The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) approved five rule changes aimed at speeding up play and improving game flow for high‑school girls lacrosse. The revisions, adopted by the NFHS Board of Directors after recommendations from the Girls Lacrosse Rules Committee’s June 23‑25 meeting in Indianapolis, target penalties, restarts and equipment restrictions.

Key changes

  • Draws: Under the new Rule 5‑2, any player may take the free position when a draw is called illegally, eliminating the current “first‑to‑the‑ball” stipulation.
  • Goal‑circle fouls: Rule 7‑3 now requires the offending player to stand four meters from the free‑position player—rather than behind him or* **Poss 4‑3‑3d‑e standardizes take the ball.
    rows the windows for stick checks to quarter breaks, halftime, team‑called time‑outs, before overtime, before a draw, and immediately after goals in regulation or overtime.
  • Electronic devices: A new Rule 2‑8‑3 bans all on‑field audio (microphone) and video (camera) equipment. Violations will be punished with a coach misconduct penalty.

“Girls lacrosse continues to grow at the high school level in both individual participation and state association sponsorship of the sport,” said Lindsey Atkinson, director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Girls Lacrosse Rules Committee. “The committee believes the rules of the game are in a good place, and changes that support the pace of play without giving an advantage to offense or defense—or increasing risk—are in the best interest of the game.”

Participation data

The NFHS High‑School Athletics Participation Survey for the 2023‑24 school year recorded 101,204 female lacrosse players at 3,206 high schools nationwide, underscoring the sport’s expanding footprint.

Where to find the full rules

The complete 2026 Girls Lacrosse Rules Book will be posted on the NFHS website (www.nfhs.org) under the “Sports → Girls Lacrosse” menu. A printed edition will be available for purchase in October at www.NFHS.com, and a digital version will be offered simultaneously through NFHS Digital at www.nfhs.org/nfhsdigital.