WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao is preparing for a major celebration Monday afternoon after Pariba Little League captured the Little League World Series championship with an emphatic 11-2 victory over Paseo Verde of Nevada in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The victory marks only the second time in history that a team from Curaçao has won the prestigious youth baseball tournament, placing the 2026 squad alongside the legendary 2004 team that brought the island its first Little League world championship.
Curaçao initially fell behind 2-0 in the second inning of Sunday's championship game but quickly turned the contest around.
Key hits from Shardijon De Lanoi, Jaymiëll Martina and Juriënsly De Windt helped Pariba erase the deficit and build a commanding advantage over the U.S. champions from Nevada.
Curaçao's pitching also played a decisive role. De Windt, Giendry Ryan and Steven Felix combined over six innings to hold Nevada to just two runs and five hits, preventing their opponents from mounting a comeback as Pariba moved closer to the historic title.
The 11-2 final score triggered celebrations across Curaçao, where residents had closely followed the team's journey through the tournament in Williamsport.
Attention now turns to the return of the newly crowned world champions.
The team is scheduled to land at Curaçao International Airport at 1:40 p.m. Monday, where players and coaches are expected to receive a warm welcome.
A celebratory parade is scheduled to begin at 5:45 p.m. from Plaza Hariri. The procession will travel through Marchena and along Roodeweg before continuing toward Otrobanda.
The celebrations will culminate at Brionplein, where an official ceremony honoring the players and coaching staff is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.
The championship completes a remarkable tournament for Pariba Little League and gives Curaçao its first Little League World Series crown in 22 years.
For an island with a long tradition of producing baseball talent far beyond its population size, the 2026 championship adds another historic achievement to Curaçao's international baseball record.