NEW YORK (Reuters) – Premier Lacrosse League announced a new women’s league on Wednesday that is set to debut next year, taking advantage of the momentum around the sport with its inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The Women’s Lacrosse League will include four teams that play in an Olympic Sixes format, which takes place on a smaller field than traditional lacrosse.
The teams’ host cities will be announced before the end of the year, with play set to begin in February.
“We’re proud to announce the launch of the Women’s Lacrosse League, a groundbreaking step forward for the sport, giving elite women athletes a premier stage to compete, inspire, and make their mark as we move toward lacrosse’s reemergence at the Olympics in 2028,” Paul Rabil, co-founder and president of PLL, said in a statement.
The PLL began play five years ago and three years later reached a multi-year media rights deal with ESPN.
Wednesday’s announcement comes amid a surge of interest in women’s sports in North America, where the top-flight WNBA and NWSL are expanding as TV ratings climb.
“It takes a lot of investment and it takes them betting on us as players,” Charlotte North, a WLL ambassador and the NCAA’s all-time goals scored leader, told reporters.
“We believe that we are ready to take this moment in time.”
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Toby Davis)
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