World Lacrosse today announced the creation of the Legend Award to recognize individuals whose careers have defined excellence in international competition and whose character and contributions have elevated the sport globally.
The Legend Award has been established as a precursor to an eventual World Lacrosse Hall of Fame, ensuring the sport appropriately honors those who have shaped its history and inspired its future. Selection criteria encompasses competitive excellence across World Lacrosse championships, The World Games and future Olympic Games; sustained elite international performance and career longevity; as well as the integrity, leadership and ambassadorial impact that define true legends of the game.
World Lacrosse President Bob DeMarco said: “The World Lacrosse Legend Award allows us to provide appropriate recognition for the athletes who built this sport into what it is today. These are individuals whose careers achieved the highest levels of excellence while also inspiring generations of players around the world. We are proud to honor them and look forward to celebrating their legacies in Tokyo and beyond.”
World Lacrosse will honor inaugural classes of three athletes across the first two years of the award – three women in 2026 and three men in 2027 – with presentations taking place at the sport’s flagship senior field championships. The inaugural class of women will be honored at the 2026 WL Women’s Championship in Tokyo, with the men’s class to follow at the 2027 WL Men’s Championship in Japan. Beginning in 2028, one woman and one man will be honored annually.
Athletes are selected through a rigorous process conducted by the WL Athlete Awards Selection Committee – comprising board members, staff, Athletes’ Commission representatives and at-large members – with final approval by the World Lacrosse board. Athletes are eligible for consideration a minimum of five years following their retirement from international competition.
The inaugural class of the World Lacrosse Legend Award will be announced in the coming weeks.
