Final week, World Lacrosse, the world governing physique of males’s and girls’s lacrosse, made a rule change for its world tournaments heading into 2026 and past.
The change is one you’re accustomed to in the event you’re a university of a professional lacrosse fan: the imposition of possession clock for the worldwide sport.
Now, there are a few questions that the rulesmakers will likely be answering as the brand new rules are rolled out with the boys’s sport in 2026 and the ladies’s in 2027.
First off, will there be an ordinary size for each genders? Proper now, the NCAA’s possession clock is 10 seconds shorter for the boys than the ladies.
Second, do groups have a sure period of time to clear the defensive zone like within the NCAA and Athletes Limitless?
Third, is there going to be a “backcourt” violation the place groups can’t retreat behind the midfield line as soon as the ball enters the entrance half of the sector, a standard violation in field lacrosse and Athletes Limitless?
“We applaud our members for recognizing the important significance of the continued modernization of our sport that can enhance visibility, playability and aggressive steadiness,” mentioned Jim Scherr of World Lacrosse in a press launch. “Now, we’ll work diligently to supply monetary and different assets to assist on this transition over the approaching years. With the lengthy runway, we’re assured that the influence will solely be constructive.”
This guidelines package deal is just for worldwide matches, however it’s doubtless that there will likely be competitions in WL member federations which can begin utilizing the possession clock of their home leagues.
It’s anticipated that the adjustments received’t be a giant adjustment in nations the place Lacrosse Sixes are performed. The small-sided sport does have a 30-second possession clock, and it’s a simple adjustment for services with end-zone clocks, together with many soccer fields in addition to lacrosse-specific stadia on faculty campuses.
Nevertheless, in creating lacrosse nations, the possession clock could also be a giant ask, particularly for nations which could must play tactically slower with a purpose to lower down the variety of possessions in a sport to intensify their probabilities to win.