COLORADO SPRINGS — World Lacrosse today announced that the European Lacrosse Sixes Cup will open the 2022 calendar of events featuring the sport’s new discipline. Set for February 25-27, 2022, the European Lacrosse Sixes Cup will be the first European-based international event featuring World Lacrosse Sixes – a shorter, faster and non-stop version of the game.
Organized by Portugal Lacrosse and the European Lacrosse Federation with support from World Lacrosse, the event will take place in the Algarve on Portugal’s southern coastline in the Vila Real de Santo António. The three-day competition will feature up to 18 men’s and women’s national teams and will take place at the High Performance Centre, which includes four fields and is regularly used for training by Olympic athletes.
In fulfilling the aim of World Lacrosse Sixes to increase accessibility by allowing more countries to be competitive on the international stage, the European Lacrosse Sixes Cup will include a mix of established and emerging national teams. Currently confirmed men’s teams include Belgium, England, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland and Ukraine, with Belgium, England U23, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Spain and Ukraine confirmed on the women’s side.
World Lacrosse CEO Jim Scherr said: “World Lacrosse Sixes is intended to open the game to more countries around the world, making it universally accessible while maintaining a high level of competitiveness. Just months after the launch of this new discipline, the European Lacrosse Sixes Cup will already showcase the power of Sixes – not only by bringing an international tournament to a new region, but in allowing the participation of emerging countries. With 73 national lacrosse federations and counting, Sixes creates a more level and inclusive playing field for our rapidly expanding membership base.”
ELF President Steph Migchelsen said: “We're so excited to be running this event along with Portugal Lacrosse. It's a great opportunity for European lacrosse players to get experience with the new Sixes discipline, and importantly, for some of our smaller lacrosse countries to get experience competing at the international level. The facilities at the High Performance Centre in Vila Real are top-notch and we're looking forward to welcoming all the teams.”
The European Lacrosse Sixes Cup will be the first international Sixes event in Portugal, where the sport has been gaining significant traction, and the Sixes Cup will mark the first official appearance on the international stage for a Portuguese national team. During the tournament, local school children will have the opportunity to attend matches and interact with players, adding to the event’s legacy in the region and supporting continued growth.
Portugal Lacrosse GM Pedro Machado said: “It's an honor for our country to host the European Lacrosse Sixes Cup, and for Portugal to compete among the best European teams. The Portuguese are proud to be regarded as an amazingly warm and welcoming people, and will make everyone feel truly at home. The Vila Real de Santo António region – which is internationally known for its high-caliber sports infrastructures, golden sandy beaches and year-round sunny climate – will provide a fantastic backdrop for this historic event.”
Select matches during the European Lacrosse Sixes Cup will be broadcast live via World Lacrosse’s YouTube channel. Further details will be announced early next year.