World Junior Lacrosse Championship
| Sport | Box lacrosse |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Countries | Invitational |
| Most recent champion(s) | United States (2nd title) |
| Most titles | Canada (6 titles) |
| Official website | IIJL.org |
| 2025 IIJL World Junior Lacrosse Championship | |
The IIJL World Junior Lacrosse Championship (WJLC) is an annual independent international box lacrosse championship for players aged 21 and under.
History
The first formal Junior competition was held in 2015 in Six Nations, ON. Originally, the Junior tournament was to be held in conjunction with the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship in Buffalo, NY. However, when Buffalo was removed from the 2015 WILC as one of two host locations – all games moved to Syracuse/Onondaga Nation, the Junior tournament was removed. With international team flights planned, the Junior Tournament was moved to Six Nations, ON and named the 2015 U-19 World Lacrosse Challenge and featured 12 teams, including regional squads from Canada and Iroquois. Junior national teams from Czech Republic, Israel, and the United States along with German club Deutschland Adler rounded out the field.[1] Canada West won the gold medal game defeating Canada CLax Junior All-Stars, while Iroquois West captured the bronze medal.[2]
International Indoor Junior Lacrosse purchased the rights to the tournament in 2016 and it was rebranded to its current name the IIJL World Junior Lacrosse Championship. Eight teams would compete in the second edition which was again held at Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. Czech Republic and United States returned along with newcomer Ireland. Iroquois West would defeat the Canada CLax Junior All-Stars 9–8 in the gold medal game while Iroquois Grand River took bronze on their home floor.[3][4]
After a one-year hiatus the tournament return in 2018 and take place in Saskatoon at SaskTel Centre.[5] For the first time in the championship's history each country would be represented by individual teams. Three teams took part (Canada, Iroquois, United States) in the four-day event with Canada winning its second gold medal.[6]
The event returned to Ontario in 2019 – this time in Mississauga at Paramount Fine Foods Centre. The championship doubled in size from three to six countries. Australia would make its debut at the tournament, one of six national teams.[7]
The 2021 IIJL Word Junior Lacrosse Championship was a cumulative goal three game series against Canada East and Canada West due to the global pandemic resulting in other countries not being able to travel or restrictions that prevented them from participating. Games aired live on TSN 2 and TSN Direct. Games were played at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but were closed to the public due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
The 2022 IIJL Word Junior Lacrosse Championship took place in again Winnipeg at Canada Life Centre and returned to its full formate of six (6) team with Australia, Canada, Haudenosaunee, Israel, Poland, and the United States competing. Games aired live on TSN 2 and TSN Direct.
The 2023 IIJL Word Junior Lacrosse Championship returned to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at SaskTel Centre with Australia, Canada, Israel, Poland, and the United States competing, along with newcomer Scotland. Games aired live on TSN Direct.
In 2024, the IIJL Word Junior Lacrosse Championship took place outside of Canadian borders for the first time in the tournament's history, in Erie, Pennsylvania at Erie Insurance Arena. Five (5) teams competed; Australia, Canada, Poland, Scotland, and the United States.
Champions
| Year | Gold | Silver | Result | Bronze | Fourth | Result | Host arena |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Canada West | Canada CLax | 5–4 | Iroquois West | United States | 13–7 | Iroquois Lacrosse Arena |
| 2016 | Iroquois West | Canada CLax | 9–8 | Iroquois Grand River | Canada West | 10–5 | Iroquois Lacrosse Arena |
| 2018 | Canada | Iroquois | 15–10 | United States | --- | --- | SaskTel Centre |
| 2019 | Canada | Iroquois | 12–8 | United States | Israel | 13–12; OT | Paramount Fine Foods Centre |
| 2021 | Canada East | Canada West | +15 | --- | --- | --- | Canada Life Centre |
| 2022 | Canada | Haudenosaunee | 16–9 | United States | Israel | 15–3 | Canada Life Centre |
| 2023 | United States | Canada | 10–7 | Israel | Scotland | 19–12 | SaskTel Centre |
| 2024 | Canada | Scotland | 18–9 | United States | Poland | 18–5 | Erie Insurance Arena |
| 2025 | United States | Scotland | 9-8 | Canada | Australia | 20-12 | Slush Puppie Place |
| 2026 | |||||||
| 2027 |
Performance by team
| Team | 2015 (12) |
2016 (8) |
2018 (3) |
2019 (6) |
2021 (2) |
2022 (6) |
2023 (6) |
2024 (5) |
2025 (4) |
2026 (-) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 6th | 6th | 6th | 5th | 4th | |||||
| Canada | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | |
| Czechia | 5th | 7th | ||||||||
| Germany | 8th | |||||||||
| Haudenosaunee | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | |||||
| Ireland | 5th | |||||||||
| Israel | 12th | 4th | 4th | 3rd | ||||||
| Poland | 5th | 5th | 5th | 4th | ||||||
| Scotland | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | |||||||
| Team Nordic | 11th | |||||||||
| United States | 4th | 8th | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | 1st |
Years with multiple teams from same country show highest seed placement.
References
- ^ "Deutschland Adler to Represent Germany at U19 Indoor Festival". Lacrosse All Stars. January 16, 2015.
- ^ "U-19 World Lacrosse series a success, Team Iroquois West beats USA for Bronze". Two Row Times. September 15, 2015.
- ^ "Iroquois West win Gold At WJLC". First Nations Junior Lacrosse League. August 27, 2016.
- ^ "World Junior Lacrosse Championships celebrates lacrosse". Two Row Times. August 31, 2016.
- ^ "Saskatoon to welcome world junior lacrosse showcase". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. March 16, 2018.
- ^ "Islanders trio help Canada win World Juniors". Delta Optimist. August 13, 2018.
- ^ "Australia confirms participation in 2019 World Junior Lacrosse Championship". Inside Lacrosse. December 3, 2018.