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© 2025 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.
© 2025 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.
The road to LA28 starts here.
The world’s top lacrosse powers are coming to USA Lacrosse headquarters this weekend for the Atlas Cup, an international event showcasing the sixes discipline that will be utilized in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
National teams from Canada, the Haudenosaunee Nationals, Puerto Rico and the United States will compete in 12 games over three days here in Sparks, Md.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Stadium seats and VIP hospitality passes are sold out for all three days, but lawn seats remain available. It’s a great way to get close to the action. Think of the grass berms at intimate lacrosse venues like Klöckner Stadium at Virginia or Arlotta Stadium at Notre Dame when they’re filled with spectators. That’s the environment you can expect at Tierney Field.
Nothing chafes lacrosse fans more than paying for live streams to watch their favorite teams. Not only can you watch the Atlas Cup for free on YouTube, but also USA Lacrosse is giving away $5,000 to viewers who tune into the games.
In each quarter of each game, the announcers will share a secret phrase. Viewers who enter the phrase into the comments will be eligible to win $100. There are also bonus giveaways.
Speaking of the announcers, the broadcast team consists of play-by-play veterans Joe Beninati and Glenn Clark, color analysts Mitch Belisle and Courtney Connor and social media personalities Mitchell Pehlke and Katie Facciola. Hit them up with questions and comments during the games.
» Atlas Cup Streaming
» USA Lacrosse YouTube
What happens when you match the sport’s best players with the lightning-fast sixes discipline of the sport? The Atlas Cup.
It promises to show how far the sixes discipline has come since its debut at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Ala., when Canada defeated the U.S. in both gold medal games.
Names to know on the men’s side include PLL MVP Connor Shellenberger (USA), PLL championship game MVP Jeff Teat (Canada), electrifying transition threat Jake Piseno (Haudenosaunee) and brick wall Will Mark (Puerto Rico).
On the women’s side, the United States will roll with the same sixes team that was dominant at The World Games 2025 this summer in China. The Americans feature three players who have combined to win the last five Tewaaraton Awards in Charlotte North (2021, 2022), Izzy Scane (2023, 2024) and Chloe Humphrey (2025).
Canada counters with Brooklyn Walker Welch, a three-time All-American defender at North Carolina. Sierra Cockerille (Haudenosaunee) and Bri Carrasquillo (Puerto Rico) are also proven threats at both the collegiate and international levels.
» Men's Roster Breakdown
» USA Injury Replacements
» Women's Roster Breakdown
Friday, Sept. 26
4 p.m. — Canada vs. Puerto Rico (W)
5:30 p.m. — Canada vs. Haudenosaunee (M)
7 p.m. — USA vs. Puerto Rico (M)
8:30 p.m. — USA vs. Haudenosaunee (W)
Saturday, Sept. 27
4 p.m. — Puerto Rico vs. Haudenosaunee (M)
5:30 p.m. — Canada vs. Haudenosaunee (W)
7 p.m. — USA vs. Puerto Rico (W)
8:30 p.m. — USA vs. Canada (M)
Sunday, Sept. 28
8 a.m. — Haudenosaunee vs. Puerto Rico (W)
10:30 a.m. — USA vs. Canada (W)
12 p.m. — Puerto Rico vs. Canada (M)
1:30 p.m. — USA vs. Haudenosaunee (M)
The games will be played using World Lacrosse rules for the sixes discipline. It’s rapid-fire lacrosse, with several notable differences from the traditional field discipline.
Fewer players: It’s 6v6 with five field players and one goalie per side. There are no specialists (e.g., long poles).
Shorter field: The dimensions are 70x36 meters, about two-thirds the size of a regulation NCAA field.
Shorter possessions: The 30-second shot clock creates an up-tempo style.
Shorter games: It’s 8-minute quarters with a running clock that stops only in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and in overtime, if required.
Out of bounds: Even on shots, the team that touches the ball last turns it over.
Turn and rake: Faceoffs/draws occur only at the beginning of each quarter. After goals, the goalie has five seconds to put the ball back in play.
Beyond the games, USA Lacrosse and its partners are offering several exciting fan experiences. There will be:
Autograph sessions after every game featuring athletes from both teams.
A fastest-shot station to see how you stack up against the best in the world.
Exhibitors eager to show you the latest in lacrosse gear and technology. Meet the pros from Gait and STX, see the latest kicks from Caddix and undergo performance testing with MedStar. Purchase USA jerseys on demand from Capelli Sport. Other vendors on site include VEO, Impact Canopy, SRG, LaxChic and LaxGripper.
Access to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum.
Food trucks, bounce houses, inflatable games, yard games, face painting, glitter tattoos, 360-degree photo ops, yoga and a special appearance by the Chik-fil-A cow.
Matt DaSilva is the editor in chief of USA Lacrosse Magazine. He played LSM at Sachem (N.Y.) and for the club team at Delaware. Somewhere on the dark web resides a GIF of him getting beat for the game-winning goal in the 2002 NCLL final.
