COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado — World Lacrosse welcomed Cambodia and Nicaragua to the international lacrosse family on Monday. The newly minted National Federations — Cambodia Lacrosse Federation and Nicaragua Lacrosse Federation — bring World Lacrosse’s global membership to 75. 

The addition of Cambodia and Nicaragua is part of a significant and sustained growth period for the sport’s international governing body. In the last decade alone, World Lacrosse has expanded from 45 to 75 members, representing a growth of nearly 70 percent.  

“Cambodia and Nicaragua are welcome additions to our global lacrosse family,” World Lacrosse CEO Jim Scherr said. “Cambodia is part of our rapidly growing Asia Pacific market, while Nicaragua joins from the Pan American region, where we are seeing more interest than ever before.  

“Buoyed by the launch of the accessible World Lacrosse Sixes discipline — in which Nicaragua has already competed on the international level — and with last year’s full membership designation by the International Olympic Committee, lacrosse is seeing unprecedented growth and development in all corners of the world. I anticipate this will be another big year for World Lacrosse, and we look forward to further building on our momentum.” 

With the additions of Cambodia and Nicaragua, World Lacrosse has five new members in three months following the confirmation of Indonesia, India and Vietnam in mid-November 2021. 

Weeks ago, the Africa Association of Lacrosse was formed and will become the fourth continental lacrosse federation, complementing the Pan-American Lacrosse Association, European Lacrosse Federation and Asia Pacific Lacrosse Union.  

Cambodia and Nicaragua followed the updated application process that was approved in 2021 and received unanimous approval for Provisional Member status.