Intercrosse (or inter-crosse) is a team sport derived from lacrosse, the ancestral game of the Indigenous peoples of North America. Codified in Québec in the 1980s, it keeps the essence of the game — a stick to carry the ball, two goals, two teams — while removing what made it inaccessible: all physical contact is forbidden.
A truly accessible sport
The intercrosse stick is made of light plastic and the ball is soft and hollow. No protective gear is needed. Girls and boys play together, from primary school onwards and with no age limit: it is one of the few team sports that is genuinely mixed, all the way up to international competition.
- No contact: no body checks, no stick checks — the ball carrier cannot be touched.
- Mixed: teams combine genders at every level of play.
- Affordable: a stick, a ball and a gymnasium are all you need.
- Quick to learn: real games from the very first session.
How is a match played?
Two teams of five players (four field players and a goalkeeper) face off on a handball-sized court. The goal: score in the opposing net by moving the ball with passes. The carrier may only hold the ball for a few seconds, which makes constant team play essential — nobody can win alone.
Codified by the Fédération Internationale d’Inter-Crosse (FIIC), founded in Paris in 1985, intercrosse is now played in more than 20 member countries, from Québec to the Czech Republic, through France, Switzerland, Italy and Hungary.
A recognised educational tool
Intercrosse is built on four values defined by the FIIC: movement, autonomy, respect and communication. In schools it is often played with self-refereeing: players call their own fouls. This is why it is widely used by PE teachers and sports educators.