Field hockey
Field hockey is a team game for two sides of eleven, usually ten field players and a goalkeeper, who play a hard ball with the flat side of a stick. A goal counts only when an attacker plays the ball inside the shooting circle and it then crosses the goal-line. A match is four quarters of 15 minutes, with the clock stopped for goals and penalty corners.
Checked 20 October 2026
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How long
Four quarters of 15 minutes; the clock stops for goals and penalty corners
Lengths are from the rule book.
The big events, and why they matter
- 1Olympic Games (hockey)The title the sport is measured by, and India's most successful Olympic sport.Every 4 years · Holder: Men's: Netherlands · Women's: Netherlands
- 2FIH Hockey World CupThe sport's own world title, the top one outside the Olympics.About every 4 years (2018, 2023, 2026) · Holder: Men: Germany; Women: Argentina
- 3FIH Pro LeagueThe top nations play each other home and away through the season.Yearly · Holder: Men's: Belgium · Women's: Netherlands
- 4Asian Games (hockey)Asia's top multi-sport title, and a direct route to the Olympics.Every 4 years · Holder: Men's: India · Women's: India
India
- Hockey at the Olympic Games: Men: 13 medals: 8 gold, 1 silver, 4 bronze; bronze at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024; Women: No medal; 4th in 1980 and 2020
- Men's FIH Hockey World Cup: 1 title (1975); 2 finals (1973, 1975)
- Women's FIH Hockey World Cup: No title; best finish 4th (1974); 5th in 2026
- FIH Hockey Pro League: Men: Best: 3rd (2021-22); 7 seasons from 2020-21; Women: Best: 3rd (2021-22); returns for 2026-27
Countries to know
India and the nations that have done best, biggest titles first.
- IndiaHockey at the Olympic Games: 8 golds, 1 silver, 4 bronzes (latest 2024); Hockey at the Asian Games: 7 golds, 11 silvers, 7 bronzes (latest 2026)
- NetherlandsHockey at the Olympic Games: 8 golds, 6 silvers, 6 bronzes (latest 2024); Women's FIH Hockey World Cup: 9 titles, 5 times runner-up, 1 bronze (latest 2026)
- AustraliaHockey at the Olympic Games: 4 golds, 4 silvers, 5 bronzes (latest 2020); Hockey at the Commonwealth Games: 11 golds, 2 silvers, 1 bronze (latest 2022)
- PakistanHockey at the Olympic Games: 3 golds, 3 silvers, 2 bronzes (latest 1992); Hockey at the Asian Games: 8 golds, 3 silvers, 4 bronzes (latest 2026)
- GermanyHockey at the Olympic Games: 4 golds, 3 silvers, 4 bronzes (latest 2024); Men's FIH Hockey World Cup: 4 titles, runner-up once, 1 bronze (latest 2026)
- ArgentinaHockey at the Olympic Games: 1 gold, 3 silvers, 3 bronzes (latest 2024); Women's FIH Hockey World Cup: 3 titles, 4 times runner-up, 2 bronzes (latest 2026)
Who runs it
| Rules made by | International Hockey Federation (FIH), Rules of Hockey, in force from 1 March 2026 |
| International federation | International Hockey Federation (FIH) |
| In India | Hockey India: recognised, on the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) list for 2026 |
Where and when it is played
On a pitch 91.40 metres long and 55 metres wide. The big events, men's and women's: the Olympic Games every four years, the FIH Hockey World Cup about every four years and the FIH Pro League every year.