THE Philippine Women’s Lacrosse Team finished 10th in its World Championship debut at the 2026 World Lacrosse Women’s Championship in Tokyo, Japan, marking the Philippines’ first appearance in the tournament.

The Filipinas capped their debut campaign with a 10th-place finish after defeating Wales, 12-4, in the classification rounds before falling to Argentina, 9-8, in the ninth-place match on Aug. 1.

The Philippines recorded its first-ever win at a women’s world championship with an 11-5 victory over Czechia after finishing Pool D with a 1-2 record. The Filipinas then advanced to the classification rounds, where they defeated Wales, 12-4, before losing to Argentina, 9-8, to finish 10th overall.

The 10th-place finish followed the Philippines’ bronze-medal performance at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Women’s Lacrosse Championship in Queensland, Australia, which secured the team’s qualification for the World Championship.

More Than Just Sticks and Balls

Lacrosse remains relatively unfamiliar to many Filipinos but has developed into an international team sport played across multiple countries.

It is a team sport in which players use a stick, or crosse, with a netted pocket to carry, catch, pass, and shoot a ball into the opposing team’s goal. The game requires speed, agility, strategy, and teamwork.

The sport has deep indigenous roots in North America, with variations of the game being played by indigenous people as early as the 12th century. Lacrosse has long grown into an international sport with teams competing from all around the world.

In the Philippines, however, lacrosse remains a developing sport with a smaller following than more established sports. The Filipinas’ World Championship debut brought the program onto the international stage alongside teams from around the world.

From A New Team to a Historic Breakthrough

The Filipinas’ World Championship debut followed their breakthrough at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Women’s Lacrosse Championship in Queensland, Australia.

The Philippines earned a bronze medal at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Women’s Lacrosse Championship, securing qualification for the 2026 World Championship.

Steph Lazo led the Filipinas in scoring during the World Championship, while Abby Manalang and Abigail Beattie also contributed to the team’s campaign.

The Tokyo tournament marked the Philippines’ first opportunity to compete against teams outside the Asia-Pacific region.

After the tournament, head coach Shannon Nee reflected on the team’s potential, “With close matches against the host country Japan and the overtime loss to Argentina, we have just tapped into what this team can accomplish. Our young ones played fearlessly, and our veterans showed leadership in difficult moments.”

Nee said the World Championship experience will help the team build on its international campaign.

Taking on the World

The Filipinas were drawn into Pool D alongside Israel, Japan, and Czechia. It opened its campaign with a 12-6 loss to Israel, with Jordyn Lipkin leading the Israeli attack with four goals and an assist. Lipkin was named player of the match and later earned a spot on the tournament’s World Team.

Against the host, Japan, the Filipinas put up a fierce fight and led 6-3 at halftime before Japan rallied to win 9-7. Japan’s comeback was powered by Kokoro Nakazawa, who scored the tying goal, while goalkeeper Runa Fujita made three crucial saves, including two during the Filipinas’ lead. World Lacrosse described Japan as having to rally against a “resolute effort” from the Philippines. 

The breakthrough finally came against Czechia. The Filipinas dominated their opponent 11-5, with Steph Lazo scoring four goals and goalkeeper Abigail Beattie making nine saves. Abby Manalang was also named the player of the match. Notably, the victory marked the Philippines’ first-ever win at a women’s world championship.

The team carried that confidence into the placement rounds, where they overpowered Wales 12-4. Eight different Filipinas contributed goals, highlighting the team’s depth and balanced attack.

The Filipinas faced Argentina in the ninth-place match, where they fell 9-8 to finish 10th overall in their World Championship debut.

Beyond the Number

The final whistle in Tokyo marked the end of the Filipinas’ first World Championship campaign. However, this also provided the world a chance to look beyond the results. Their 10th-place finish reflects not only what the team accomplished, but also what its performance could mean for the future of Philippine Lacrosse.

For a team making its first World Championship appearance, 10th place represents more than a final ranking. In only a short period, Philippine women’s lacrosse has progressed from an emerging program to a bronze-medal finisher in the Asia-Pacific region and a 10th-placer in its first World Championship.

More importantly, the Filipinas have given a relatively unfamiliar sport a chance to be seen by more Filipinos. Their journey shows that Philippine sports is not limited to the games that have traditionally captured the country’s attention. There are athletes competing, succeeding, and making history in sports that are only starting to find their audience.
Beyond the number is a team that has shown that even a niche sport can find its place on the world stage — and that for the Filipinas, this may only be the beginning.