Official Documents

RULES OF HOCKEY

Approved by the FIH Executive Board.

As the international governing body for hockey, we are responsible for the rules of Outdoor Hockey (11 a-side), Indoor Hockey, Hockey5s, Beach and Para-ID Hockey. Below you can download the rules for each format of the game.


Outdoor Hockey (11 a-side)

Get the interactive FIH Rules of Hockey App now! At the convenience of the touch of a button, you can be sure to have the latest rules of Outdoor Hockey on-the-go. Covering the must-know for both players and umpires including a Quiz feature and Videos.

We update our rulebook every two years so it’s worth checking you have the latest version. The 2019 edition of the rulebook, which comes into effect on January 1st 2019, is available below, along with the previous 2017, 2015 version and amendment from February 16th 2016.


Rules of Hockey Jan 2022 (949 KB)

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Hand Protection Measuring Box (75.2 KB)

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Indoor Hockey

Following a comprehensive review of the Indoor Rules following the 2018 Men’s and Women’s World Cups and having received very helpful suggestions from a number of NAs and Continental Federations, the Rules Committee issue a revised version of the Rules of Indoor Hockey. The revised version has been approved by the Executive Board and has an implementation date of 1 October.

The objectives of the new rules are to:

  • To make the Outdoor Rules and Indoor Rules as consistent as possible;
  • Incorporate feedback from players, officials, coaches , National Associations and Continental Federations;
  • To simplify the Rules wherever feasible
  • To make the sport the most attractive to players, spectators and broadcasters alike

Rules of Indoor Hockey 2023 (560 KB)

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Hockey5s

The updated Hockey5s Rules have been developed and agreed through consultation with representatives involved with playing and coaching Hockey5s competitions from all 5 Continental Federations around the world. The key changes to the previous rules are that a goal can now only be scored from within the attacking half of the pitch for safety reasons, and the passive play rule has been removed. This was difficult to consistently implement and was very rarely required as Hockey5s players and coaches have embraced this exciting format of hockey, looking to attack and score whenever possible. Other minor changes have brought Hockey5s in line with other formats and tidied up the Rules based on feedback from around the world. As Hockey5s continues to grow and we work towards the first Hockey5s World Cup in 2023, we are excited about the potential and opportunities Hockey5s provides to bring new players and spectators into hockey.

FIH Rules of Hockey 5s May 2024 (13400.0 KB)

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Beach Hockey

The FIH will be promoting Beach Hockey as a complementary version of the sport to traditional 11-a-side hockey, Indoor Hockey and Hockey5s.

Beach Hockey Rules - 2024 (2.6 MB)

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HockeyID

HockeyID is a further complementary version of the sport. The Rules of HockeyID are below.

2022 Para ID Rules FINAL.pdf (167.9 KB)

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FAQ

Got a question about the rules of the game? See if yours makes our ‘greatest hits’ in this list of frequently asked questions.

1. What are the obligations of a FIH member?

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