Less than a month after the conclusion of the NLL season, we get more lacrosse with some of our favorite stars and some nations developing amazing lacrosse talent. It all begins on Wednesday, June 21 at 7pm PT when the gold and silver winners from each of the World games dating back to 1998 compete, the United States and Canada.
From June 21 through June 26, participating teams will play four games to determine their positioning before advancing to the playoffs beginning on June 27. This year, there are six pools made up of five team’s each, meaning everyone will have a chance to each of their opponents in their pool prior to the playoffs. The Pools are determined by world ranking. The top 10 finishers from 2018 automatically qualified while the other 20 team’s were determined by continental qualifiers.
See the full list of Pools and the Pool Play schedule at the bottom. For tickets or merchandise, check out the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship website. Games will be hosted at Snapdragon Stadium, as well as three additional fields at San Diego State University. For those unable to attend, all games will be available via ESPN+. Select games will be covered on TSN, TSN+ and six confirmed games on ESPN2 and ESPNU.
Looking back at the 2018 World Championships held in Israel, 46 nations competed, making it the largest Championships ever.
In the ‘Blue Division’ (which contains all five teams from this years ‘Pool A’ and Scotland which is now in Pool E), the United States went a perfect 5-0 in Pool Play while Canada was 4-1, their lone loss to the USA by a score of 11-10.
The Iroquois (now called Haudenosaunee) were 3-2, losing to the US and Canada, followed by Australia at 2-3, England at 1-4 and Scotland at 0-5.
In the bracket, the US defeated Australia 14-5 to advance to the gold medal game while Canada defeated the Haudenosaunee 15-4 to set up a rematch of the same gold medal game we have seen the last five championships.
In the gold medal game, it was neck and neck all the way through. Two seconds remained in regulation with the score tied 8-8 and the US had possession. Tom Schreiber would get a feed from Rob Pannell and bury the shot past Dillon Ward to give the US the win.
This year, loads of NLL stars will be playing across the United States, Canadian, and Haudenosaunee teams with 14 of 15 NLL teams have at least one player rostered on an international team.
For the American’s, 11 NLLers are on the roster, including four Philadelphia Wings in Trevor Baptiste, Liam Byrnes, Matt Rambo and Blaze Riorden (although Blaze will likely be goalie for the team versus a forward for the Wings). Also suiting up for the stars and stripes will be Connor Kelly and Kieran McArdle who led the FireWolves in points, goals and assists this season. Charlie Bertrand (LV), Ryan Terefenko (HFX), All-Rookie Danny Logan (SD), TD Ierlan (TOR) and the hero from that game in 2018, Tom Schreiber (TOR).
This past season, Schreiber set the single season record for points by an American in the NLL with 116 with 48 goals and 68 assists. He was one of six players with 100 points and 100 loose ball recoveries.
For the Canadian’s, it looks like an NLL all-star team with 22 current or future players on the squad. The two highest scorers from last season, Dhane Smith and Jeff Teat will be in the fold. The top two finishers for Defensive Player of the Year in Latrell Harris and Graeme Hossack and the top two finishers for Transition Player of the Year in Zach Currier and Challen Rogers will participate.
Two players who were drafted in the 2022 Entry Draft and will suit up next season in Owen Grant (3rd overall, Vancouver) and Cameron Wyers (13th overall, Buffalo) will give their fans some previews of what is to come. A likely top pick in the 2023 NLL Entry Draft, Dyson Williams (son of NLL Hall of Famer and Las Vegas Head Coach/GM, Shawn Williams) will be on display as well.
Other players on this team include Wes Berg (SD), Josh Byrne (BUF), Curtis Dickson (SD), Brett Dobson (GA), Connor Fields (ROC), Justin Inacio (CGY), Ryan Lee (COL), Brodie Merrill (SD), Clarke Petterson (HFX), Ryland Rees (ROC), Patrick Shoemay (SD), Dillon Ward (COL), Jake Withers (HFX).
The purple and gold of the Haudenosaunee who have won the bronze medal game in the last two World Championships are also loaded with NLL talent.20 NLL players are on the roster including the 2017 MVP, Lyle Thompson and two of his brothers, Hiana (ALB) and Jeremy (GA). The Staats brothers, both of which have won Rookie of the Year in the NLL, Randy (HFX) and Austin (SD) will be a part of the familiar affair along with their cousin Jerry (GA).
