SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA —Two international squads got the 2025 Little League World Series underway on Wednesday afternoon, as Venezuela blanked Puerto Rico, 5-0, in a marquee opening matchup between two perennial international baseball powers.

It took a lot for Venezuela to the Little League World Series, but on Wednesday it made the playing baseball part look easy.

Where: Lamade Stadium (Williamsport, Pa.) Honolulu is back in the World Series, making it two straight years that a Hawaiian team is in Williamsport. The team out of Connecticut held on for a win on Wednesday night, outlasting Texas 1-0.

Willson Contreras, one of baseball’s most prominent Venezuelan players, lamented being "treated like we are criminals."

The 2025 Little League Baseball World Series continues this weekend on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025 and Sunday, Aug. 17 in Williamsport, Pa.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT — The team from Venezuela that won the Latin America Region championship will be allowed to enter the United States to play in the Little League World Series.

The top 20 Little League teams from around the globe enter Williamsport, aiming to become the 2025 Little League World Series champions.

Day 4 of the LLWS brings the first set of elimination games as the losers of the games on Aug. 16 will see their tournament come to an end. All eight teams that take the field on Saturday have already suffered one loss.

The annual baseball tournament is currently underway in Pennsylvania but less than 24 hours after the action began, officials sent out a timely reminder to those looking to exploit the game