Last week, World Lacrosse, the world governing body of men’s and women’s lacrosse, made a rule change for its world tournaments heading into 2026 and beyond.
The change is one you’re familiar with if you’re a college of a pro lacrosse fan: the imposition of possession clock for the international game.
Now, there are a couple of questions that the rulesmakers will be answering as the new regulations are rolled out with the men’s game in 2026 and the women’s in 2027.
First off, will there be a standard length for both genders? Right now, the NCAA’s possession clock is 10 seconds shorter for the men than the women.
Second, do teams have a certain amount of time to clear the defensive zone like in the NCAA and Athletes Unlimited?
Third, is there going to be a “backcourt” violation where teams cannot retreat behind the midfield line once the ball enters the front half of the field, a common violation in box lacrosse and Athletes Unlimited?
“We applaud our members for recognizing the critical importance of the continued modernization of our game that will boost visibility, playability and competitive balance,” said Jim Scherr of World Lacrosse in a press release. “Now, we will work diligently to provide financial and other resources to help in this transition over the coming years. With the long runway, we’re confident that the impact will only be positive.”
This rules package is only for international matches, but it is likely that there will be competitions in WL member federations which will start using the possession clock in their domestic leagues.
It’s anticipated that the changes won’t be a big adjustment in countries where Lacrosse Sixes are played. The small-sided game does have a 30-second possession clock, and it’s an easy adjustment for facilities with end-zone clocks, including many football fields as well as lacrosse-specific stadia on college campuses.
However, in developing lacrosse nations, the possession clock may be a big ask, especially for nations which might have to play tactically slower in order to cut down the number of possessions in a game to accentuate their chances to win.