The remainder of the roster with ties to the NLL includes Brendan Bomberry (GA), Thomas Hoggarth (ROC), Kyle Jackson (PHI), Eli McLaughlin (COL), Zach Miller (GA), Tehoka Nanticoke (BUF), Larson Sundown (NY), Blake Gibson-McDonald (PHI), Brooker Muir (PC), Kason Tarbell (GA), Ron John (NY), Oakley Thomas (HFX), Zed Williams (COL) and Warren Hill (HFX).
Looking at other storylines from this year’s championships are first time participants in Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Jamaica and Peru. Japan, who took home the bronze in the World Games in the Sixes format last year, is in Group B, in the same group as the 2018 hosts in Israel.
All-Rookie member, John Piatelli will suit up for Team Italy and 2022 Entry Draft selection, Zach Cole, will join him.
Pool Play Schedule
*All times are Pacific Time
-
-
6/21
- USA v Canada – 7pm – ESPN2/TSN
-
6/22
- Israel v Sweden – 10am
- Peru v Latvia – 10am
- Puerto Rico v Czech Republic – 1pm
- Denmark v Wales – 1pm
- Japan v France – 1pm
- Mexico v Scotland – 4pm
- Hong Kong v Italy – 4pm
- Ireland v Netherlands – 4pm
- Australia v England – 7pm
- Jamaica v Germany – 7pm
- New Zealand v Switzerland – 7pm
-
6/23
- Ireland v Korea – 10am
- Japan v Uganda – 10am
- Mexico v Italy – 10am
- Germany v Poland – 1pm
- Netherlands v Peru – 1pm
- Israel v Philippines – 1pm
- England v Haudenosaunee – 4pm
- Sweden v Puerto Rico – 4pm
- Jamaica v Switzerland – 4pm
- USA v Australia – 7pm
- Scotland v Austria – 7pm
- France v Denmark – 7pm
-
6/24
- Germany v New Zealand – 10am
- Poland v Jamaica – 10am
- Latvia v Ireland – 10am
- Scotland v Hong Kong – 1pm
- France v Uganda – 1pm
- Wales v Japan – 1pm
- Australia v Canada – 4pm – TSN
- Philippines v Puerto Rico – 4pm
- Austria v Mexico – 4pm
- Haudenosaunee v USA – 7pm – TSN
- Netherlands v Korea – 7pm
- Czech Republic v Sweden – 7pm
-
6/25
- Austria v Hong Kong – 10am
- Uganda v Wales – 10am
- Switzerland v Germany – 10am
- Philippines v Czech Republic – 1pm
- Italy v Scotland – 1pm
- Puerto Rico v Israel – 1pm
- England v USA – 4pm
- Denmark v Japan – 4pm
- Poland v New Zealand – 4pm
- Canada v Haudenosaunee – 7pm
- Peru v Ireland – 7pm
- Korea v Latvia – 7pm
-
6/26
- Wales v France – 10am
- Italy v Austria – 10am
- New Zealand v Jamaica – 10am
- Czech Republic v Israel – 1pm
- Latvia v Netherlands – 1pm
- Hong Kong v Mexico – 1pm
- Haudenosaunee v Austria – 4pm
- Uganda v Denmark – 4pm
- Korea v Peru – 4pm
- Canada v England – 7pm – TSN
- Switzerland v Poland – 7pm
- Sweden v Philippines – 7pm
| Pool A |
| United States |
| Canada |
| Haudenosaunee |
| Australia |
| England |
| Pool B |
| Japan |
| Uganda |
| Wales |
| France |
| Denmark |
| Pool C |
| Israel |
| Philippines |
| Czech Republic |
| Sweden |
| Puerto Rico |
| Pool D |
| Germany |
| New Zealand |
| Switzerland |
| Poland |
| Jamaica |
| Pool E |
| Scotland |
| Hong Kong, China |
| Italy |
| Austria |
| Mexico |
| Pool F |
| Ireland |
| Korea |
| Latvia |
| Netherlands |
| Peru |
