What are the markings on a kho-kho court?
Officials' detail · The game · 1 of 1A kho-kho field is a rectangle with a wooden post near each end. A narrow central lane runs between the posts, and cross lanes cut across it. Where they meet is a small square, and a chaser sits in each. Beyond each post is a free zone, where the attacker can turn.
How it works
- Field: the whole area inside the end lines and side lines.
- Court: the part between the two post lines.
- Posts: two smooth wooden posts, 120 to 125 cm high and 9 to 10 cm across, the same thickness all the way up.
- Central lane: 30 cm wide, running between the posts and dividing the court into two halves.
- Cross lanes: 30 cm wide, crossing the central lane at right angles.
- Squares: 30 cm by 30 cm, where a cross lane meets the central lane. Each is a chaser's seat.
- Free zones: the parts of the field beyond each post line.
- Lobby: a strip 1.5 m wide round the field, where the umpires move.
- Entry zone: a marked area in the lobby beside the scorer's table, from which runners enter.
- Lines: 3 to 5 cm wide and included in the measurements.
The glossary has the field and court, the post, the central lane, the cross lane, the square and the free zone.
Tricky cases
Is the free zone part of the court?
No. The court lies between the post lines. The free zones are the rest of the field, at each end.
Can an attacker swing round the post to change sides?
Yes. An attacker goes to the other half of the court only by turning round a post through the free zone.
How big is the field?
It depends on the format. The National Club Games book gives side lines of 20 metres 20 cm and end lines of 14 metres. The full-size senior field is larger, and its measurements are in a rule book that is not saved.
Are the squares the same distance apart all the way along?
Yes, in the book read. Adjacent squares are 230 cm apart, and the first cross lane is 250 cm from the post line.
Why the rule exists
Every line is there to control the attacker. The central lane is the wall they may not cross, the cross lanes mark where a chaser may step to choose a way, and the posts with their free zones are the only places to turn round. The defenders use all of it as cover.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| National Club Games field | 20.2 m by 14 m; central lane 10.70 m long; free zones 2.25 m deep | KKFI Club Rules Part 1 (1, 2, 6, 10) |
| National championships | Marked "as per specification mentioned in the Rule Book" of the federation; one of four courts must be a mat | KKFI Guidelines 12 |
| Lighting at national championships | At least 250 lux for league matches and 300 for finals | KKFI Guidelines 13 |
From the rule book
Kho Kho Federation of India, National Club Games Rule Book: Kho-Kho (undated), Part 1. Kho Kho Federation of India, Competition Guidelines (version 3.3, updated to November 2025), sections 12 and 13. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's rule book of kho-kho (current edition not published; the National Club Games rule book was used).