What gets a player sent off in men's lacrosse?
A · Advanced · Fouls and penalties · 1 of 2An expulsion foul removes the player, or coach, for the rest of the game. It covers deliberately striking or trying to strike anyone, joining a fight as the third player, leaving the bench when the officials have frozen it, and flagrant misconduct. The team's in-home serves three minutes in the penalty box for it, and the incident is reported to the governing body.
How it works
- The penalty: "suspension for the remainder of the game".
- Striking: deliberately striking or attempting to strike an opponent, a coach, a spectator or an official "with the hand, stick, ball or otherwise".
- Frozen benches: team personnel who push past an official or leave the bench area to join a fight "MUST be expelled".
- Third into a fight: "the third participant into the altercation may be expelled".
- Misconduct: refusing the officials' authority, threatening or abusive language or gestures, flagrant misconduct.
- Coaches too: a coach or any team official may be expelled.
- The in-home serves: "the In-home of the offending Team shall be suspended from the game for 3-minutes plus any other penalty time".
- A substitute: may come on after those three minutes and any other penalty time.
- The report: the official-in-chief reports the incident in writing to the controlling body after the game.
- Medical staff: may leave the bench to attend an injured player.
The glossary has the expulsion foul, the in-home and the penalty time served entry.
Tricky cases
Two players start fighting and a third runs in. Who is expelled?
The third player into the fight may be expelled. The first two face the penalties for what they did.
A substitute on the bench runs onto the field to join a fight after the officials froze the benches. What happens?
The substitute must be expelled.
Can a team bring on a replacement for an expelled player?
Yes, after the in-home has served three minutes plus any other penalty time the expelled player incurred.
Is a coach's expulsion different?
The same three minutes are served by the in-home, and the incident is reported in the same way.
Why the rule exists
Some acts have no place in the game whatever the score. Removing the player protects everyone else. Making the in-home serve the time means the team also plays a player short, so a team cannot shrug off an expulsion.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Player expelled | In-home serves 3 minutes plus other time | WL Men Rule 77.2 |
| Coach or official expelled | In-home serves 3 minutes plus other time | WL Men Rule 77.3 |
| Joining a fight from frozen benches | Must be expelled | WL Men Rule 78.2 |
| Simultaneous fouls | An expulsion counts as three minutes | WL Men Rule 81.2 x |
From the rule book
World Lacrosse, 2025-2027 Men's Field Lacrosse Official Playing Rules (version 1.0), Rules 77, 78 and 81. Checked 21 October 2026. Official document: Rules of Men's Field Lacrosse 2025-2027 (PDF).