WNBA video games function 5 gamers from every staff on the courtroom, 4 10-minute quarters and a 24-second shot clock. A free throw is price one level, a discipline objective from inside or on the three-point line is price two, and a profitable shot from exterior the road is price three. A participant is disqualified after a sixth private foul.
If the rating is tied after the fourth quarter, the groups play five-minute time beyond regulation durations till a winner is decided.
This information relies on the WNBA’s 2026 Official Rule E-book.
The principles deadline is 12 August 2026. The present rules can be found via the WNBA’s official guidelines web page.
For extra basketball protection, World in Sport additionally has an NBA guidelines explainer, whereas the guidelines guides part covers different main sports activities.
WNBA Guidelines at a Look
| Rule | WNBA format | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gamers | 5 per staff on courtroom | Both sides performs with 5 gamers at a time |
| Regulation time | 4 10-minute quarters | 40 minutes of regulation enjoying time |
| Scoring | One, two or three factors | Is dependent upon whether or not the rating is a free throw, two-point discipline objective or three-pointer |
| Shot clock | 24 seconds | The offence should try a shot earlier than time expires |
| Backcourt | Eight seconds | The offence usually has eight seconds to maneuver the ball into the frontcourt |
| Private foul restrict | Six | A participant is disqualified after a sixth private foul |
| Time beyond regulation | 5 minutes | Additional five-minute durations are performed if required |
These are WNBA-specific guidelines. Followers shouldn’t assume that each NCAA, FIBA, or different skilled competitors makes use of precisely the identical timing, foul limits, or overview procedures.
How Does a WNBA Sport Work?
A WNBA recreation begins with a soar ball at centre courtroom. Every staff has 5 gamers on the ground.
Regulation consists of 4 10-minute quarters. That offers a recreation 40 minutes of regulation enjoying time, though stoppages imply the match takes for much longer in actual time.
The sport clock stops every time an official whistles play useless. It additionally stops after profitable discipline targets in the course of the ultimate minute of the primary, second and third quarters. Within the fourth quarter and time beyond regulation, it stops after made discipline targets in the course of the ultimate two minutes.
That distinction issues late in video games. A basket with 20 seconds left doesn’t merely permit the clock to proceed working whereas the opposite staff retrieves the ball.
How Scoring Works within the WNBA
WNBA scoring makes use of the acquainted one-, two-, and three-point system.
A profitable free throw scores one level.
A discipline objective from on or contained in the three-point line scores two factors. A discipline objective from exterior the three-point line scores three. The shooter should not be touching the road or the realm inside it when taking a three-point try. The participant could land inside the road after releasing the ball.
A discipline objective merely means a basket scored throughout reside play reasonably than from a free throw.
A participant will also be fouled whereas making a shot. If the basket counts, the scorer usually receives one extra free throw. That creates the potential of a three-point play after a made two-pointer or a four-point play after a made three-pointer.
If a taking pictures foul prevents an unsuccessful two-point try, the shooter receives two free throws. A foul on an unsuccessful three-point try brings three free throws.
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How the 24-Second Shot Clock Works
The shot clock limits how lengthy a staff can keep possession with out making an attempt a shot.
A brand new possession usually begins with 24 seconds. On a throw-in, the clock begins when a participant legally touches the ball on the courtroom.
The ball should depart the shooter’s hand earlier than the shot clock expires. On an unsuccessful try, the ball should attain the rim to stop a shot-clock violation. If the offence fails to make a authorized try in time, possession goes to the defending staff.
A defensive contact doesn’t routinely reset the clock. If a defender deflects the ball with out gaining possession, the shot clock continues.
When Does the Shot Clock Reset to 14 Seconds?
One of the vital essential WNBA shot-clock guidelines issues offensive rebounds.
If a shot hits the rim and the attacking staff beneficial properties possession once more, the shot clock resets to 14 seconds reasonably than returning to 24. The identical precept applies when the offence beneficial properties possession after an unsuccessful free throw that is still reside.
Sure frontcourt stoppages additionally depart the offence with the time already displaying or 14 seconds, whichever is bigger. These embody some defensive private fouls, defensive three-second violations and deliberately kicked or punched balls by the defence.
A real change of possession usually resets the 24-second clock.
