Men
The initial World Championship was a four-team invitational tournament that coincided with Canada’s centennial lacrosse celebration in 1967. The Mt. Washington (Md.) Lacrosse Club represented the United States and won the tournament. Seven years later, Australia celebrated its lacrosse centennial, and the U.S. fielded an all-star team to compete in a similar international invitational tournament with Canada and England again. It was here that the concept of holding a world championship tournament every four years was born and the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) formed.
In 2008 the ILF merged with the International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA) to form the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL)—the present governing body for both men’s and women’s world championship lacrosse.
The U.S. captured its tenth World Lacrosse Championship at the 2018 FIL Men’s World Championship hosted in Netanya, Israel, beating Canada in the last seconds of the game, 9-8. Canada has captured three championships throughout the history of the event with it’s most recent championship coming in a stunning 8-5 upset of the US at the 2014 World Lacrosse Championship in Denver, Colorado.
US will defend it’s championship at the 2022 FIL Men’s World Lacrosse Championship in Coquitlam, BC, Canada, 13-24 July 2022.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
| YEAR | CHAMPION | RUNNER-UP | SCORE | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | USA | Canada | 9-8 | Netanya, Israel |
| 2014 | Canada | USA | 8-5 | Denver, Colo., USA |
| 2010 | USA | Canada | 12-10 | Manchester, England |
| 2006 | Canada | USA | 15-10 | London, Ont., Canada |
| 2002 | USA | Canada | 18-15 | Perth, Australia |
| 1998 | USA | Canada | 15-14 (OT) | Baltimore, Md., USA |
| 1994 | USA | Australia | 19-15 | Manchester, England |
| 1990 | USA | Canada | 19-15 | Perth, Australia |
| 1986 | USA | Canada | 18-9 | Toronto, Ont., Canada |
| 1982 | USA | Australia | 22-14 | Baltimore, Md. USA |
| 1978 | Canada | USA | 17-16(OT) | Stockport, England |
| 1974 | USA | 3-Way Tie | 24-14 | Melbourne, Australia |
| 1967* | USA | Australia | 25-11 | Toronto, Ont., Canada |
U19 Men
Men’s U19 World Championship
A record-high 14 teams competed in the FIL U19 Men’s Lacrosse World Championship in Coquitlam, B.C., Canada from July 7th through July 16th, 2016.
The Blue Division teams, comprised of the top five finishers from the 2012 U19 Men’s Worlds, included Canada, the United States, the Iroquois Nationals, Australia and England. Red Division teams were made up of Israel, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Germany and Mexico, and the Green Division included entries from China, Ireland, Scotland and Korea. The 2016 world tournament saw debuts at the U19 level for six of the teams: Israel, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mexico, China and Ireland.
The USA came back from a 6-0 deficit to defeat Canada 13-12 on Saturday, July 16th in front of a standing-room only crowd.
Ryan Conrad scored with eight seconds remaining coming off a screen and burying the ball, capping off an unbelievable comeback for the Americans who trailed 8-2 at the half, giving the Americans their eighth title on the U-19 world stage.
The USA is the only country to have won the gold medal in FIL’s U19 Men’s event, winning in 1988, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2008, 2012 and 2016.
The next U19 World Championship will take place 9th – 18th July, 2020 in Limerick, Ireland (https://www.2020worldlax.com/).
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
| YEAR | CHAMPION | RUNNER-UP | SCORE | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | USA | Canada | 13-12 | Coquitlam B.C., Canada |
| 2012 | USA | Canada | 10-8 | Turku, Finland |
| 2008 | USA | Canada | 19-12 | Coquitlam B.C., Canada |
| 2003 | USA | Canada | 19-10 | Baltimore, Md., USA |
| 1999 | USA | Canada | 14-7 | Adelaide, Australia |
| 1996 | USA | Australia | 13-8 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 1992 | USA | Australia | 24-11 | Long Island, N.Y., USA |
| 1988 | USA | Canada | 12-5 | Adelaide, Australia |
Men’s Indoor
World Indoor Lacrosse Championship
The inaugural event was held in Hamilton, Kitchener, Mississauga, and Oshawa, Ontario, Canada in May 2003. National teams from Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Iroquois Nation, Scotland and the United States participated. Canada won gold defeating the Iroquois Nation in the final by a score of 21-4. The United States took the bronze.
The most recent WILC was held at the birthplace of lacrosse on the Onondaga Nation’s native grounds in Syracuse, N.Y. Thirteen teams competed in the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, including six new nations (Finland, Germany, Israel, Serbia, Switzerland, and Turkey). The medal results were the same as the previous three championships with Canada earning the gold, the Iroquois taking the silver and the U.S. winning the bronze. Surprising newcomer, Israel, finished in 4th. The remaining order of finish was England 5th, Ireland 6th, Czech Republic 7th, Australia 8th, Finland 9th, Turkey 10th, Germany 11th, Serbia 12th, and Switzerland 13th. Canada’s dominance in box lacrosse continued as it remained undefeated in WILC play at 23-0.
