FIL Announces 38 Teams For Championships

Posted By on December 20, 2013

Nine first-time entrants will highlight the 38-team field expected for the 2014 Federation of International Lacrosse Men’s World Championship, which will be hosted by US Lacrosse at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Denver from July 10-19, 2014.

The 38 teams will be a record for the FIL World Championship, surpassing the mark of 29 set for the 2010 championship in Manchester, England. The last time the U.S. hosted the world championship, in 1998 in Baltimore, there were only 11 nations competing.

The nations expected to compete for the first time are Belgium, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Israel, Russia, Thailand, Turkey and Uganda.

The United States is the defending world champion, having defeated Canada 12-10 in the 2010 championship. Australia defeated Japan 16-9 in the third place game.

Full-event ticket packages to the world championship, which include admission to more than 125 games over 10 days, along with access to the International Village and Vendor Village, are now on sale at worldlacrosse2014.com.

In addition to the world championship, registration is open for the boys’ youth and men’s masters’ World Festivals that will be held in conjunction with the event at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. More than 100 teams have already signed up for the World Festivals. Visit worldlacrosse2014.com for more information about age groups and registering a team.

Teams have until the end of the year to commit to participate, but the following nations have indicated their intention to participate to the FIL:

Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bermuda
Canada
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Czech Republic
England
Finland
France
Germany
Hong Kong
Ireland
Iroquois Nationals
Israel
Italy
Japan
Republic of Korea
Latvia
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Poland
Russia
Scotland
Slovakia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Turkey
Uganda
United States
Wales

World Championship History
Year        Location                           Teams       Champion                      Runner-Up
1967       Toronto, Canada                    4             United States                 Australia
1974       Melbourne, Australia             4              United States                 Australia
1978       Manchester, England            4              Canada                          United States
1982       Baltimore                               4              United States                Australia
1986       Toronto, Canada                   4               United States                Canada
1990       Perth, Australia                     5               United States                Canada
1994       Manchester, England            6               United States                Australia
1998       Baltimore                              11              United States                Canada
2002       Perth, Australia                    15              United States                Canada
2006       London, Canada                  21              Canada                         United States
2010       Manchester, England           29              United States                Canada