page_title: Box lacrosse
section_title: Playing area
hierarchical_section_title: Box lacrosse / Rules / Playing area
caption_attribution_description: English: 0
context_page_description: Box lacrosse, also known as boxla, box, or indoor lacrosse, is an indoor version of lacrosse played mostly in North America. The game originated in Canada in the 1930s, where it is more popular than field lacrosse and is the national summer sport. Box lacrosse is played between two teams of five players and one goalie each, and is traditionally played on an ice hockey rink once the ice has been removed or covered. The playing area is called a box, in contrast to the open playing field of field lacrosse. The object of the game is to use a lacrosse stick to catch, carry, and pass the ball in an effort to score by shooting a solid rubber lacrosse ball into the opponent's goal. The highest level of box lacrosse is the National Lacrosse League.
  While there are 62 total members of World Lacrosse, only fifteen have competed in international box lacrosse competition. Only Canada, the Iroquois Nationals and the United States have finished in the top three places at the World Indoor Lacrosse Championships.
context_section_description: The playing area of box lacrosse is typically an ice hockey rink during the summer months. The playing surface is usually the concrete floor underneath the melted ice. Generally the playing area is 180 feet (55 m) to 200 feet (61 m) in length and 80 feet (24 m) to 90 feet (27 m) in width. The NLL plays on artificial turf placed on top of the ice. Some leagues, and teams that have dedicated box lacrosse arenas (such as the Iroquois), have outfitted their playing surface with artificial turf similar to the NLL.
  Box lacrosse goal dimensions are traditionally 4 feet (1.2 m) wide by 4 feet (1.2 m) tall. In the NLL, the dimensions are slightly larger at 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 m) wide by 4 feet (1.2 m) tall.  These nets are significantly smaller than field lacrosse nets which measure 6 feet (1.8 m) wide by 6 feet (1.8 m) tall.
caption: Detailed diagram illustrating the differences and similarities between Canadian Lacrosse Association and National Lacrosse League box lacrosse playing areas
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