The Vancouver Lacrosse Club put forth the Alhambra Cup for competition in 1889

Originally to be won by the team winning the most matches played in Vancouver, although as the playing season progressed, the Vancouver club would sometimes announce beforehand that, regardless of location, the upcoming game would count towards Alhambra Cup competition.

Concerns over betting at the final Alhambra Cup match in October 1889, which ended in a 2-2 draw, and disagreements between Vancouver and New Westminster over rules and player eligibility to play for what they deemed the ‘championship’, led some people to look at the example of Eastern Canada – for example, usage of a set code of rules like those used by the Manitoba Lacrosse Association. This encouraged them to look towards forming their own provincial association. A week before Christmas of 1889, during a dinner hosted by the president of the Vancouver Lacrosse Club for his players, discussion about the formation of a provincial association was brought up. The move towards formal, organised lacrosse would start to take shape in the spring of 1890.

The 24 inch trophy was manufactured by Meriden Brittania Co. of Hamilton, Ontario.

The Alhambra Cup is on display at the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame