England discover Box Euros group stage opponents
England’s men’s and women’s box lacrosse teams have discovered their group stage opponents for the upcoming European Box Lacrosse Championships 2026 following the draw last night.
As they look to defend the title they won for the first time in Hanover, Germany in 2022, the England men’s team have been drawn in the Red Group alongside Ireland, Finland, and the Netherlands.
The Lions last played Ireland on their way to securing the 2022 Euros title coming out 12-5 winners with Matt Marsh and Lyndon Bunio scoring nine points between them.
You’ll have to cast your mind a little further back to remember England’s last competitive match against Finland, however: a quarter-final play-in game at the 2019 World Lacrosse Box Championship in Langley, Canada ending 15-6 in England’s favour.
Excitingly, a first meeting with the Netherlands at a major tournament is on the cards for England at the European Box Lacrosse Championships 2026; they finished 12th in 2024’s World Lacrosse Box Championships.
Over in the women’s competition, England will take on Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Finland, Czechia, and Israel in a single round robin group before the knock-out phase begins.
England have previous major tournament experience against three of their group stage opponents after narrowly overcoming Germany 14-13 in the fifth place match at the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships in Utica, USA to finish as the highest placed European side.
They also claimed victory at that tournament over Ireland after an 11-6 win in the play-in game and against the Netherlands who they beat after an enthralling and end-to-end contest that finished 11-10 thanks to a sudden-death over-time winner courtesy of Alex Drewe.
England will play Finland, Czechia, and Israel competitively for the first time when the 2026 Euros takes place in Prague, Czechia from 24 June to 5 July.
The European Box Lacrosse Championships 2026 will be the inaugural edition of the women’s competition and the third in the men’s with England looking to announce their final squads following the conclusion of the E-Box and ShE-Box invitational events in April.
England’s European Box Lacrosse Championships 2026 Groups
England Women
England
Germany
Netherlands
Ireland
Finland
Czechia
Israel
England Men
Red Group
England
Ireland
Finland
Netherlands