What is a minor foul in women's lacrosse?
I · Intermediate · Fouls and cards · 6 of 7Minor fouls are the lesser breaches: an illegal draw, touching the ball with a hand, withholding the ball, checking an empty stick, holding a stick briefly, offside, an illegal substitution and delay. The player fouled gets a free position and the offender moves 4 metres to the side. There is no penalty box: fouls cost the ball and space, and only cards cost time.
How it works
- The draw: an illegal draw, or early entry into the centre circle or the midfield area.
- Equipment: taking part with illegal equipment, an illegal stick or without a mouthguard.
- Thrown stick: "A player must not throw their Crosse under any circumstances."
- Withholding the ball: trapping a loose ball longer than needed to pick it up, or holding it with the body.
- Empty crosse check: checking a stick while its owner is trying to catch a pass.
- Hand ball: touching the ball with a hand, or using thumb or body to keep it in the stick, unless a goalkeeper in the circle.
- Held crosse: holding an opponent's stick for a short time during a check.
- Offside and substitution: breaking the restraining-line or substitution rules.
- Delay: not being ready 30 seconds after a goal, a break or a timeout. Moving early at a draw is also delay.
- Outside the advantage flag area: a free position where the foul happened, at least 4 m from the boundary, with the offender 4 m to the side.
- Within the 15 m area: a free position on the 15 m line nearest the foul.
- Below the goal line extended in that area: at the nearer dot with the offender 4 m behind. No self-start.
- Repeated: persistent minor fouls may be carded.
The glossary has the minor foul, the withholding the ball entry and the foul cards entry. Its entries are written for sixes.
Tricky cases
A player catches a high pass with her hand to stop it going over her stick. What is the call?
Hand ball, a minor foul. Only a goalkeeper inside the circle may touch the ball with a hand.
A defender knocks an attacker's stick as she reaches to catch a pass. Is that a foul?
Yes, an empty crosse check, unless it was incidental contact while both played the ball in the air.
Two players commit minor fouls at the same moment. Who gets the ball?
Alternate possession. No minor foul takes precedence over another.
Is a minor foul near goal worth a shot?
It gives a free position on the 15 m line, or at a dot behind the goal line extended, not in the 11 m area.
Why the rule exists
Minor fouls mostly take away an unfair gain with the ball or the stick. The penalty gives the ball and a little space to the other team. Moving the offender to the side, not behind, marks it as the lesser kind of foul.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minor foul | Free position, offender 4 m to the side | WL Women Rule 19.B.10 |
| Within the 15 m area | On the 15 m line | WL Women Rule 19.B.11 |
| Simultaneous minor fouls | Alternate possession | WL Women Rule 16.B.2 |
| Men's field | Ball to the other team or 30 seconds in the box | WL Men Rule 50.1 |
From the rule book
World Lacrosse, 2025-2026 Women's Field Lacrosse Official Playing Rules, Rules 13.A.9, 16.B and 19. Checked 21 October 2026. Official document: World Lacrosse Women's Field Rules 2025-2026 (PDF).