In a little more than three years, lacrosse will make its triumphant return to the Olympic Games. With the milestone date approaching, World Lacrosse announced some of the details around the format for lacrosse.
Lacrosse will be held during the second week of the 2028 LA Olympics, with games taking place from July 24–29, at Exposition Park Stadium, home of Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club. The U.S. women’s sixes team will tour the stadium in early August during a training camp ahead of this summer’s World Games in China.
Nestled in the heart of LA28’s downtown footprint, Exposition Park Stadium is located beside the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which will host athletics and play a central role in both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. This placement underscores lacrosse’s integration into the core of the Olympic experience and sets the stage for an unforgettable debut for millions of fans around the world.
This marks the first time women’s lacrosse has been held in the Olympics and the first time men’s lacrosse has been a medal sport since 1908.
Six teams per gender will compete over five days of round-robin play. The tournaments will culminate on July 29, with the gold medal games contested between the top two teams for each gender and the bronze medal games played between the third- and fourth-ranked teams.
World Lacrosse President Bob DeMarco said: “The new era of lacrosse is now. Returning to the Olympic Games after more than a century – and doing so in such a prominent location and format – is a powerful statement to the growth and global momentum of our sport. LA28 will be a showcase for today’s modern game that is as exciting for spectators as it is for the participating athletes.”
World Lacrosse CEO Jim Scherr said: “We are proud that lacrosse will help write the next chapter of Olympic history at LA28. This is not only a return, but a reimagination – highlighting sixes, our exciting new discipline, and demonstrating our sport’s commitment to gender equality, innovation and global appeal. As the countdown begins, we will continue to work closely with the LA28 Organizing Committee, the IOC and National Governing Bodies to deliver a competition that reflects the passion, skill and unity of the international lacrosse community.”
Lacrosse’s inclusion in LA28 was approved by the International Olympic Committee in October 2023. The featured discipline is sixes, a fast-paced, compact format designed for global accessibility, Olympic suitability and thrilling spectator experience.
