The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Wednesday officially approved a slate of rule changes ahead of the 2026 softball season. In June, the Softball Rules Committee made various recommendations on rule changes. The PROP had to officially approve those changes for them to be formally ratified into the 2026-27 rule book. Among the approved changes on Wednesday: A double first base will be used in Division 1 in the 2026 season. (Division 2 and D3 will have implementation of this rule delayed until the 2027 season) Teams will be allowed to retain a video review challenge if the call on the field is overturned. If a game goes into extra innings, all remaining challenges will carry over. Other “tweaks” were made to the video review system, including: A video challenge will be allowed if interference (including collisions) is not called on the field and the ball remains live. Interference called on the field will not be reviewable, and all base runners will remain at the bases they were occupying. The exceptions to nonreviewable interference calls will be spectator and batter interference. A “no catch” call within the infield will be reviewable only if it results in the third out with runners on base or any time with the batter/runner only. However, a catch call within the infield area is not reviewable at any time. If video review is conducted on-site by the crew chief, the monitors should not be within any team area. At least one umpire should remain on the field during a video review. During a video review, the defensive team will remain on the field and can huddle or warm up. Offensive players can leave the batter’s box, the bases and the on-deck circle. However, once the umpire returns with the decision on the video review, both teams must be ready to play. If there is a defensive delay, a ball will be added to the count. If there is an offensive delay, a strike will be added to the count. Additional Rule Changes In an additional tweak to replay review rules, once a play is formally under review, replays of the play may be shown on an in-stadium video board at any speed… All game protests will now be resolved in-game, with no games being played “under protest” awaiting postgame decisions… One-way electronic communication devices may now be used by offensive players, with communication originating from the dugouts or coaches boxes. Prior to Wednesday’s PROP meeting, the Softball Rules Committee rescinded a proposed rule change that would have changed the out-of-the-box rule. That rule remains that if any part of a batter’s body is touching home plate or on the ground outside the lines of the batter’s box at the moment of bat-and-ball contact, a delayed dead ball is signaled. The coach of the defensive team can choose either the result of the play or the standard effect for illegal contact, which is a strike on the batter and all base runners having to return to the base legally occupied at the time of the pitch. If the standard effect for illegal contact is chosen and it is the third strike, the batter is declared out. The Softball Rules Committee previously clarified the obstruction rule during their meeting in June.