Who gets the ball when it goes out of bounds in lacrosse sixes?
I · Intermediate · Keeping the ball in play · 2 of 7The team that did not touch it last. A player who carries the ball over a boundary line loses it, and a loose ball that goes out belongs to the opponents of whoever touched it last. That includes a shot that misses. The exception is a shot that goes out off the goal frame or the goalkeeper: the attackers keep it.
How it works
- The lines are out: a ball or a player touching a boundary line is out of bounds.
- With the ball: a player who steps on or over the line, or whose stick or body touches the ground there, loses possession.
- Loose ball: awarded against the team of the player who last touched it.
- A missed shot: treated the same way. If no defender touched it, the defence gets the ball.
- The exception: a shot that hits the post, crossbar or goalkeeper and then goes out. The attacking team keeps the ball and the shot clock resets.
- Play stops: whenever the ball is out. The shot clock stops too.
- Who restarts: any player of the team awarded the ball who is ready.
- Where: at the spot, at least 2 m in from the line. In the offensive zone, 2 m inside the nearest boundary.
- No running start: the player must be in bounds before the whistle.
- Three metres: opponents and teammates must give the player with the ball 3 m.
- Unknown: if officials cannot tell who touched it last, alternate possession decides.
The glossary has out of bounds, the restart, the shot on goal, possession, the loose ball and alternate possession.
Tricky cases
An attacker shoots wide and the ball goes over the end line untouched. Whose ball?
The defending team's. A shot that misses and is not touched by a defender goes against the shooter's team.
The shot hits the crossbar and flies out of bounds. Whose ball?
The attacking team's, with a new 30 seconds on the shot clock.
A player catches a pass with one foot on the side line. What is the call?
Out of bounds. The line is out, and the ball goes to the other team at that spot.
A shot is deflected out by a defender's stick. Whose ball?
The attacking team's. The defender was the last to touch it.
Why the rule exists
Field lacrosse gives a missed shot to whichever team is nearest the ball when it goes out, which rewards wild shooting with a player backing up. Sixes removed that. A miss now costs possession, so shooters must hit the target, and the game turns over quickly.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Shot misses and goes out untouched | Ball to the defence | WL Sixes Rule 6.7.3 |
| Shot goes out off the frame or the goalkeeper | Ball to the attack, shot clock reset | WL Sixes Rule 6.7.3 |
| Restart on the bench side | At least 5 m from the substitution area | WL Sixes Rule 6.5.3 |
| Field lacrosse | A missed shot goes to the team nearest the ball | WL Men Rule 40.3 ii; WL Women Rule 15.B.3 |
From the rule book
World Lacrosse, 2026-2028 Sixes Lacrosse Official Playing Rules (version 2.0, May 2026), Rules 5.3.2, 6.5.1 to 6.5.3 and 6.7. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Lacrosse Sixes Rule Book 2026-2028 (PDF).