What Is the Eight-Second Rule?
Possession can not stay indefinitely within the backcourt.
The attacking staff usually has eight consecutive seconds to maneuver the ball from its backcourt into the frontcourt. Failing to take action is an eight-second violation and provides possession to the opponent.
Sure defensive offences can restart the eight-second depend. These embody a defensive private or technical foul, an intentional kick or punch of the ball and a few delay-of-game conditions.
As soon as the attacking staff has legally established frontcourt possession, it can not merely take the ball again into the backcourt and be the primary staff to the touch it. Doing so usually ends in a backcourt violation and a turnover.
Travelling, Double Dribbles and Different Violations
A violation often entails breaking a rule with out committing unlawful bodily contact.
Travelling happens when a participant strikes past the permitted limits whereas in command of the ball. A participant who gathers the ball whereas progressing could take two steps when stopping, passing or taking pictures. Pivot-foot restrictions then apply as soon as the participant has stopped.
A double dribble happens when a participant ends a dribble and illegally begins one other. Carrying or palming the ball also can produce a dribbling violation.
Out-of-bounds is extra easy. The ball usually belongs to the opposing staff when a participant causes it to the touch the ground, an individual or one other object on or past the boundary.
Deliberately kicking the ball or placing it with a fist can also be unlawful. Nonetheless, the ball by accident hitting a participant’s leg or foot doesn’t, by itself, represent a kicking violation.
How the Three-Second Guidelines Work
The WNBA has each offensive and defensive three-second guidelines.
An attacking participant can not stay within the restricted a part of the free-throw lane for greater than three seconds whereas their staff controls the ball within the frontcourt. There are allowances when the participant is making a steady transfer in direction of the basket or is about to go away the realm. An offensive three-second violation ends in a turnover.
The defensive model works otherwise. A defender positioned within the lane should usually be actively guarding an opponent inside three seconds. The WNBA defines lively guarding as being inside arm’s size and in a guarding place, though particular exceptions apply to the defender guarding the participant with the ball.
A defensive three-second violation brings a technical foul, whereas the attacking staff retains possession. The shot clock stays at its earlier determine or resets to 14 seconds, whichever offers the offence extra time.
What Counts as a Private Foul?
A private foul entails unlawful bodily contact with an opponent.
Gamers can not illegally maintain, push, cost into, or impede an opponent by extending a hand, arm, leg, or knee, or through the use of an irregular physique place. Contact that illegally redirects an opponent may end up in a foul.
Not each piece of contact is against the law. Basketball naturally entails bodily contact, and officers decide whether or not a participant has obtained or maintained a authorized place and whether or not the contact creates an unfair drawback.
A participant who receives a sixth private foul is disqualified from the sport.
Offensive Fouls
An attacking participant also can commit a private foul.
Widespread examples embody charging right into a legally positioned defender or setting an unlawful display screen.
A standard offensive foul offers the opposing staff possession. The participant receives a private foul, however an unusual offensive foul doesn’t depend in direction of the attacking staff’s team-foul whole. Flagrant and punching fouls have separate guidelines.
How Group Fouls and the Penalty Work
Particular person fouls and staff fouls are associated, however they don’t seem to be the identical factor.
Throughout a regulation quarter, a staff can commit 4 widespread staff fouls with out the conventional extra penalty free throws. Widespread staff fouls after that restrict usually end in two free throws — described within the rulebook as one free throw plus a penalty free throw.
There is a vital late-quarter exception.
If a staff has not reached 4 staff fouls in the course of the first eight minutes of a regulation quarter, it might commit one staff foul in the course of the ultimate two minutes with out getting into the penalty. The subsequent qualifying foul brings the penalty.
Time beyond regulation makes use of a decrease threshold. The primary three widespread staff fouls in an time beyond regulation interval usually result in possession reasonably than penalty free throws. Widespread staff fouls after the third are penalised with two free throws. An identical final-two-minute provision applies if a staff has not already reached its time beyond regulation quota.
Particular fouls can carry their very own penalties no matter whether or not the staff is already within the penalty.
Flagrant and Technical Fouls Defined
Flagrant fouls contain extra severe unlawful contact.
