Netball Super League | The Netball Super League reveals further innovations and rule changes ahead of 2025 season

The Netball Super League set to introduce extra time, tactical time outs and a change to the distribution of League table points for the 2025 season.

Ahead of the Netball Super League’s (NSL) relaunch in March 2025, a series of further new rules and innovations have been announced.

No match in the NSL will end in a draw in the 2025 season. If at 60 minutes the scores between the teams are level, five minutes of extra time will be played each way, with a one-minute half time break in extra time. If the score is still level at the end of this period, play will continue in extended extra time until one team reaches a two-goal lead. The two-goal Super Shot, another new innovation that the League announced last year, will be in play throughout this period of extra time. Similarly, in the NXT Gen League, the feeder league that sits below the NSL, if at 60 minutes the score of the match is level, play will continue until one team has a two-goal lead, at which point the game will end.

Adding an additional element of uncertainty to the outcome of each game, tactical time outs will be permitted in all NSL matches. Each team will be able to call one tactical time out in every game that will last 90 seconds. This tactical time out must be called by a player on court and can only be called after a goal has been scored. This rule change, which will apply to the NSL only, will provide players and coaches with the invaluable opportunity to make critical adjustments providing the ability to change the outcome of a game and keeping fans guessing until the final whistle.

Another innovation for the 2025 season sees a change to the way in which League table points will be allocated to teams following a match. Teams will receive three points for a win, one point for a loss in which they finish within five goals or less of their opponent’s score, and zero points for a loss greater than five goals. This change to the points system aims to incentivise teams in a losing position to continue to fight until the last second of each game for the opportunity to secure a valuable League table point and will apply to the NSL and the NXT Gen League.

Discussing these new rules and innovations, Claire Nelson, NSL Managing Director said: “We know that the future of sport-tainment lies in innovative formats and we’ve said that the NSL will be at the forefront of leading these innovations in sport and fan experience. That’s why we are so excited to reveal that, through consultation with key stakeholders including Club owners, head coaches and performance teams, players and broadcast partners, we’ve added a number of new innovations that are tailored to creating a fast-paced, exciting format that will keep fans in arenas and at home engaged for longer.

“Not allowing games to be played to a draw, along with tactical time outs and the introduction of the Super Shot are just some of the changes that will create unmissable experiences as we take new and existing fans on a journey through the season that has jeopardy and excitement at its core.”

The new rules and innovations announced today follow a raft of changes that have been introduced ahead of the 2025 season including a reduction in teams, a reduction in squad sizes, a new salary cap and banding structure for players and the introduction of the two-goal Super Shot that will all support the League’s ambition to create more competitive and entertaining matches.

Tactical time outs will not be in play at the Netball Super Cup, a brand new one-day competition which is due to take place at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena on 8 March. In group stage matches at this event, games can result in a draw, however, in the two semi-finals and the final, if these matches are tied at the end of the second half, play will continue until one team leads by two clear goals. The Super Shot will remain active during this extended time.

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