Ripken Baseball Announces Inaugural National Championship Event

Ripken Baseball has announced it will crown a true national champion for the first time in its 20–plus year history with the creation of a new country–wide tournament. The organization today revealed the launch of Ripken Nationals, a premier 12U national championship tournament set to debut in 2026.

Regional qualifiers will begin in March across the country, culminating with the championship taking place from June 30 to July 5 at Cooperstown All Star Village in New York. The title game will be played on July 4, 2026.

Now part of the Unrivaled Sports family, Ripken Baseball is introducing a tournament series that will unite properties nationwide.

Qualifying tournaments will be held at Ripken Experiences, Diamond Nation, Sports Force Parks and Rocker B Ranch, providing teams with the opportunity to earn their spot in the national championships. Sixteen teams will advance to the Ripken Nationals, where they’ll compete at no charge for the chance be crowned the best in the country.

“Cooperstown has always been a special place for baseball, and now it will serve as the backdrop for a true national championship,” said Wade Martin, Unrivaled Sports CEO of baseball. “The Ripken Nationals will unite teams from across the country while giving kids and families memories that last a lifetime. At Unrivaled Sports, we’re committed to delivering unmatched experiences, and this championship is another opportunity for teams nationwide to be part of something extraordinary.”

The Ripken National Championship and select Ripken Nationals qualifier games will air on CBS Sports Network. In addition, youth sports app GameChanger will be the exclusive digital streaming partner of Ripken Nationals, providing a live stream of select games and scores and stats with highlights delivered instantly after each contest.