The 2019 WILC will be played in Langley, British Columbia, Canada.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
| YEAR | CHAMPION | RUNNER-UP | SCORE | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Canada | Iroquois | 12-8 | Onondaga Nation Syracuse, NY USA |
| 2011 | Canada | Iroquois | 13-6 | Prague, CZE |
| 2007 | Canada | Iroquois | 15-14 (OT) | Halifax, NS CAN |
| 2003 | Canada | Iroquois | 21-4 | Canada* |
Women
Women’s World Cup
The International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA) was formed in 1972 to promote and develop the game of women’s lacrosse throughout the world. Inaugural members were Australia, England, Scotland, Wales and the United States. The number of member countries has grown rapidly as lacrosse popularity has spread.
The IFWLA World Cup started in 1982 as an international lacrosse tournament that is held every four years, except in 1989 when it had only been three years since the 1986 IFWLA World Championship. The first World Cup was hosted in Nottingham, England. The United States team has won every World Cup except 1986 and 2005 where it finished second behind Australia.
In 2007 the IFWLA merged with their men’s lacrosse counterpart, the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF), to form the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) – the current governing body of international lacrosse championships.
In the latest event, Team USA made it three straight gold medals and eight overall when it defeated Canada 10-5 at the 2017 FIL Rathbones Women’s Lacrosse World Cup in Guildford, England.
The host and dates for the 2021 FIL Women’s Lacrosse World Cup will be determined in 2018.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
| YEAR | CHAMPION | RUNNER-UP | SCORE | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | USA | Canada | 10-5 | Guildford, England |
| 2013 | USA | Canada | 19-5 | Oshawa, Ont., Canada |
| 2009 | USA | Australia | 8-7 | Prague, Czech Republic |
| 2005 | Australia | USA | 14-7 | Annapolis, Md., USA |
| 2001 | USA | Australia | 14-8 | Wycombe, England |
| 1997 | USA | Australia | 3-2 SV OT¹ | Tokyo, Japan |
| 1993 | USA | England | 4-1 | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| 1989 | USA | England | 6-5 SV OT¹ | Perth, Australia |
| 1986 | Australia | USA | 10-7 | Philadelphia, Pa., USA |
| 1982 | USA | Australia | 10-7 ET² | Nottingham, England |
² In 1982, the first ever International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA) championship took place in England with the USA defeating Australia in extra time (three additional minutes each way/straight change of ends. If after extra time the score is still tied, then three-minute halves are played on sudden victory basis [fist goal wins]).
U19 Women
Women’s U19 World Championship
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The International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA) held its first U-19 World Championship in 1995. Australia defeated the United States 5-4 in Haverford, Pennsylvania.
The U.S. then beat Australia in four straight finals since then. In 1999, the U.S. defeated the Aussies 15-8 on their home turf in Perth. They doubled-up on Australia in 2003, this time winning the championship 21-8 in Baltimore, Maryland. The U.S. women made it three straight golds in 2007 by defeating Australia 18-3 in Peterborough, Canada. The U.S. won its fourth gold in a row in 2011 in Hannover, Germany edging their Aussie rivals 14-12.
In the latest U19 Women’s Championship in July of 2015 in Edinburgh, Scotland many new story lines emerged:
- Canada Golden, U.S. settles for Silver. After losing to the U.S. in the first game of pool play, Canada won seven straight games — including an impressive 17-3 win over Australia in the Semifinals, and a 9-8 victory over the U.S. to win the Gold.
- England wins historic bronze. England built a 9-3 lead early in the second before the Aussies roared back with a furious 6-1 rally to bring it to within one goal, 10-9, with 1:30 left. England held the Aussies scoreless through the final minute and thirty to preserve a 10-9 win for the bronze.
- Australia does not medal. For the first time in the history of the tournament, Australia did not play for the gold and finished out of the medals in fourth place after being upset by England in the bronze medal game.
- New Zealand finishes in 5th. The Kiwis surprised everyone with a 10-8 victory over Japan for 5th place. Previous finishes for New Zealand were 10th in 2007 and 11th in 2011.
The host nation and location for the 2019 Women’s U19 Championship event will be determined in late 2015.
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
| YEAR | CHAMPION | RUNNER-UP | SCORE | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Canada | USA | 9-8 | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| 2011 | USA | Australia | 14-12 | Hanover, Germany |
| 2007 | USA | Australia | 18-3 | Peterborough, Ont., Canada |
| 2003 | USA | Australia | 21-8 | Baltimore, Md., USA |
| 1999 | USA | Australia | 15-8 | Perth, Australia |
| 1995 | Australia | USA | 5-4 | Haverford, Pa., USA |