The WNBA classifies pointless contact as a flagrant foul penalty 1. The penalty is 2 free throws adopted by possession for the offended staff. A participant who commits two flagrant foul penalty 1 fouls in the identical recreation is ejected.
Pointless and extreme contact is classed as a flagrant foul penalty 2. That additionally brings two free throws and possession, however the offending participant is ejected. A flagrant ruling have to be confirmed via instantaneous replay.
Technical fouls cowl a special vary of offences. They’ll relate to unsportsmanlike behaviour, extreme timeouts, delay of recreation and different administrative or conduct breaches.
A single technical foul usually brings one free throw. Double technical fouls assessed to opposing groups don’t produce free throws.
How WNBA Time beyond regulation Works
There are not any attracts on the finish of a WNBA recreation.
If the rating is tied after the fourth quarter, the groups take a three-minute break after which play a five-minute time beyond regulation interval. They don’t change baskets for time beyond regulation.
If the rating remains to be stage after 5 minutes, one other five-minute time beyond regulation interval is required. That course of continues till one staff finishes an time beyond regulation interval forward.
Every staff receives two staff timeouts throughout an time beyond regulation interval. In contrast to late within the fourth quarter, there isn’t a restriction on when these two normal timeouts might be known as throughout time beyond regulation.
The sport clock stops following made baskets in the course of the ultimate two minutes of each time beyond regulation interval.
How Officers and Replay Opinions Work
WNBA video games use three on-court officers: a crew chief and two referees. They work with an official scorer and two timers, one accountable for the sport clock and the opposite for the shot clock.
Replay doesn’t imply that each disputed name might be reviewed.
Officers can set off evaluations in conditions specified by the rulebook, together with sure end-of-period performs, uncertainty over whether or not a discipline objective was a two- or three-pointer, attainable flagrant fouls and a few timing choices. A name is overturned solely when replay gives clear and conclusive proof.
The WNBA additionally publishes officiating data for followers who need additional examples of how officers apply basketball guidelines.
How Does the Coach’s Problem Work?
Every staff begins a recreation with one Coach’s Problem. If its first problem succeeds, the staff receives a second problem.
A coach can problem three essential sorts of calls: a private foul charged to their very own staff, an out-of-bounds resolution that denies their staff possession, or a known as goaltending or basket-interference violation.
In the course of the ultimate two minutes of the fourth quarter and any time beyond regulation interval, coaches can not use a problem to set off a overview of a known as goaltending or basket-interference resolution. In that interval, these evaluations are triggered by the on-court officers.
A coach can not straight problem travelling, carrying, a double dribble, technical or flagrant fouls, three-second violations or a non-call.
Usually, the difficult staff should instantly name a authorized timeout and the top coach should sign the problem and determine the choice being contested.
Generally Misunderstood WNBA Guidelines
A defensive contact doesn’t routinely give the offence a brand new shot clock. The defender should acquire possession for a standard change-of-possession reset.
An offensive rebound doesn’t give the attacking staff one other full 24 seconds. When the shot hits the rim and the offence regains possession, the clock usually resets to 14.
A participant doesn’t foul out after 5 private fouls. The WNBA disqualifies a participant on their sixth.
The team-foul penalty can also be completely different from a participant’s particular person foul restrict. One issues whether or not the opponent receives penalty free throws. The opposite determines whether or not a person participant can stay within the recreation.
Followers in search of match stories and league developments also can observe World in Sport’s WNBA protection.
WNBA Guidelines FAQ
How Lengthy Is a WNBA Sport?
Regulation lasts 40 minutes, divided into 4 10-minute quarters. Stoppages, free throws, timeouts and evaluations make the precise occasion longer.
How Many Fouls Earlier than a WNBA Participant Fouls Out?
A participant is disqualified after receiving a sixth private foul.
How Lengthy Is the WNBA Shot Clock?
The usual shot clock is 24 seconds. It resets to 14 seconds after an offensive staff regains possession following sure missed photographs or free throws that hit the rim.
How Lengthy Is Time beyond regulation within the WNBA?
Every time beyond regulation interval lasts 5 minutes. Additional time beyond regulation durations are performed if the sport stays tied.
Can a WNBA Coach Problem a Referee’s Resolution?
Sure, however solely specified calls are challengeable. Every staff receives one problem, with a second awarded if its first problem succeeds.
