World Lacrosse is celebrating five of the best international lacrosse games in 2024 to close out the year.
The 2024 Women’s European Lacrosse Championship in Braga, Portugal in July also served as the qualifier for the 2026 World Lacrosse Women’s Championship in Japan, with the top seven teams out of the 19-team field securing their spots.
The championship in Braga featured eight teams in the playoff round, with four teams punching their tickets with a quarterfinal win (England, Israel, Scotland and Wales) and two more teams, Germany and Ireland, earning their berths by winning matchups of the losing quarterfinalists.
That left Czechia and Italy to battle in the seventh place game in a de-facto play-in contest for the final spot in the women’s championship in 2026.
Czechia staged a comeback for the ages to defeat Italy in overtime, 15-14, after trailing by five with under seven minutes to play.
Italy and Czechia traded runs in the dramatic finale of the qualifying campaign. With the game tied 7-7 at halftime, Italy opened up a slight two-goal lead in a measured third quarter. Czechia cut the deficit to one entering the fourth quarter, but Italy pulled away with a 4-0 run in the final frame to lead 14-9 with just under seven minutes to play.
With its back against the wall, Czechia reeled off an improbable, furious five-goal run to tie the game, clawing within one with under three minutes to play and finding the equalizer in the final minute. Marketa Malinovska had a hat trick contained in the run herself.
In overtime, Czechia won the ensuing draw control but could not score on its first try, before Italy received a player-advantage after a yellow card. Czechia narrowly survived the penalty, including a free position miss, to regain possession.
On its next trip down the field, Czechia found the perfect combination with a goal from Teresa Kreuzova on an assist from Lucie Chottousova to spark an incredible celebration for the 15-14 win.
Czechia became the eighth team to qualify for the championship in 2026, alongside the six other top finishers in Braga and the host Japan. It will be the Czech’s sixth appearance in the event after finishing in seventh place overall in 2022.
The 2026 Women’s Championship will be the first in World Lacrosse’s new championship format, which includes 16 teams that all must earn their spot through a qualifying event.
The remaining eight spots will be determined in 2025 at three continental championships, beginning with the 2025 Pan-American Women’s Lacrosse Championship in early January in Australia, with three spots available to the top finishers outside of Japan.
Four more teams will qualify at the 2025 Pan-American Women’s Lacrosse Championship in late June in Florida, United States and the last spot will be determined by a qualifier held by the Africa Association of Lacrosse.
