The 2026 Wheelchair Lacrosse USA Nationals return to Buffalo this weekend
The competition will be held Aug 21 and 22 at Buffalo RiverWorks
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Buffalo will host the 2026 Wheelchair Lacrosse USA Nationals this weekend at Buffalo RiverWorks.
The competition runs all day Friday, Aug. 21 and Saturday, Aug. 22, with the National Championship game Saturday at 4 p.m.
Twelve teams from across the country will be competing, including the Buffalo Bandits Wheelchair Lacrosse Team.
This is the third time Buffalo has hosted the Wheelchair Lacrosse USA Nationals. The Queen City also hosted the event in 2017 and 2023. The two-day competition is expected to bring $265,000 in economic impact to the Buffalo area.
Visit Buffalo and the Buffalo Sports Commission will be on site at the event, providing athletes and their families on what to do and where to go in Buffalo.
“We’re thrilled to once again host some of the best adaptive athletes from across the country,” said Visit Buffalo and Buffalo Sports Commission President and CEO Patrick Kaler. “Visit Buffalo and the Buffalo Sports Commission are committed to supporting adaptive sporting events, and we’re working to bring more adaptive sporting events to Buffalo in the near future.”
“Buffalo is a good location for us because we have a great host organization in Greater Buffalo Adaptive Sports that is able to help us recruit local volunteers, officials, and spectators,” said Shawn Maloney, manager of Adaptive Lacrosse & Sports Growth for Wheelchair Lacrosse USA, said. “Their existing relationships with Buffalo RiverWorks and local sponsors help everything run smoothly.”
Maloney added that Buffalo RiverWorks is a great location for the event thanks to its double hard-surfaced roller rinks inside an accessible venue, which can be hard to find elsewhere.
“Buffalo is also a great lacrosse town, so we are able to get a lot of support from local high school teams and officials to help us operate a successful event,” he added.
The event is open to the public and free to attend. You can find the schedule of games here.
The Buffalo Bandits Wheelchair Lacrosse Team is part of Greater Buffalo Adaptive Sports, a nonprofit that runs 11 adaptive and wheelchair sports programs which are free to the community. Wheelchair and Adaptive Lacrosse programs run weekly practices at Buffalo RiverWorks from May through August. Local high school and college lacrosse players as well as Buffalo Bandits Wheelchair Lacrosse Team members volunteer to coach the stand-up adaptive athletes.
All equipment necessary for participation is provided by GBAS, including sports wheelchairs and handcycle.
To learn more, donate, or get involved, click here.
The Buffalo Sports Commission is a nonprofit subsidiary of Visit Buffalo dedicated to promoting the region as a premier destination for amateur athletic tournaments, collegiate sporting championships, and youth sports events.
Visit Buffalo is the destination marketing organization for Buffalo and Erie County, promoting the region for tourism, meetings and sporting events. By showcasing the area’s culture, attractions and hospitality, Visit Buffalo drives visitor spending and supports economic growth.
