What is lacrosse sixes and how big is the field?
B · Beginner · The game · 1 of 4Sixes is the short, fast form of lacrosse chosen for the Olympic Games. Two teams of six, a goalkeeper and five field players, try to throw a small rubber ball into the other team's goal using sticks with a netted head. The field is 70 m long and 36 m wide, and each goal is 1.83 m square.
How it works
- Six a side: "five (5) field Players and one (1) Goalkeeper". A squad has up to twelve.
- The aim: "to score by causing the ball to enter the goal of its opponent".
- Moving the ball: it may be carried, thrown or batted with the stick, or rolled or kicked.
- The field: 70 m by 36 m for World Lacrosse events.
- Two zones: the centre line divides a team's defensive zone from its offensive zone.
- The goals: 1.83 m high and wide, orange, with a pyramid-shaped net.
- Where they stand: 25 m from the centre line, so there is room to play behind them.
- The goal crease: a circle of 3 m radius round each goal.
- The ball: solid rubber, about 20 cm round and 142 to 149 g.
- Officials: three on the field, with a timekeeper, a scorer and a shot clock operator.
- Women and men: one rule book. Rules marked W or M apply to one game only.
- A goalkeeper always: each team must have a legally equipped goalkeeper on the field.
The glossary has sixes lacrosse, the field, the goal, the goal crease, the offensive and defensive zones and the roster.
Tricky cases
Can a player kick the ball?
Yes. The ball may be rolled or kicked in any direction, within the other rules.
A team loses players to injury and has only five left. Can the game go on?
Yes, once it has started. A team may continue with fewer than six. It cannot start a game with fewer than six.
Is there space behind the goal?
Yes. The goals stand 25 m from the centre line on a field 35 m long in each half, which leaves 10 m behind each goal.
Do women and men play by the same rules in sixes?
Mostly. The field, the clock and the scoring are the same. The draw, the stick, protective equipment and some contact rules differ.
Why the rule exists
Field lacrosse has ten players a side on a field up to 100 metres long, and box lacrosse is played indoors. Sixes was written as one short format for both women and men that fits a small pitch and a small squad, which is what a multi-sport Games needs.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Lacrosse events | Field 70 m by 36 m | WL Sixes Rule 1.1.1 |
| Other events | Field may be 55 to 75 m by 35 to 55 m | WL Sixes Rule 1.1.1 |
| Women's and men's games | Rules marked W or M apply to one only | WL Sixes, About this book |
| Field lacrosse | Ten a side on a field 91.4 to 100 m long | WL Men Rule 1.1; 19.1; WL Women Rule 1.A.2; 5.A.3 |
From the rule book
World Lacrosse, 2026-2028 Sixes Lacrosse Official Playing Rules (version 2.0, May 2026), "The game", Rules 1.1 to 1.3, 2.1, 3.1 and 4.1. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Lacrosse Sixes Rule Book 2026-2028 (PDF).