Field hockey rules, for watching
Start with how a match works. Then the rules you see every few minutes, then the ones that change results.
Checked 13 October 2026
Settling an argument? Search all 48 rules
- When does a goal count in hockey?
- What is the D in hockey, and why does it matter?
- What happens after a goal is scored in hockey?
- How long is a hockey match?
- Who starts a hockey match, and how?
- When does the clock stop in hockey?
- Can a hockey match end in a draw?
- How does a hockey shoot-out work?
- How are hockey pool tables decided?
- What happens when a hockey match is stopped by rain or lightning?
- Which side of the stick can you use in hockey?
- Is it a foul if the ball hits a player's foot in hockey?
- Can you lift the ball in hockey?
- Who gets the ball when it falls from the air in hockey?
- What counts as dangerous play in hockey?
- What is obstruction in hockey?
- How can you tackle in hockey?
- What is a free hit in hockey?
- What are the rules for an attacking free hit inside the 23?
- What happens when the ball goes out over the side-line?
- What happens when the ball goes over the back-line without a goal?
- What is a bully in hockey?
- Why didn't the umpire blow for that foul?
- Why was a penalty corner given?
- How is a penalty corner taken?
- How high can a penalty corner shot be?
- What happens when a defender runs out too early at a penalty corner?
- When is a penalty corner over?
- Why was a penalty stroke given?
- How is a penalty stroke taken?
- What do the cards mean in hockey?
- Where does a carded player go, and when can they come back?
- What happens if a hockey team has 12 players on the field?
- How many players are in a hockey team?
- How do substitutions work in hockey?
- What can a hockey goalkeeper do that other players can't?
- Can a hockey team play without a goalkeeper?
- What happens when a hockey player is injured?
- How big is a hockey pitch, and what do the lines mean?
- How big is a hockey goal?
- What are the rules for a hockey stick?
- What is a hockey ball made of, and how heavy is it?
- What protective gear do hockey players wear?
- Who controls a hockey match, and what do the signals mean?
- How does the video referral work in hockey?
- What happens if the ball hits the umpire in hockey?
- What counts as time-wasting in hockey?
- Can a hockey player throw their stick or kit?
Where these rules come from
| Tag | Document |
|---|---|
| H plus rule | FIH Rules of Hockey, in force from 1 March 2026 (outdoor) |
| H Terminology, H Introduction | The rulebook's terminology section and its introduction (rule changes, "Applying the Rules") |
| H Umpiring plus section | The rulebook's umpiring section (objectives, advantage, control, signals) |
| Spec plus section | The rulebook's Field and Equipment Specifications |
| TR plus regulation, TR App | FIH Outdoor Tournament Regulations, June 2026 (pages headed May 2026). Apply to inter-nations matches and, unless a national association opts out, top domestic leagues |
| R | "Why the rule exists", or a point reasoned from the rule rather than stated in it |
| C | Common usage or general knowledge, not a rule |
All checked on 13 October 2026. Not covered: indoor hockey and Hockey5s (separate FIH rules, not saved); Hockey India's national variations; league-only rules such as the FIH Pro League's points for a shoot-out win; the FIH Code of Conduct sanctions beyond the match (Appendix 13, not read in detail).
Not covered: indoor hockey and Hockey5s (separate FIH rules, not saved); Hockey India's national variations; league-only rules such as the FIH Pro League's points for a shoot-out win; the FIH Code of Conduct sanctions beyond the match (Appendix 13, not read in detail).