LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — On Wednesday, Nov. 13, the Premier Lacrosse League introduced a Women’s Lacrosse League that is set to be launched in the United States during February 2025, when PLL’s championship series begins. 

This isn’t the first time the PLL has hosted an event for women’s lacrosse. In 2020, the PLL created “Unleashed,” a content and training platform for women’s lacrosse players around the globe. Four years later, on Feb. 17, 2024, the PLL hosted the Unleashed All-Star Game at the St. James sports complex in Springfield, Va.,  featuring women’s Sixes Lacrosse. Both were developed to support and recognize women’s lacrosse with great success. According to Sportico, participation in women’s lacrosse has increased 43% since before the COVID-19 pandemic and has only continued to grow.

“As someone who is new to lacrosse, I’m really excited to see new opportunities pop up around the world and make lacrosse more well known,” said Kimorah Urbina, a freshman on Los Alamitos High School’s girls lacrosse team.

This league will have four teams in cities that have not yet been announced. The WLL will be playing Sixes, where both teams will have six players on the field, including the goalie, in preparation for the upcoming Olympics in 2028 (which will also be in Sixes format).

Many renowned women’s lacrosse players were announced to have already committed to playing for this league on WLL’s instagram, such as Charlotte North, a former champion of Boston College’s lacrosse team. Lacrosse stars Izzy Scane, Lizzie Colsen, Alex Aust and Ally Mastroianni have decided to take part in this all-new league.

“We are filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards Paul Rabil, Mike Rabil, Rachael DeCecco and the entire PLL organization for their endless hard work, dedication and investment in the sport of professional lacrosse. We are honored to be a part of the WLL, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring this game to the fans in new ways than ever before,” said North in an interview with ESPN.

In addition to its own Instagram account, the WWL has its own page and merchandise available on the Premier Lacrosse League website.

The Premier Lacrosse League isn’t alone in taking this step — the Olympics are also planning on implementing Sixes in 2028, which is 80 years since the last time it was played during the Olympics, but only as a demonstration. Officially, lacrosse has only been in the Olympics in 1904 and 1908, less than a decade after women were legally allowed to participate in the Olympics. Other organizations, such as World Lacrosse, are also expanding their growth in women’s lacrosse by establishing the first Women’s Box Lacrosse league, in which the U.S. won the championship against Canada this year.

“I am really excited to see my sport in the Olympics for the first time in 2028. I really think lacrosse being in the Olympics will help it gain popularity all over the world,” said LAHS varsity lacrosse player Kamryn Ohtani.

The establishment of the Women’s Lacrosse League is sure to be a noteworthy breakthrough for athletes worldwide, especially in male-dominated sports such as lacrosse. This league is sure to create new opportunities for women lacrosse players and inspire female athletes from all sports and backgrounds.