Women’s rule changes: 2025-2026
England Lacrosse have confirmed the changes which have been made in the women’s ruleset for the 2025/26 season.
The World Lacrosse rulebook can be seen in full here.
-
11m marking area (MA) lines reintroduced
The old 11m MA lines and markings are reinstated, alongside the current 15m line.
Additional hash marks (the “hanging hash” and one on the Goal Line Extended) are used for defensive positioning only.
-
Pre-game equipment checks are no longer conducted by officials. Instead, coaches are responsible for confirming their teams are legally and properly equipped before the coin toss.
Officials will now ask:“Are your teams legally and properly equipped to play?”
Rule 3.A.1.a - Sticks
See Rule 3 for complete rulings on how to do a stick check and when stick checks can occur.
Rule 6.A.5.a - Mouthguard colour
Mouthguards can now be any colour, including white or clear.
Rule 6.A.21 - Goalkeepers (In addition to 6.A.20)
Goalkeepers must wear padded gloves and may wear shoulder/arm pads as designed by the manufacturer. Thumb protectors attached at manufacture are allowed.
Stick length: Minimum 90 cm, maximum 140 cm.
-
All boundary balls now restart 2m inside the field.
All fouls near sidelines or endlines restart 4m inside.
Dots below the GLE are now 4m in from the endline and aligned with the 15m line for consistency.
If the ball goes out between the dots in the AFA (Advantage Flag Area), the player resumes play 2m inside via self-start, as per other boundary restarts.
-
Alternate possession (AP) now replaces the throw.
Captains decide at the toss whether to choose which goal to defend or the first alternate possession.
AP is used when:
No team is clearly closest to a shot out of bounds
The ball goes off an official
Simultaneous fouls (major/major or minor/minor)
Whistle stops play with no possession
Possession can’t be determined for a boundary ball
Ball goes out directly from the draw
Attacking foul during a flag or scoring opportunity
This streamlines play and removes poorly executed throws.
Where play restarts on AP:
Outside AFA: At or near the incident
Inside AFA below GLE: At the nearest dot
Inside 15m MA: At the nearest point on the 15m line
Out of bounds: 2m inside field
Nearest opponent must be at least 1m away from the player restarting.
-
Fouls are considered simultaneous when they occur between a whistle and the next restart — including any fouls discovered before play resumes (e.g. offside, illegal equipment, missing mouthguard).
Minor v Minor → Alternate Possession
Major v Major → Alternate Possession
Severity ranking: Red Card > Yellow Card > Major Foul > Minor Foul
Offside Violations (Rule 18.B.2)
If the ball is inside the AFA, free position is at the top of the 15m MA.
If outside the AFA, free position is 4m inside the boundary near where the foul occurred.
Always a whistle restart.
-
Rule 17.A.1
A goalkeeper or defender has possession if:
They have one or both feet grounded in the goal circle (GC) and the ball in their stick, or
The ball is in the circle trapped under the stick.
Rule 17.A.2&3
When in possession of the ball in the goal circle the goalkeeper cannot be checked (stick can no longer be checked if outside sphere of circle/a defender’s stick can be checked).
Rule 17.A.4
The goalkeeper/defender must move the ball out of the goal circle within 5 seconds of gaining possession (not the ball entering the GC).
Attack options
Attackers may now play the ball in the goal circle but must not:
Step on or over the goal circle line to play a shot
Step on or over until the ball has fully crossed the goal line
Initiate contact with the goalkeeper or defender
Cause a defender to make contact with the goalkeeper
Interfere with the goalkeeper’s stick
When in possession of the ball in the GC, a defender’s stick can be checked.
If the goalkeeper or defender is grounded in the circle while trying to play a ball outside it, they are not in possession.
Defence options
Defensive players may move through their goal circle while defending.
Only players marking the ball carrier within a stick’s length may stay inside the crease while defending.
When in possession, defenders must still follow the 5-second rule.
-
Empty stick check
A player must not check an opponent’s empty stick when the opponent is trying to receive a pass or at the draw.
Incidental stick contact while playing the ball in the air is not a foul.
Exchange of sticks
Players may exchange sticks on the field if both are empty and they are not actively involved in play.
Staff may hand a stick across the sideline only during a dead ball.
Players cannot play while holding more than one stick or throw sticks.
Early entry (centre circle & midfield)
It’s a minor foul to:
Enter the centre circle before the whistle.
Enter the midfield area before possession is signalled.
Called only if a clear advantage results.
Restart: Free position to nearest player at the spot of the ball.
Goalkeeper Goal
Goalkeepers may now score goals, provided they stay in their defending/midfield area.
Handball
‘Body ball’ has now been replaced by ‘handball’. Players may use their body or foot to play the ball, but may not use their hands or trap the ball with their body to keep it in the stick.
Withholding the ball
‘Covering’ has become ‘withholding the ball’. Players cannot trap a loose ball on the ground longer than necessary to pick it up in one continuous motion. Raking is allowed.
Exception: A grounded goalkeeper in the goal circle may trap the ball.
Minor Foul Restarts
Fouls within 15m MA → free position on the 15m line.
Fouls inside AFA below GLE → free position at the nearest dot.
Always a whistle start.
-
3-Second Rule (Rule 20.A.20b)
Defenders must not remain in the marking area (MA) for more than 3 seconds unless marking within a stick’s length.
Only one defender may mark the same off-ball opponent.
A defender is “inside” the MA only when both feet are fully within the 11m fan.
Shooting Space (Rule 20.B.7)
If a shot is released before the whistle for a shooting space violation:
Goal counts if scored.
If saved or hits the post, goalkeeper gains possession in the circle and play restarts on the whistle.
-
Team size: Maximum 22 players.
Numbers: 1–98 allowed.
Game clock: Stops for all whistles in the final 30 seconds of Q1–Q3 and final 2 minutes of Q4 (and during overtime).
Clock restarts with the official’s whistle or a legal self-start.
-
Timeouts may be called:
After a goal.
When a team has possession at a restart.
Following a dead ball (outside the AFA) — any player may restart.
Following a foul (outside AFA) — fouled player must restart.
During live play (outside AFA) — any player with possession may restart.
A new timeout cannot be granted until play has restarted.
