Prague will host famous lacrosse events. The European Championship and the Champions Cup

Lacrosse in the Czech Republic is looking forward to big tournaments. From next year, the Ken Galluccio Cup – European Field Lacrosse Champions Cup will be played in Prague. In addition, the European Lacrosse Federation (ELF) announced that the European Men’s and Women’s Box Lacrosse Championships will also take place in the Czech capital for 2026. A year later, the European Junior Championship will also take place.

The European Champions Cup (Ken Galuccio Cup) for the champions of individual countries of the continent in field lacrosse has been played since 2008. Fourteen years ago, the women’s part was held in Prague, in 2012 the best men and women came to the capital. From next year, the European Lacrosse Federation entrusted the organization to Radotín. The tournament will take place there until 2027.

Lacrosse in the Czech Republic can only benefit from this. The sport will become more visible and the motivation for the players is obvious. “Of course, we are glad that we succeeded with the offer and that we will be hosting the tournament here. We have a pretty solid reputation as organizers and Prague is easily accessible and attractive for teams. It could be additional visibility for lacrosse in the Czech Republic and motivation for Czech players to succeed in such a tournament,” says Ondřej Mika, secretary of the Radotín club.

Even more enticing news came to the Czech Lacrosse Union (ČLU) a few days ago in connection with the year 2026, when the European Men’s and Women’s Box Lacrosse Championships will take place in Prague. “We are very happy to be assigned the host. It is an appreciation of the importance of lacrosse in the Czech Republic. We want to make the championship also for outside spectators, not only for the lacrosse community,” mentions CLU President Roman Pokorný.

It will be played in the open air in the arenas in Radotín and Malešice. The women will play their matches in the hall in Jižní Město. “We still have a fourth portable court, which we will use in the event of an interest in expanding beyond these traditional lacrosse bastions, so that some matches can be played closer to the public, or outside of Prague,” CLU foreign affairs secretary Pavel Semerák says about the news. Up to 18 men’s and 10 women’s teams are expected to arrive.

Men in box lacrosse will play their third championship. According to President Pokorný, they should attack gold in Prague. As did the juniors a year later. In 2017, the men were second in Turku, Finland, and third two years ago in Hannover, Germany.

For women’s box lacrosse, it will be the first ever EC in Prague in two years, and the Czechs, who are making gradual strides in this industry, do not want to miss out in front of their own spectators. “There is definitely a chance to build a team. In addition, we have the motivation that the European Championship will be held in Prague. I think it would be sad if the home team didn’t show up,” says Veronika Tilšerová, who plays box lacrosse as part of various events.

Pavel Semerák played an important role in the candidacy and subsequent assignment of the ME to Prague. “First of all, it is the merit of the long-term activity of Czech clubs, which regularly organize international tournaments. Without this basis, we would not be able to submit an offer,” describes Semerák and adds: “It is a confirmation of our dominant European role in organizing tournaments. No other country has ever had so many EC tournaments.”

In the past, several international events took place on Czech territory under the auspices of ELF. The men’s European championships were played here in 1995 and 2004. The second mentioned was also for women, then one more women’s was added in 2015 in Nymburk. The first-ever Junior European Championship in field lacrosse was played in Prague in 2019 and the Czechs won bronze, last year the junior women even achieved silver in the same category at Pražačka. But Prague also has world championships behind it. Whether in the case of women in 2009 or box lacrosse two years later.