How big is a softball field, and how do the ball and bat differ from baseball?
Officials' detail · The game · 1 of 1The bases are 18.29 m (60 feet) apart, two thirds of the distance in baseball. The pitcher's plate is 13.11 m (43 feet) from home plate for women and 14.02 m (46 feet) for men, and it is level with the ground: there is no mound. The ball is about 30.5 cm (12 inches) round, larger than a baseball.
How it works
- The diamond: home plate to first base and to third base, 18.29 m (60 feet).
- Pitching distance: 13.11 m (43 feet) for women and under 18 women, 14.02 m (46 feet) for men.
- The fence: at least 67.06 m (220 feet) for women and 76.20 m (250 feet) for men.
- The pitcher's plate: rubber, 61 cm by 15.2 cm, and "the top of the plate must be level with the ground".
- The pitcher's circle: radius 2.44 m (8 feet) from the front of the plate.
- The ball: 30.2 to 30.8 cm round and 178 to 198.4 g, white or optic yellow.
- The bat: no longer than 86.4 cm (34 inches), no heavier than 1,077 g and no thicker than 5.7 cm.
- Approved bats: only bats with the WBSC certified stamp. At World Cups each bat is tested before a team's first game.
- Gloves: any player may wear one. Only the catcher and the first base player may use a mitt.
- The pitcher's glove: may not be the colour of the ball.
- Helmets: with two ear flaps for the batter, the on-deck batter and runners.
- The catcher: mask, throat protector, helmet, body protector and shin guards.
The glossary has the diamond, the smaller field, the base, the home plate, the catcher and the outfielders.
Tricky cases
Can softball be played on a baseball field?
Yes, with changes. The pitcher's mound must be removed, the field marked for softball and the backstop set at the right distance.
Is the pitching distance the same for men and women?
No. It is 13.11 m for women and 14.02 m for men. The bases are 18.29 m apart for both.
A batter comes to the plate with a bat that has no certification stamp. What happens?
It is an illegal bat. The batter is out and the bat is removed from the game.
Can the shortstop use a first base player's mitt?
No. Only the catcher and the first base player may use a mitt. Other fielders wear gloves.
Why the rule exists
The short distances are what make softball fast. A pitch released 13 metres away gives the batter about as little time as a baseball pitch from further back, and a ground ball must be fielded and thrown at once to beat a runner over 18 metres. The equipment rules keep bats within tested limits for the safety of the infielders.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Women, and under 18 women | Pitching 13.11 m, fence from 67.06 m | WBSC Softball Appendix 1, F |
| Men, and under 18 and under 15 men | Pitching 14.02 m, fence from 76.20 m | WBSC Softball Appendix 1, F |
| Under 15 women | Pitching 12.19 m, fence from 60.96 m | WBSC Softball Appendix 1, F |
| Baseball | Bases 27.43 m apart, pitching 18.44 m from a raised mound | WBSC Baseball Rule 2.1 |
From the rule book
World Baseball Softball Confederation, Official Rules of Softball: Fast Pitch (2026-2029), Rules 2.1 to 2.4 and Appendices 1 to 3. WBSC, Softball World Cups Tournament Regulations (revised 3 March 2026), C7.2 and C7.3. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: WBSC Official Rules of Softball, Fast Pitch, 2026-2029 (PDF).