2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championships – 48 Teams!

The FIL recently confirmed that 48 teams have registered and been confirmed for the 2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championships, to be held in Netanya, Israel from July 12-21st. In 2014, 38 nations competed in the FIL games, so the ten team jump is impressive, and makes this the biggest FIL event ever.

The 2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championships teams are listed alphabetically, below. After each team’s name, there are some notes explaining which teams are playing in the top Blue Division, which teams are back from 2014, which teams are new, etc!

For 2018 FIL team rosters, head HERE.

For additional articles and info many of the teams below, click on each country.

2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championships – 48 Teams

1 Argentina – returner from 2014, where they finished 34th.
2 Australia – long time participant, Blue Division team, finished 4th in 2014.
3 Austria – returner from 2014, where they finished 28th.
4 Belgium – returner from 2014, where they finished 27th.
5 Bermuda – returner from 2014, where they finished 24th.
6 Bulgaria – new team for 2018!
7 Canada – 2014 champs, Blue Division team!
8 China – returner from 2014, where they finished 31st.
9 Colombia – returner from 2014, where they finished 35th.
10 Croatia – new team for 2018!
11 Czech Republic – returner from 2014, where they finished 14th.
12 Denmark – Played in 2010, not in 2014, but they are back!
13 England – long time participant, Blue Division team, finished 5th in 2014.
14 Finland – returner from 2014, where they finished 13th.
15 France – returner from 2014, where they finished 37th.
16 Germany – returner from 2014, where they finished 9th.
17 Greece – new team for 2018!
18 Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) – Blue Division team, finished 3rd in 2014 for first field medal ever.
19 Haiti – new team for 2018!
20 Hong Kong – returner from 2014, where they finished 21st.
21 Hungary – new team for 2018!
22 Ireland – returner from 2014, where they finished 10th.
23 Israel – host team, returner from 2014, where they finished 7th.
24 Italy – returner from 2014, where they finished 18th.
25 Jamaica – new team for 2018!
26 Japan – returner from 2014, where they finished 8th.
27 Korea – returner from 2014, where they finished 33rd.
28 Latvia – returner from 2014, where they finished 19th.
29 Luxembourg – new team for 2018!
30 Mexico – returner from 2014, where they finished 23rd.
31 Netherlands – returner from 2014, where they finished 16th.
32 New Zealand – returner from 2014, where they finished 12th.
33 Norway – returner from 2014, where they finished 25th.
34 Peru – new team for 2018!
35 Philippines – new team for 2018!
36 Poland – returner from 2014, where they finished 20th.
37 Puerto Rico – new team for 2018!
38 Russia – returner from 2014, where they finished 30th.
39 Scotland – long time participant, Blue Division team, finished 6th in 2014.
40 Slovakia – returner from 2014, where they finished 26th.
41 Spain –  returner from 2014, where they finished 29th.
42 Sweden –  returner from 2014, where they finished 11th.
43 Switzerland –  returner from 2014, where they finished 15th.
44 Taiwan – new team for 2018!
45 Turkey –  returner from 2014, where they finished 22nd.
46 Uganda –  returner from 2014, where they finished 32nd.
47 USA – Silver medal in 2014, Blue Division team, long-time participant.
48 Wales –  returner from 2014, where they finished 17th.

If you’ve got a sharp eye, you will notice 12 “new” teams for the 2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championships, who did not play in 2014, which means that if the tournament expanded by 10 teams, then two teams that played in 2014 are not playing in 2018. Those two teams are Costa Rica and Thailand.

You always like to see national programs send teams to every event, but as Denmark has shown, it is possible to miss a world championships event, and come back again in the future. The Danes played in 2006 and 2010, went a little dormant in 2014, but have since re-engaged and emerged as the #FightingPastries. So don’t count any program out, ever. South Korea did a similar thing where they played in 2002 and 2006, did not play in 2010, and came back in 2014 and are now back for 2018.

2018 is the biggest world championships ever, and with the number of teams being limited to 30 starting in 2021, it looks like 48 is going to be the all-time record, unless some major rule is changed in the future.

For the foreseeable future, the 2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championships are the best chance to see where lacrosse is at the world over. It will be the biggest, most diverse, most open, and perhaps even the most competitive FILs ever, and it should be fun!