Israel Women's Lacrosse Team Wins Historic Bronze at World Championship in Tokyo

The Israeli women's lacrosse team achieved a historic milestone by winning the bronze medal at the World Lacrosse Championship held in Tokyo on August 2, 2026. They defeated the Haudenosaunee team 7-4 in the third-place match, marking Israel's first-ever medal in the women's field lacrosse world championship. Israel started strong, leading 3-0 after the first quarter and extending the lead to 6-1 by halftime. Although Haudenosaunee narrowed the gap in the second half, Israel maintained their advantage to secure the podium finish.

Jordan Lipkin was named the game’s most valuable player and finished the tournament as the top scorer with 19 goals and 25 points overall, including six assists. Lipkin described the achievement as "one of the best feelings in the world" and expressed pride in representing a team that made history and showcased Israeli lacrosse on the global stage. She also emphasized the significance of working with young players in Israel and connecting to her Jewish heritage.

This accomplishment gains added importance as lacrosse returns to the Olympic program for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, where competitions will follow the Sixes format. Israel had a perfect record in the group stage, upset Australia 12-11 in a dramatic quarterfinal, and lost 19-7 to the top-ranked United States in the semifinals. Notably, Israel and Ireland were the only teams to score in every quarter against the U.S., with the second quarter ending in a 2-2 tie, the first time since 2009 that the U.S. did not win a quarter in the world championship.

The bronze medal complements Israel’s recent victory at the European Box Lacrosse Championship, marking an unprecedented year for Israeli lacrosse. Ian Kadish, CEO of the Israeli Lacrosse Association, hailed the team’s historic achievement and the pride they brought to the sport in Israel. Eric Kaplan, president and CEO of "Eilat," the umbrella organization for non-Olympic sports, praised the team’s exceptional performance and noted the medal provides strong momentum ahead of lacrosse’s Olympic debut in 2028.