How long is a women's lacrosse game?
B · Beginner · The game · 2 of 5Four quarters of 15 minutes, with breaks of up to two minutes after the first and third quarters and ten at half-time. A tie, when a winner is needed, goes to four-minute periods of sudden-victory overtime. Each team has two 90-second timeouts in regulation play and none in overtime.
How it works
- The game: "four 15-minute quarters". Domestic games may agree another length.
- Breaks: up to 2 minutes after the first and third quarters, and up to 10 at half-time.
- Ends: teams change after the first, second and third quarters.
- Stoppage time: the clock stops on the officials' whistles in the last 30 seconds of the first three quarters, the last 2 minutes of the fourth and in overtime.
- A tie: "the result is a tie". Overtime is played "when a winner must be determined".
- Overtime: after a 2-minute break, "stop clock periods of 4 minutes will be played until the first goal is scored".
- Each overtime period: starts with a centre draw. Teams change ends between periods.
- Timeouts: "two 90-second time-outs during regulation play". None in overtime, and unused ones do not carry over.
- When: after a goal, when the team is entitled to the ball after a dead ball, or when it has the ball outside the advantage flag areas.
- Injury: up to 2 minutes' recovery for a field player and 5 for a goalkeeper.
- A complete game: once 80 per cent of the playing time, 48 minutes, has been played.
The glossary has the quarter, the overtime entry, the game clock, the timeout and the injury timeout.
Tricky cases
Is every tied game played to a winner?
No. In this book a game level at full time is a tie unless a winner must be determined, as in a knock-out game.
Are timeouts per half, as in the men's game?
No. Each team has two for the whole of regulation play.
Can a defending team call a timeout while the other team attacks near goal?
No. A team may request one only in the cases listed: after a goal, when entitled to the ball after a dead ball, or in possession outside the advantage flag areas.
Lightning stops a game after 50 minutes. Does the result stand?
The book counts a game as complete after 48 minutes of play, so yes.
Why the rule exists
A running clock keeps the game to a set length, and stopping it near the end stops a team ahead from running down the time. Sudden-victory overtime ends a tie at once, which suits a tournament schedule.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Women's field | Four quarters of 15 minutes | WL Women Rule 12.A.1 |
| Timeouts | Two per regulation game | WL Women Rule 12.B.1 |
| Men's field | Two timeouts per half | WL Men Rule 44.9 |
| Overtime | 4-minute sudden-victory periods | WL Women Rule 12.C.1 |
From the rule book
World Lacrosse, 2025-2026 Women's Field Lacrosse Official Playing Rules, Rules 11.A.1 and 12. Checked 21 October 2026. Official document: World Lacrosse Women's Field Rules 2025-2026 (PDF).