What do the cards mean in hockey?
B · Beginner · What do the green, yellow and red cards mean? · 11 of 12Hockey has three cards. A green card sends a player off for 2 minutes of playing time, a yellow card for at least 5 minutes, and a red card for the rest of the match. In each case the team plays with one fewer player while the player is off. Before any card, an umpire can caution a player with a spoken warning.
How it works
| Penalty | What it means | The team |
|---|---|---|
| Caution | A spoken warning | No change |
| Green card | Warning and 2 minutes off | One fewer player for 2 minutes |
| Yellow card | At least 5 minutes off; the umpire sets the length | One fewer player for that time |
| Red card | Off for the rest of the match, and must leave the field and its surroundings | One fewer player for the rest of the match |
- A card can be given for any offence, on its own or as well as the team penalty, such as a free hit or penalty corner.
- Umpires should deal firmly with abuse of opponents, umpires or officials, in words or in body language.
- A player who repeats an offence they have already been carded for gets a more severe card, not the same one again.
- A second yellow card must be significantly longer than the first. A yellow for a serious or physical offence should be markedly longer than one for a minor offence.
- A red card is shown at once for serious, deliberate misbehaviour towards a player, umpire or official.
- The captain can also be carded for failing to control their team's behaviour or substitutions.
Tricky cases
How long is a yellow card?
At least 5 minutes of playing time. The umpire decides, and serious or physical offences get longer.
Can a player get two green cards?
It depends on the offences. Two greens for different minor offences are possible, though umpires are not encouraged to give them. Repeating an offence already carded brings a more severe card.
Does a red card mean a ban for the next match?
It depends on the tournament's disciplinary process. The card itself covers the current match; any further ban is for the tournament's disciplinary process under the FIH Code of Conduct, not covered here.
Can a coach get a card?
No. The Rules of Hockey card players. In FIH tournaments, team officials on the bench can be warned and sent to the changing room.
Why the rule exists
Playing one short for a while hurts the team at once, so short suspensions change behaviour without ending a player's match. The red card is kept for the most serious cases.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FIH rules | As above | H14.1; Umpiring 2.3 |
| FIH tournaments | Timing by the technical officials; the suspension starts when the player is seated | TR App 1 (3), (4) |
| Shoot-outs | Yellow and red cards only, no green | TR App 12 (15) |
From the rule book
FIH Rules of Hockey, Rules 3.4, 14.1 to 14.5 and Umpiring 2.3, in force from 1 March 2026; FIH Outdoor Tournament Regulations, Regulation 9.5 and Appendix 1, June 2026. Checked 13 October 2026. Official documents: FIH Rules of Hockey (PDF); FIH Outdoor Tournament Regulations (PDF).