Softball rules rules, for watching
Start with the rules you see all the time, then the ones that change results.
Settling an argument? Search all 15 rules
- How long is a softball game and how is it won?
- What happens if a softball game is tied after seven innings?
- How do balls and strikes work in softball?
- What are the ways a batter can be out in softball?
- What are the DP and the FLEX in softball?
- Can a softball player come back into the game after being taken out?
- How big is a softball field, and how do the ball and bat differ from baseball?
- What makes a softball pitch legal?
- What happens when a softball pitcher breaks the pitching rules?
- When can a softball runner leave the base?
- What is the look-back rule in softball?
- Why does first base have two colours in softball?
- What is the difference between obstruction and interference in softball?
- How many times can a softball coach stop the game to talk to the pitcher?
- What is an appeal play in softball?
Where these rules come from
| Tag | Document |
|---|---|
| WBSC Softball Rule or WBSC Softball Appendix plus number | World Baseball Softball Confederation, Official Rules of Softball: Fast Pitch, 2026-2029. Read: Rules 1 to 5 in full and Appendix 1 (field), with the ball and bat figures from Appendices 2 and 3 |
| WBSC Softball World Cup Regulation plus number | WBSC, Softball World Cups Tournament Regulations, revised 3 March 2026. Read: C7 (playing rules and pace of play) and E3 |
| WBSC Baseball Rule | Used only in "Where it differs" rows that compare with baseball. Checked in the baseball set |
| R | "Why the rule exists", or a point reasoned from the rule, not stated in it |
| C | Common usage or general knowledge, not a rule |
All checked on 14 October 2026.
Fast pitch only. This is the Olympic form. Slow pitch has its own rule book, which is saved and not read. Modified pitch appears in two "where it differs" rows because the fast pitch rule book carries its variations.
Not covered: the scoring rules for statistics (Appendix 6), glove specifications (Appendix 4), uniforms, the video review regulations (referred to by the World Cup regulations and not saved), standings and tie-breaking between teams in a group, and the Olympic format for 2028 (not saved).
Not covered: the scoring rules for statistics (Appendix 6), glove specifications (Appendix 4), uniforms, the video review regulations (referred to by the World Cup regulations and not saved), standings and tie-breaking between teams in a group, and the Olympic format for 2028 (not saved).