Oshawa, Ontario, was today announced as host of the 2026 Pan-American Sixes Lacrosse Championship, set for September 29-October 4 at Oshawa Civic Fields. The Pan-American Lacrosse Association awarded the hosting rights to Lacrosse Canada following a competitive bid process.
The Pan-American event will serve as the initial step in the qualification process for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, pending final approval by the International Olympic Committee.
The 2026 Pan-American Sixes Lacrosse Championships will bring together the top men’s and women’s sixes national team programs from across the Pan-American region, making it a marquee event in the global sixes pathway. Teams competing in Oshawa will be playing for advancement to the 2027 World Lacrosse Sixes Championships, which will feature the top 16 men’s and women’s teams worldwide and serve as the primary qualifier for LA28.
The event will be hosted at Oshawa Civic Fields, a premier multi-field venue with a strong history of hosting lacrosse competitions. This past fall, the Civic hosted the World Lacrosse Super Sixes, welcoming fans from around the world and delivering a highly successful international event. Located in the heart of Durham Region, Oshawa has long been recognized as a cornerstone of lacrosse development in Ontario and across Canada.
The championship marks an important moment for Canadian lacrosse, giving fans the chance to experience elite international sixes competition at home while supporting lacrosse on the road to the Olympic Games. Hosting the event in Oshawa brings the global game to a passionate lacrosse community and creates an exciting opportunity for fans to connect with the sport at the highest level.
Lacrosse Canada Executive Director Terry Rayner said: “I’m thrilled that Oshawa has been chosen to host the 2026 Pan-American Sixes Lacrosse Championships this fall. Durham has long been the hub for lacrosse in Ontario, and this international event – the first step on the road to the 2028 Olympics – offers a tremendous opportunity to showcase our community and the sport we love.”
Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter said: “We are honoured to be selected to host the 2026 Pan-American Sixes Lacrosse Championships. Our community has a deep-rooted history and connection to the sport of lacrosse, and this event will further position Oshawa as a premier destination for lacrosse and international sport. We look forward to welcoming athletes, coaches, families and fans from participating Pan Am countries to the great City of Oshawa.”
The Pan-American region has hosted several WL championship qualifying events. Last year, the Pan-American Women’s Lacrosse Championship took place in Auburndale, Florida, and this August, the Pan-American Men’s Lacrosse Championship will take place in Kingston, Jamaica.
PALA President Ann Kitt-Carpenetti said: “On behalf of PALA, we’re thrilled to award hosting rights for the 2026 Pan-American Sixes Lacrosse Championships to Lacrosse Canada. Our Pan-American region has a proud history of hosting world-class lacrosse events and welcoming the global community to our venues, and Canada’s strong lacrosse tradition and proven ability to deliver exceptional championships make them an outstanding host for this next chapter. We’re excited to bring our member nations together for a premier sixes experience on the road to the World Lacrosse Sixes Championships – showcasing the speed, skill and energy of our region.”
The Pan-American Sixes Championships join a growing list of continental qualification events worldwide, including those hosted in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, as part of World Lacrosse’s global Olympic qualification framework. Full details on continental allocations and the complete Olympic qualification process are expected to be announced by World Lacrosse in the coming months.
Additional event details, including competition format and team confirmations, will be released closer to the Championships.
About PALA
Founded in 2018, the Pan-American Lacrosse Association is a 501C3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the sport of lacrosse in the Pan-American region and is the World Lacrosse-recognized Continental Federation for the Pan-American region. The Pan-American Lacrosse Association covers North, Central and South America, and the Caribbean and currently includes 22 member nations. The mission of PALA is to promote and develop the sport of lacrosse across its region, maintain communication between PALA nations to share best practices for development and resources, promote and encourage the exchange and development of sports camaraderie among PALA nations, and facilitate and organize PALA sanctioned competitions for PALA nations. PALA conducts regional qualifying events for World Lacrosse competitions, in addition to the PALA Sixes Cup.
