THE WORLD GAMES 2025
The second-most important multi-sport event in the world takes place once again this summer. Since its inaugural competition in 1981, The World Games has showcased sports and disciplines not included in the Olympic Games. Usually taking place every four years, the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama was the first time that Sixes lacrosse was included in the event after the format’s creation in 2018, which was directly related to the aim of Olympic inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Games. The 2017 World Games did see women’s field lacrosse included, with Great Britain taking a team of (mainly England) players to compete in Wrocław, Poland before Olympic inclusion was known to be on the cards for our sport. GB finished fourth in 2017, falling short to the usual suspects (USA, Canada and Australia) but defeating Japan and host nation, Poland. It was a similar story in 2022 for the women who once again finished just outside of the medals, unable to beat Canada, the USA and Australia to the podium; and the men matched their efforts with a fourth place finish behind Japan, the USA and Canada. This year it will be the women alone who fly out to Chengdu, China to compete in the competition which will most accurately represent what the teams may face in 2028, should they earn a spot at the next Olympics. For the first time, lacrosse athletes will be competing in The World Games (TWG) with the knowledge that in three years’ time our sport will be on the biggest stage there is, and they may well be there as well, representing their country.
If history is anything to go by, British Lacrosse will not medal in the Olympics. The 2022 World Games was the first major competition where British Lacrosse athletes could measure their performance in this new discipline against the world’s other top athletes, and as we mentioned, both the men and women couldn’t find a win in the bronze medal game. For the men, this will be their legacy until 2028, but the women’s squad could write a new story this summer with a number of years of true Sixes training under their belt. The likelihood of a medal this summer is as strong as it can be, with the top two spots destined to go to the professional athletes who make up the US and Canadian teams. However, World Championships in the 10s game have proven that England can beat TWG bronze medallists Australia in at least one discipline, so perhaps it is possible for a British Lacrosse squad enriched with the best talent from England, Scotland and Wales to match this achievement in Sixes. There is one nation which may blow every other out of the water though, and could prove problematic for the 2022 top four. It’s no secret that Japan have upped their international game over the past number of years, and if anyone is going to kick British Lacrosse out of the top four, it’s them. Only recently, the British Lacrosse women lost in Sixes to Japan on their recent tour to the country, marking the latest in a string of international losses to Japan across all lacrosse disciplines, ages, and genders. TWG 2025 will be the most important showcase for British Lacrosse to-date, the outcome of which will likely determine the trajectory of the programme as we approach an Olympic qualification event.