
its local Little League programs to suspend/delay their Little League
seasons through no earlier than Monday, May
11. We implore you to follow this recommendation and suspend all Little
League activities through no earlier than May 11.
We recognize that this is the heart of the traditional Little League
season, and we share in the great disappointment that many are feeling
surrounding this additional pause in the 2020 season. However, it is our
hope that by doing this, we will all play
a small, but important part in flattening the curve in the spread of
the coronavirus pandemic.
We will continue to consult with appropriate medical advisors,
government health officials and our volunteer leaders around the world,
and we are committed to doing the best we can for the safety and
wellbeing of our players, families, volunteers, and fans.
As this situation evolves, Little League International is committed
to sharing the best guidance possible for all of our 6,500 leagues in
more than 84 countries. It is our sincere hope that we can find ways to
bring everyone back to the Little League fields
this season, whether that’s later this spring or throughout the summer.
Currently, Little League International is working through all
possible scenarios for the 2020 Little League International Tournament
and tournament eligibility for our leagues and players in our various
divisions of play.
Little League will continue to provide additional guidance on the
impact of delaying the season and has developed a series of FAQs
available at
LittleLeague.org/Coronavirus. We are committed to sharing
information as it becomes available on issues like player eligibility
and tournament participation, charter and insurance status for the year,
and A Safety Awareness Program plan deadlines.
We also will be sharing guidance on how to resume operations when
appropriate, best practices for handling the financial implications, and
how you can communicate with parents and families in your communities
about this delay in Little League activity. This
information will continue to be developed and shared on
LittleLeague.org/Coronavirus and through all of our communications methods.
There are countless resources available, and we urge you to follow the information available through
World Health Organization,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), your state’s public health department (click here
for a listing of state public health departments ), and other county and/or local authorities including precedents set by area school districts and government agencies.