Once Couldn't Afford to Go Abroad! Taichung's Defulan Elementary Claims World Championship, Little League Team Crushes Host Japan 8:1

Taichung City's Defulan Elementary School from Heping District represented Taiwan at the 2026 IBA World Softball Little League Championship. On July 27, at the Edogawa Seaside Ballpark in Tokyo, Japan, they faced the host Japanese team. After trailing 1-0 in the first inning, they scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning to complete a comeback, ultimately defeating Japan 8-1 to claim the world championship—the first time Taichung has reached the pinnacle of international little league baseball in 30 years.

The Chinese Taipei team won all five of their matches. They opened with a 10-0 shutout against the Philippines, advanced by defeating Brazil 6-0, and then faced a tightly contested match against Shenzhen, China, which had been suspended due to heavy rain the previous day. Resuming from the third inning, both teams fought fiercely, but Chinese Taipei seized a crucial opportunity to win 1-0 and advance to the semifinals. They then beat Singapore 6-0 to reach the championship game, where they triumphed over Japan 8-1.

In the final, Japan scored first in the top of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead. Despite the home-field advantage and loud local support, the Chinese Taipei team maintained solid defense and waited patiently. After shutting down Japan in the top of the third, they exploded in the bottom half, capitalizing on defensive errors and stringing together hits to score four runs and take the lead. The Taiwanese cheering squad erupted in celebration. In the bottom of the fifth, they added more runs, sealing the 8-1 victory.

However, the team faced a severe financial crisis before the tournament. As reported by Feng Media, 'Taiwan's little league champions couldn't afford to go abroad!' Defulan Elementary's government subsidy was slashed from 1.5 million NTD to just 132,000 NTD. The school had won the national championship in April, defeating 226 teams, but was then left with a funding gap of up to 600,000 NTD. Principal Ku Chin-yi explained that the 23-member delegation, including coaches and players, required an estimated 1.5 to 1.8 million NTD for airfare and accommodation. In the past, under the Sports Administration, national champions received at least 1.5 million NTD in subsidies. However, after the reorganization into the Ministry of Sports, subsidies were drastically reduced—now covering only airfare for eight players, totaling 132,000 NTD.

Although Taichung City Government contributed 900,000 NTD, a 600,000 NTD shortfall remained. Fortunately, after media coverage, the public responded quickly, and the full amount was raised within two days, enabling the team to travel and compete. After the victory, Principal Ku expressed deep emotion, stating that the championship trophy was not only the result of the children's hard training but also carried the blessings and hopes of the tribal community, parents, coaching staff, administrative team, and every kind-hearted supporter. 'Because of their companionship and encouragement, the children were able to bravely step onto the world stage and bring glory back to Taiwan,' he said.