USA and Canada advance to gold-medal clash in Tokyo; 10th world title on the line for USA.

World Lacrosse Women’s Championship Tokyo 2026: What else? It’s USA-Canada again in gold-medal game

Women’s lacrosse sees the world’s top two teams go head-to-head in the championship game for the fourth straight tournament in Tokyo on Sunday.

For the fourth straight time, USA and Canada will duke it out for the World Lacrosse Women’s Championship on Sunday evening (2 August) in Tokyo.

In the first semi-final on Friday, Canada ran dominated the Haudenosaunee 18-5 behind six goals from Kassidy Morris while the four-time defending champions U.S. were made to work by Israel but outclassed them in the end 19-7.

“It is a rivalry for sure. It is as intense as it comes,” U.S. attacker Charlotte North said to Olympics.com on the competitiveness between the North American powers ranked first and second in the world.

“It’s two teams that are so proud to represent their countries, two teams full of athletes who have worked their whole life to be on this stage and to play in a game like that. I think no matter the discipline, no matter the stage, anytime we’re lucky enough to meet with Canada it’s best on best.

“It’s a game of chess. You’re always figuring out how they’re going to play you and vice versa. And so the level is just raised every time that we’ve played each other, and I think it’s great for the sport.

“But to be in the red, white and blue and to be in a USA jersey in a game like a gold-medal game - in a USA v Canada game - I don’t think it gets any better than that really, for fans of the sport, for young players to watch, for new fans of the sport.

“That’s where you’re going to find the best athletes in the world, the best lacrosse players and the best product on the field.”

Exclusive - Meet USA’s Chloe Humphrey, the next big thing in women’s lacrosse

Exclusive - Nakazawa Kokoro and Negai hope to follow father’s footsteps to LA28

World Lacrosse Women’s Championship Tokyo 2026: All results and scores

Canada will try to knock USA off their reign in Sunday’s gold-medal game in Tokyo.

Both teams have advanced to the gold-medal game at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in equally dominant fashion.

The U.S. topped Pool A with three comfortable wins over the Haudenosaunee, Ireland and Chinese Taipei with a positive goal difference of 51. They ran past Puerto Rico 23-4 in the quarter-finals before dispatching Israel on Friday.

Canada were also a perfect three-for-three in the first round against Australia, Wales and Germany but cut it close in the last eight versus hosts Japan, needing overtime to prevail 5-4, before punishing the Haudenosaunee in the semis.

Four years ago at home in Towson, Maryland, USA won 11-8 to capture their ninth overall championship in 11 editions of the tournament. Australia are the only other country to have won the title, in 1986 and 2005.

The Canadians are desperately trying to join their company.

“Obviously it’s frustrating getting silver time and time again but I think that’s also what makes us continue to push and be better is because we know we can be better,” Canada veteran Erica Evans said. And if we want to be the best, we have to beat the best kind of thing.

“I think that’s where the rivalry is right now. We know we can compete with them and play with them. It’s just making sure that we show up day in, day out to get there and be relentless in our game and our play.

“There’s only one team that can be on top and I think just having that kind of rivalry pushes each other and I guess ultimately it’s going to push the sport and get eyes on the sport, too. So again, like I said, we’re closing that gap which makes it more exciting.”

The U.S. will be eyeing world championship No. 10 against Canada this weekend.

The intensity of the match-up is such that, it has often been likened to the one in ice hockey - as was displayed at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games back in February. In both the women’s and men’s final, USA edged Canada by the same score-line of 2-1 in overtime.

And both teams wouldn’t want it any other way come Sunday - bare knuckles, no holds barred. The two titans last clashed at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, People’s Republic of China, where the U.S. came out ahead 16-8 to win gold.

“Oh absolutely, yes I watched the men’s and women’s (hockey) games this year,” USA’s Chloe Humphrey said. “It totally is the same energy, same competition. It’s two powerhouses in the sport of lacrosse.

“So we always give it our best to each other but there is (…) huge respect. We respect Canada so much. I believe that they respect us as well because at the end of the day, we’re trying to grow the sport all together which is really cool.

“I know that we have won the past (four) I think so they’re going to have a chip on their shoulder and we’ll be ready for it. But it definitely is, it’s a historic rivalry and it’s a really cool one to be a part of.”

24 July - 2 August

Lacrosse | Women’s Championship | Tokyo | Japan

Lacrosse makes its Olympic comeback for LA 2028

Lacrosse is set to return to the Olympics at LA 2028 as a medal sport for the first time since 1908. American Charlotte North is one of the standout stars of the game, and speaks one-on-one with host Nick McCarvel about how the Olympic platform could help lacrosse grow, and why she thinks the sport is so well-suited for the Games.