World Lacrosse today announced the passing of a strategic measure to adopt a shot clock in international field lacrosse. The measure was passed via a vote of WL full members, which showed resounding support for the change.
Following a three-week voting period during which 96 percent of eligible members cast a ballot, the measure passed definitively, with 71 percent support. The result was consistent with recent polling of a wider audience conducted via WL social channels, showing 74 percent support in one poll and 90 percent in another.
The current proposal involves an 80-second shot clock for both men and women; however, the WL Rules Committee will be charged with finalizing all details of the rule changes. The implementation of the shot clock will begin January 2026 for men and January 2027 for women.
All world championships and WL qualifiers held after the implementation dates will include a shot clock, while the rule changes do not have a required impact on grassroots, recreational or other domestic/national programs.
The first men’s championship played under the new rules will be the 2027 Men’s Championship, while the first women’s championship utilizing a shot clock will be the 2029 Women’s U20 Championship. The 2025 Men’s U20 Championship in Korea and 2026 Women’s Championship in Japan will be officiated with the current rule book.
WL CEO Jim Scherr said: “This result made clear that global support for the shot clock is definitive, and we applaud our members for recognizing the critical importance of the continued modernization of our game that will boost visibility, playability and competitive balance. Now, we will work diligently to provide financial and other resources to help in this transition over the coming years. With the long runway, we’re confident that the impact will only be positive.”
Per-Anders Olters, German men’s lacrosse athlete, said: “The shot clock being introduced into international play will be awesome for the sport! The shot clock will vastly increase the speed of play, which will be enjoyed by both the audience and the athletes.”
Sarah Smith, Australian women’s lacrosse athlete, said: “As someone who has never played with a shot clock before, I am not worried about any negative impact it could bring to the game, only excited that as athletes, we will become more dynamic and diverse in how we play. It encourages all of us to take on bigger challenges within the game and makes the sport better as a whole.”
Frequently asked questions about the now-passed proposal can be found here.
