2010 World Championship News

England Braves to take on the Iroquois Chiefs

The Blue Division playing schedule of the 2010 World Lacrosse Championships has been released by the FIL and the opening game sees hosts England take on Iroquois Nationals.

Over 30 nations are to be separated into various divisions according to strength and the Blue division features the six best lacrosse nations: Australia, Canada, England, Iroquois Nationals, Japan, and USA.

Due to the increase in competitors, the four divisions at the last World Championships have now been bumped up to nine, meaning this will be the biggest and most exciting World Lacrosse Championships ever!

The championship runs from the 14th to the 24th of July 2010 and opening game sees England take on Iroquois Nationals at 7.30pm on 15th July at the stadia that will be built at University of Manchester Armitage Centre.

Iroquois Nationals have a deep lying history within the game of lacrosse, having descended from the native American-Indian Iroquois tribe, who are widely credited as one of the first groups of people to play lacrosse.

Just two days later on the 17th July, Canada and the USA clash, in a replay of the 2006 Championships final, in which Canada triumphed and will be a very popular early round match to get a ticket for.

England then has their chance to prove themselves against the World Champions, Canada, on Tuesday 20th July.>

The FIL World Lacrosse Championships, taking place in Manchester in 2010 have received a massive boost with the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) pledging their support.

Lacrosse has an immensely strong history within the North West, with Manchester having hosted the 1978 and 1994 World Championships.

The championships will run between the 15th – 24th July 2010. There will also be a FIL Festival from 17th-22nd July, for the first time in the history of the championships.

The NWDA works to deliver economic success in England’s Northwest. As part of its work, the NWDA works with partners to secure world-class events, which are distinctive and capable of attracting large numbers of visitors from outside the region and which significantly, enhance the profile of the region.

As a result of the World Lacrosse Championships, the North West region is expected to experience £6.4 million in economic benefit.

Peter Mearns, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at the NWDA, said:
“This is the third time these championships have been held in the Northwest and they will bring significant economic benefits. Up to 20,000 visitors are expected, with many from overseas, which is excellent for businesses and tourist attractions across the region. Lacrosse is also a thrilling sport to watch and to play. I am pleased we have been able to help bring such a distinctive event to Manchester."

The championships will bring together over 30 different nations and the festival will attract 64 elite international teams from all over the world. The event is being held at the Armitage Centre, Manchester University’s sports grounds. A total of 2,000 athletes are expected to participate in the event with 10,000 -20,000 spectators purchasing up to 40,000 tickets.