Haudenosaunee men's national lacrosse team

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The Haudenosaunee Nationals Men's Lacrosse Team, formerly known as the Iroquois Nationals, represents the Haudenosaunee Confederacy in international field lacrosse. They are ranked third in the world by World Lacrosse and have earned bronze at the world championships in 2014, 2018, and 2023. They have appeared in seven world championships, with their first in 1990. In 2022 they dropped “Iroquois” from their name and became the Haudenosaunee Nationals. They are exploring competing in the 2028 Olympics under their own flag, with support from both the United States and Canada.

Lacrosse has deep cultural and spiritual significance for the Haudenosaunee. Before games, players often participate in a tobacco-burning rite led by a spiritual advisor, and the sport is closely tied to traditional wooden sticks. The sticks are seen as gifts from Mother Earth, and the game is played to honor that connection.

The team’s history includes formation by the Haudenosaunee Grand Council in 1983. They were denied membership by the International Lacrosse Federation in 1986 but were welcomed as a full member in 1988. Their first World Lacrosse Championship was in 1990 in Australia, where they finished fifth. In 2002 they received the Honoring Nations award for nation-building through traditional sports. The program has operated with a small budget, and in 2006 Nike began providing uniforms and supporting wellness programs in Native communities.

Passport and travel issues have affected the team. In 2010, UK authorities did not recognize their Haudenosaunee passports, forcing forfeitures of three games. In 2018, travel to Israel was delayed due to passport issues, but arrangements were eventually resolved.

In 2023, the International Olympic Committee added lacrosse to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Because the Haudenosaunee Nationals do not compete under a national Olympic committee, their participation would require approval from the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the Canadian Olympic Committee. In January 2025, a joint statement from U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged the IOC to allow the Haudenosaunee to compete in lacrosse at the 2028 Games under their own flag, highlighting their historic role in inventing the sport.