Fan's Guide to WNBA Official Rules 2026

The shot clock starts at 24 seconds. A team must get a shot away before it expires: the ball must leave the shooter's hand before the clock reaches zero. If it does not, a shot clock violation is called and the other team gets the ball on the sideline nearest the spot, no nearer the baseline than the free throw line extended.

• Resets to 24 seconds: on a change of possession, after a personal foul or violation when the ball is inbounded in the backcourt, after most jump balls, and after any flagrant or punching foul.
• Resets to 14 seconds: when the offence gets the first possession of an unsuccessful free throw that remains in play, or of an unsuccessful field goal attempt that hits the rim.
• Stays as is, or goes to 14 if that is greater: after a defensive personal foul with the ball inbounded in the frontcourt, a defensive three-second violation, or a technical foul or delay-of-game warning on the defence.
• Never resets: when the defence is the last to touch the ball before it goes out of bounds, or on a technical foul or delay-of-game warning against the offence.

A team may not be in continuous possession of the ball in its backcourt for more than eight consecutive seconds. A new eight seconds is awarded if the defence kicks or punches the ball, is assessed a personal or technical foul, or is issued a delay-of-game warning, and when a team gains control of a ball.

Each team is limited to four team fouls per regulation period without extra penalty. Common fouls charged as team fouls beyond four are penalized by one free throw attempt plus a penalty free throw attempt. The first four common fouls only give the other team the ball on the sideline nearest the spot, no nearer the baseline than the free throw line extended.

• Overtime: the limit is three team fouls per overtime period.
• Late-period allowance: if a team has not reached its quota in the first eight minutes of a regulation period (or the first three minutes of an overtime period), it may commit one team foul in the last two minutes without penalty.
• Flagrant, punching, away-from-the-play and clear-path-to-the-basket fouls carry their own penalties and are included in the team foul total.
• Personal fouls committed during a successful field goal attempt or free throw that result in one free throw do not add a penalty free throw when the penalty is in effect.

A player is disqualified from the game on their sixth personal foul. A team must always keep five players on the court. If a player gets a sixth foul and every substitute has already been disqualified, that player stays in the game, is charged a personal and a team foul, and the team is assessed a technical foul. Every later personal foul, including offensive fouls, is treated the same way.

If only five eligible players remain and one is injured or ejected, the last player disqualified for six fouls must come back in, and that return is penalized by a technical foul.

There are two levels, and a flagrant foul must be confirmed by instant replay before it is ruled.

• Flagrant 1: contact against a player that is unnecessary. The offender is charged a personal foul and the team a team foul. The fouled team gets two free throws and the ball at the free throw line extended. A player is ejected for a second flagrant foul in the same game.
• Flagrant 2: contact that is unnecessary and excessive. It carries the same two free throws and possession, and it is an unsportsmanlike act, so the offender is ejected.

If the fouled player is injured and cannot shoot, the coach picks a replacement shooter (for a Flagrant 1, one of the other four players on court). The shot clock is reset to 24 seconds after any flagrant foul.

• Regulation: each team is entitled to five charged timeouts. After the later of the three-minute mark of the fourth period or the end of the second mandatory timeout of the fourth period, a team is limited to two team timeouts.
• Overtime: each team gets two team timeouts, with no restriction on when they are used.
• Mandatory timeouts: there is one in the first and third periods and two in the second and fourth periods. A timeout called by a team becomes the next mandatory timeout in that period and is charged to that team. If neither team has called one, the official scorer takes it at the first dead ball: after 4:59 in the first or third period (charged to neither team), and after 5:59 in the second or fourth period, with the second one due after 2:59 if none has been taken since.
• Length: mandatory timeouts are 2:45. Other team timeouts are 1:15.
• A timeout request is only granted when the ball is dead or in control of the requesting team. A request beyond a team's allowance is granted, a technical foul is assessed, and the opposing team is awarded the ball.

Each team gets one Reset in the last two minutes of the fourth period and one in the last two minutes of any overtime period. Unused Resets do not carry over.

A Reset is a stoppage that works like a team timeout, with these differences:

• The team calls a timeout and then immediately makes an "X" with its arms and says "Reset". Without that signal and call, a team timeout may be charged.
• Both teams can make unlimited legal substitutions.
• The shot clock stays where it was when play stopped.
• The team charged with the Reset has the option to advance the ball (the 28-foot hash mark option for a team with the ball in its backcourt).
• If either team huddles or stops the ball being put straight back in play, a delay of game is issued. A Reset cannot be used for an injury stoppage or other delay unless the team has no team timeouts left.
• Asking for a second Reset, or one outside the last two minutes, is charged as a team timeout (or as an excessive timeout if none are left).

A head coach can trigger instant replay review with a Coach's Challenge. Each team gets one challenge per game, and a team whose first challenge is successful gets a second.

What can be challenged: only three things.

1. A called personal foul charged to the challenging team.
2. A called out-of-bounds violation where the challenging team was not awarded possession.
3. A called goaltending or basket interference violation. In the last two minutes of the fourth period and of any overtime, this can no longer be challenged, because the on-court officials trigger those reviews.

What cannot be challenged: fouls charged to the opponent, non-calls, technical or flagrant fouls, continuation as a stand-alone event, and violations such as travelling, carrying, double dribble or three seconds.

How to challenge: the team must call a legal timeout immediately after the call (before the ball is given to the thrower-in or free throw shooter, or tossed on a jump ball), and the head coach must at the same time twirl an index finger (the replay signal) and tell the officials which event is being challenged. A Reset cannot be used to start a challenge. A team that is called for delay of game before calling the timeout loses the chance to challenge.

A challenge needs clear and conclusive visual evidence that the original call was wrong. The officials either let the call stand or overturn it, normally within two minutes.

• Call stands: the challenge is unsuccessful and the team loses the timeout it used.
• Call overturned on the first challenge: the challenge is successful, the team keeps its timeout (unless that timeout also started a mandatory timeout that was due to the challenging team) and is awarded a second challenge.
• Called foul challenged: it only counts as successful if the foul is overturned, meaning no foul is assigned to anyone or it is assigned to a different player. If the foul stays on the original player, the challenge is unsuccessful even if other reviewable details change.

If the replay system is not working, the officials use the nearest courtside broadcast monitor. The challenge is not used in pre-season games or any game without working replay.