PLL vs NLL: The Two Pro Lacrosse Leagues, Compared
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The PLL and the NLL are the two major professional lacrosse leagues in North America, and they play different versions of the sport. The Premier Lacrosse League is outdoor field lacrosse: 10 players a side, eight teams, a summer season. The National Lacrosse League is indoor box lacrosse: six a side on a boarded rink, 14 teams, a winter season. Because they run in opposite halves of the year, many pros play in both. Neither pays a full-time salary on its own.
If you only follow one, this is the piece that explains the other.
PLL vs NLL: the core differences
The quickest way to tell them apart is the playing surface. The PLL is played on grass or turf with a full-size field and long clearing runs. The NLL is played indoors on artificial turf laid over a hockey rink, ringed by boards, with no out-of-bounds to slow the pace.
| Feature | PLL (field lacrosse) | NLL (box lacrosse) |
|---|---|---|
| Version | Outdoor field | Indoor box |
| Players per side | 10 (incl. goalie) | 6 (5 runners + goalie) |
| Teams (2025–26) | 8 | 14 |
| Season | Summer (late May–Sept) | Winter (late Nov–spring) |
| Game length | Four 12-min quarters | Four 15-min quarters |
| Shot clock | 52 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Playing surface | 100 × 60-yard field | ~200 × 85-ft boarded rink |
| Goal size | 6 ft × 6 ft | Smaller (~4 ft wide) |
| Scoring quirk | 2-point line beyond 15 yds | No 2-point line |
| Top base pay | ~$50,000 (stars) | $42,000 veteran max (2025–26) |
The NLL’s tighter floor and shorter shot clock make it the higher-scoring, more physical product. The PLL’s extra space and its 2-point arc, which rewards shots taken from beyond roughly 15 yards, make range shooting a genuine weapon.
If you want to understand the geometry that shapes both games around the net, our explainer on the lacrosse crease and the rules around the goal is the natural next read.
Why the same players show up in both leagues
This is the part casual fans miss. The PLL season runs through summer and the NLL season starts in late November and runs into spring, so the calendars barely touch. That lets a professional play field lacrosse from May to September and box lacrosse from December to April, collecting two contracts from the same sport in one year.
It is not a fringe habit. A large share of NLL rosters is stocked with PLL field talent, and vice versa, which is why so many of the sport’s best-known names appear on both. For most pros, stacking the two seasons is the only realistic way to make lacrosse close to a full-time living.
What players actually earn
Neither league pays like the NFL or NBA, and it is worth being blunt about that. The NLL’s players are unionised: the collective bargaining agreement running through 2029-30 sets a veteran maximum of $42,000 for the 2025-26 season, a veteran minimum near $21,000, and a franchise-player tag that can climb toward $70,000. Those figures rise modestly each year of the deal.
The PLL does not publish a bargained scale, but reported base salaries land roughly between $25,000 and $50,000, with the biggest stars at the top of that band before any endorsement money. The takeaway is the same in both leagues: the paycheque is real but part-time, and the top earners make most of their money off the field. We break down who those top earners are in our guide to the highest-paid lacrosse players.
Which league should you watch first?
If you like open, tactical, wide-field lacrosse with long-range shooting and you are free in summer, start with the PLL. If you prefer a fast, physical, high-scoring indoor game during the winter sports season, start with the NLL. Most serious fans end up following both, because the two leagues share so many players that following one pulls you into the other.
New to the sport entirely? Meet the players who built it first in our rundown of the greatest lacrosse players of all time, then pick a league and a team once you know the names.
The bottom line
The PLL and NLL are not rivals so much as two halves of the professional lacrosse calendar: field lacrosse in the summer, box lacrosse in the winter, with a shared talent pool moving between them. The PLL gives you space, range shooting and its 2-point line; the NLL gives you a boarded rink, a 30-second shot clock and relentless pace. Learn both, and you have the whole professional game.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the NLL and the PLL?+
The PLL plays outdoor field lacrosse, 10 players a side on a 100-yard field in summer. The NLL plays indoor box lacrosse, 6 a side on a boarded turf rink built over a hockey surface, in winter. Box is faster and more physical in tight space; field is more spread out.
Do PLL players also play in the NLL?+
Yes, many do. Because the PLL runs in summer and the NLL runs from late November into spring, the seasons barely overlap. Dozens of pros play field lacrosse in the PLL and box lacrosse in the NLL in the same calendar year, earning two paychecks from the sport.
Do PLL and NLL players get paid a full-time salary?+
No. Neither league pays a living wage on its own. The NLL's collective bargaining agreement sets a veteran maximum of $42,000 for 2025-26 and a minimum near $21,000. PLL base salaries fall roughly in the $25,000–$50,000 range. Most pros hold other jobs or run camps and clinics.
Which pays more, the PLL or the NLL?+
They are close, and it depends on the player. Top PLL field stars can clear $50,000 in base pay before endorsements, while the NLL's bargained veteran maximum is $42,000 with a franchise tag that can push toward $70,000. Playing both leagues in one year is how many pros maximise income.
Is box lacrosse harder than field lacrosse?+
They demand different skills. Box lacrosse crams six players into a rink-sized floor with a 30-second shot clock and boards, rewarding quick hands, screens and physicality. Field lacrosse covers 100 yards with more running and space. Elite players train for both, but crossing over takes real adjustment.
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