Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins in a tribal game played by the indigenous peoples of the Eastern Woodlands and by various other indigenous peoples of North America. The game was extensively modified reducing the violence by European colonizers to create its current collegiate and professional form.
Box lacrosse, also known as boxla, box, or indoor lacrosse, is an indoor version of lacrosse played mostly in North America. The game originated in Canada in the 1930s, where it is more popular than field lacrosse and is the national summer sport. Box lacrosse is played between two teams of five players and one goalie each, and is traditionally played on an ice hockey rink once the ice has been removed or covered. The playing area is called a box, in contrast to the open playing field of field lacrosse. The object of the game is to use a lacrosse stick to catch, carry, and pass the ball in an effort to score by shooting a solid rubber lacrosse ball into the opponent's goal. The highest level of box lacrosse is the National Lacrosse League.
The World Lacrosse Championship (WLC) is the international men's field lacrosse championship organized by World Lacrosse that occurs every four years.
World Lacrosse (WL), formerly the Federation of International Lacrosse, is the international governing body of lacrosse, responsible for the men's, women's, and indoor versions of the sport. It was established in 2008 by the merger of the previously separate men's and women's international lacrosse associations. Its headquarters are in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States.
The Bermuda Lacrosse Association is a group based on the island of Bermuda with the goal of promoting the sport of lacrosse on the island territory. The Bermuda Lacrosse Association is a member of the Federation of International Lacrosse and has participated at two previous World Championships, the 2006 World Lacrosse Championships in London, Ontario, Canada and the 2008 International Lacrosse Federation Under-19 World Lacrosse Championships in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada.
The Welsh Lacrosse Association (WLA) is the governing body for lacrosse in Wales. It was recognized by the International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Associations in 1972, the first year of the IFWLA. It is one of 34 full members of the Federation of International Lacrosse, the current international governing body for men's and women's lacrosse. The WLA is responsible for international competitions, including the International Festival of Lacrosse at Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent county borough in 1992, the first Welsh men's international game in 85 years and the first to be played in Wales. WLA manages the Welsh men's and women's national lacrosse teams that play in the European Lacrosse Championships, the World Lacrosse Championships, and the Women's Lacrosse World Cup.
England Lacrosse is the national governing body for lacrosse in England. The sport is managed through the Men's and Women's Playing Committees and the leagues administered by region: the South of England Men's Lacrosse Association (SEMLA), North of England Men's Lacrosse Association (NEMLA), South East Women's Lacrosse Association (SEWLA), South West Women's Lacrosse Association (SWWLA), and North Women's Lacrosse Association (NWLA). The England Lacrosse CEO is Mark Coups.
The 2014 World Lacrosse Championship was held July 10–19 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park outside Denver, Colorado. 38 nations played 142 games in this international men's lacrosse championship tournament organized by the Federation of International Lacrosse. Nine nations—Belgium, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Israel, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, and Uganda—all competed in the event for the first time.
The 2011 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship was the third World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, an international box lacrosse tournament organized by the Federation of International Lacrosse every four years. It took place between 21 and 28 May 2011 in Prague, Czech Republic at the 4,900 seat Eden Arena, an Olympic-sized rink. The Canadian team was the defending champion and for the third time defeated the Iroquois Nationals in the finals, 13–6. The United States defeated the host Czech Republic 16–7 in the bronze medal game.
The Canada national indoor lacrosse team represents Canada in international tournaments of indoor lacrosse. It is the best national box lacrosse team in the world, having won all four World Indoor Lacrosse Championships, starting with the 2003 ILF World Indoor Lacrosse Championship held in Canada. Team Canada has never lost a game in the tournament. Their biggest rivals are the Iroquois Nationals, who have finished in second place in all four tournaments.
Thailand Lacrosse Association is the sanctioned governing body of men's and women's lacrosse in Thailand, based out of Bangkok, Thailand. The official representative of Thailand to the Federation of International Lacrosse, currently an Associate Member to FIL. Originally started by several Thais who attended school in America, and played the sport. Thailand Lacrosse quickly gained many members who never play the sport before. TLA focus on introducing and developing the game of lacrosse in Thailand, pursuing the growth in all level of the game. While the Men's National team target to be one of the most competitive team in Asia, and help marketing, and spreading the word of lacrosse in Asia to the rest of the world.
The 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship (WILC) was the fourth international box lacrosse championship organized by the Federation of International Lacrosse every four years. The 2015 WILC was hosted by the Onondaga Nation, south of Syracuse, New York, and took place between September 18 and 27. Canada defeated the host Iroquois Nationals 12–8 in the gold medal game, the same finals match-up featured in the first three indoor championships. Since the WILC started in 2003, Team Canada is undefeated with an overall record of 23–0.
Lacrosse in Israel is a minor sport, with 700 players as of June 2015.
The 2018 World Lacrosse Championship was the 13th edition of the international men’s field lacrosse tournament for national teams organized by the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL). As many as 50 countries were expected to compete in the tournament; with the official total coming in at 46, which made the 2018 WLC the largest of all-time. The games were held in Netanya, Israel on 12–21 July 2018. The United States won the tournament, its 10th championship in the history of the event.
First Nations Lacrosse Association is the governing body of lacrosse for First Nations within Canada and Native American tribes within the United States. The First Nations Lacrosse Association (FNLA) oversees five national teams, the Iroquois men's national lacrosse team, the Iroquois men's national under-19 lacrosse team, the Haudenosaunee women's national lacrosse team, the Haudenosaunee women's national under-19 lacrosse team, and the Iroquois national indoor lacrosse team. These teams are recognized by World Lacrosse for international competition, making them the only indigenous peoples' national teams sanctioned in any sport.
The Philippines Lacrosse Association (PLA), also known as Philippines Lacrosse, is the governing body of lacrosse in the Philippines and is an associate member of World Lacrosse. The PLA was established in September 2012. It organizes the country's men's national team.
The Israel men's national lacrosse team is governed by the Israel Lacrosse Association. Their best finish was at the 2016 European Lacrosse Championship, winning the silver medal. Israel finished in 7th place at the 2014 World Lacrosse Championship. In both tournaments, England defeated Israel by one goal in the single-elimination round.
The Iroquois Nationals Indoor Lacrosse Team, known as the Iroquois Nationals, represents the Iroquois Confederacy in international box lacrosse competitions. They are currently ranked second in the world by World Lacrosse and have won Silver medals in all four World Indoor Lacrosse Championships. The team is organized by the First Nations Lacrosse Association.
The Philippines men's national lacrosse team is the national team which represents the Philippines in international lacrosse competitions. It is organized by the Philippines Lacrosse Association, which is a member of World Lacrosse but not the Asia Pacific Lacrosse Union.
The European Box Lacrosse Lacrosse Championship (EBLC) is the international men's box lacrosse championship organized by the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) and European Lacrosse Federation (ELF) that occurs every four years.
