Rule Changes 2025-26

by Webmaster

England Lacrosse (EL) has adopted the new World Lacrosse (WL) Rules for the 2025/26 season with some amendments.

This page details the major differences from the WL & EL Rules played in the 2024/25 season, and is largely a reproduction of the EL Rule Changes presentation.

There are also some editorial changes to the rules (i.e. changes without altering the original meaning) which are detailed in the WL Rules pages 10 & 11.

Major Changes

Click the rule heading to go to the full rule.

Terminology

Technical / personal fouls have been renamed to minor / major fouls.

Rule 34.11 – Fouls during a center face-off

  • This rule removes the anomaly which requires players to return to their original positions for a restart of play after a foul occurs at a centre face-off.
  • This will help to avoid delays in restarting the game after such a foul.
  • Removes a rule that was not well understood.

Rule 37.2 – Free play restart

  • Free play, other than out of bounds on endline, can not take place closer than 20 yds (18m) to the opposing goal.
  • Free play in own defensive half can now take place within 20 yards (18m) of own goal.
  • The goalkeeper will no longer have to move 20 yards (18m) laterally from his goal to start play and will speed up restarts.

Rule 38.3 – Shot On Goal

  • A Shot on Goal is defined as a Player using their stick to throw the ball at their opponent’s goal with the intent to score a goal.
  • The release of the shot, from the head of the player's stick, must be from a position in front of the goal, above the Goal Line Extended (GLE).

Whilst this rule is primarily linked to the Shot Clock Rule, in the context of the English Rules, it means that a ball kicked at the goal (although it can still be a goal), if it goes out of bounds, it is not classed as a shot for the purposes of awarding the possession.

Rule 49.3 – Goalkeeper Count

  • When the goalkeeper has possession in his crease the current 4 second count will be increased to 5 seconds.
  • Once initiated the count will continue even if the ball becomes loose inside the goal crease.

Rule 49.5 – Return of ball to goal crease area

  • Once a team gains possession of the ball in its Goal Crease area and the ball subsequently leaves their Goal Crease area, the team must not cause the ball to return to its Goal Crease Area until the ball has been possessed by an opposing Player.
  • If a subsequent pass by the defending team is deflected into their Goal Crease Area by an opposing player, this will not be considered an illegal re-entry of the ball to their Goal Crease Area.

This Means: The Goalkeeper can no longer throw the ball into the rear of the goal once it has left the Goal Crease area.

Rule 66 – Warding

  • This rule creates a specific rule relating to Warding.
  • This provides greater clarity for a ‘rule’ that has long been enforced but was not specifically defined in the rules as it was hidden in the Holding Rule.

Rule 67 – Minor Conduct Foul

  • Creates a new minor offence.
  • A minor foul occurs when a player, substitute, non playing member of a squad, coach or anyone officially connected with a competing team behaves in a way inconsistent with good sportsmanship.
  • The Official may choose to apply the Conduct Minor foul or the Unsportsmanlike Conduct Major foul, whichever they judge is appropriate to the situation.

Signal

WL Rules Not Adopted by EL

  • Rule 29.1 – periods will remain 20 minutes duration each.
  • Rule 29.2 – the clock will be stopped in the last 30 seconds of Q1, 2 & 3 and the last 2 minutes of Q4 as per existing rules.
  • Rule 43 – no Shot Clock. The current Rule 61.18 Over and Back and Rule 62 Stalling will be retained.
  • Rule 79.5 – penalty time will not be interrupted after the scoring of a goal, or for the awarding and relaying of time-serving penalties to the Scorers and Timekeepers.

See the EL Rules Amendments page for full details.

Changes to Field Dimensions

Rule 1 Dimensions

1.1 The playing area will be marked with a solid lined rectangular boundary, 91.4m to 100m (100 to 109yds.) long between end-lines, and 50m to 60m (55 to 66yds.) wide between side-lines.

Rule 5 The Goal Areas

5.1 In each half of the field a line shall be marked from sideline to sideline, between the goal line and the centerline, 22 meters (24.1 yards) from the goal line. These lines shall be designated the Goal Area Lines.

Rule 7 The Wing Areas

7.1 Lines parallel to the sidelines shall be marked on each side of the field, 18 meters (20 yards) from the center of the field and extend 10 meters (11 yards) on each side of the centerline. These lines shall be designated the Wing Lines.

Rule 10.1 Bench Area & Rule 11.1 Coaches Area – both areas extend 14m instead of to the goal area line previously.

Full Text of New Rules

Rule 34 Facing at the Center

34.11 Fouls during a center face-off:

During or after a center face-off, but before “Possession” or “Free ball” have been called, if the official stops play for a foul that has been committed, then the appropriate penalty will be applied, and all confined Players will be released from the Goal Areas.

Where the foul occurs in the offended team’s Defensive half of the field, the Free Play will be awarded at the Centerline. Where the foul occurs in the offended team’s Offensive half of the field, the Free Play will be awarded where the ball was when the whistle was blown to stop play. ↩︎

Rule 37 Free Play

37.2 A free play, other than an out-of-bounds on the endline, shall not take place closer to the opposing goal than 18m (20 yds) in any direction and the ball shall be moved laterally to a point 18m (20 yds) from the goal, if required. ↩︎

Rule 38 Scoring

38.3 A Shot on Goal is defined as a Player using their stick to throw the ball at their opponent’s goal with the intent to score a goal. The release of the shot, from the head of the player's stick, must be from a position in front of the goal, above the Goal Line Extended. (GLE) ↩︎

Rule 49 Prohibitions Relating to the Goal Crease

49.3 When inside the goal crease, the goalkeeper, or the defender must move the ball out of the goal crease within 5 seconds of gaining possession of the ball inside the goal crease.

This shall be audibly and visually counted by the nearest Official as “1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005”.

Once initiated, the count will continue even if the ball becomes loose inside the goal crease. ↩︎

49.5 Once a team gains possession of the ball in its Goal Crease area and the ball subsequently leaves their Goal Crease area, the team must not cause the ball to return to its Goal Crease Area until the ball has been possessed by an opposing Player.

If a subsequent pass by the defending team is deflected into their Goal Crease Area by an opposing player, this will not be considered an illegal reentry of the ball to their Goal Crease Area. ↩︎

Rule 66 Warding

66.1 A Player in possession of the ball may protect their stick with their hand, arm, or other part of their body when an opponent makes a play to check their stick.

66.2 The hand, arm, or other parts of their body may only be used to stop the stick check, and it must not be used to hold, push, or control the direction of the movement of their opponent’s stick or body. ↩︎

Rule 67 Conduct Foul

67.1 A minor foul occurs when a player, substitute, non-playing member of a squad, coach or anyone officially connected with a competing team behaves in a way inconsistent with good sportsmanship.

67.2 The Official may choose to apply the Conduct Minor foul or the Unsportsmanlike Conduct Major foul, whichever they judge is appropriate to the situation. ↩︎