Hockey rules: Know how to play the sport (2024)

With roots dating back to 500 BC, the origin of field hockey can be traced to the early civilizations of Ancient Greece and Egypt.

There are primitive drawings and carvings on walls that depict people playing with a ball and a stick, showing striking resemblance with modern-day hockey.

However, the hockey that we see today has witnessed radical changes and the modern game is played in accordance with a set of rules and regulations formulated by the custodians of the game.

The hockey rules today are made by the Rules Committee, which works under the governing body of hockey, the Fédération Internationale de Hockey (FIH) or the International Federation of Hockey.

Here are some of the common laws of hockey.

How to play hockey?

The objective of hockey is to score more goals than the opposite team before the stipulated time runs out. All players use a hockey stick to control the ball and drive it in the opposition’s goal post to score for their team.

A hockey stick has a long handle with a curved head, which is flat on one side. The weight of a hockey stick must not exceed 737g. Modern hockey sticks are made from fibres of glass, carbon and aramid.

These fibres are laminated to build strength and sticks are made as per specifications. Earlier, field hockey sticks used to be made of wood. But the introduction of synthetic pitches forced innovations in stick making.

Players are only allowed to use the flat side of the stick to touch the ball. Failure to do so leads to a foul (backstick) and the ball is given to the opposition.

All hockey players need to pass or dribble the ball only with their stick and move it towards the opposite goal. And to score a goal, a shot can only be taken from inside the striking circle.

To understand the striking circle and the rules associated with it, we need to know the ground’s dimensions and divisions.

Hockey ground measurement

A hockey ground is rectangular in shape, measuring 91.4m in length and 55m in width. Modern pitches are made from synthetic material. The ground is divided into two halves by a centreline and each half is further divided by a 23m line and includes a Dee or the striking circle – a semi-circle with a 14.63m diameter. The goalposts lie within this Dee.

Goals can only be scored from inside the striking circle and any ball that goes in the goal from outside the circle is not counted.

The circle also comes into play during penalty corners and penalty strokes, which are some of the best opportunities for a team to score goals. These penalties are awarded when the opposition commits a foul in the striking circle.

Penalty corner in hockey

A penalty corner is awarded to the opposition when a player commits a foul within the striking circle but not always to thwart a possible goalscoring opportunity.

The most common cause for a penalty corner is the ball touching a player’s feet in the circle.

If an offence takes place outside the striking circle but within the 23m area, the umpire can still award a penalty corner should the offence be severe.

During a penalty corner, the ball is placed 10m from the goalpost on the backline and a player pushes the ball along the carpet towards the top of the striking circle. No attacking player can be inside the Dee. To score, a player has to stop the ball just outside the circle while a team-mate tries to either flick or shoot to score a goal.

There are many strategies to score from a penalty corner. Modern teams employ a drag-flick style where a specialist in the team uses power, precision and quick wrist work to fox the team defending the goal. This is called a direct conversion style. Indirect combination methods are also used to score from penalty corners.

During a penalty corner, also called a short corner, not more than five players, including the goalkeeper, can defend the goal. Once the attacking player pushes the ball to the edge of the striking circle, the defenders are allowed to leave the goalline, charge down in a bid to thwart a goal.

Penalty stroke in hockey

A penalty stroke or penalty flick is awarded when an infringement inside the circle denies a certain goal from being scored.

Unlike the penalty corner, the penalty stroke is a one-on-one situation where a goalkeeper is supposed to save a direct shot from the penalty spot, which is 6.475m directly in front of the goal-line.

The attacking player attempts to hit the ball in the goal while the goalkeeper uses his stick and body to prevent the ball from crossing the goalline.

Free hit in hockey

A free hit is awarded to a team if the opposing team commits a foul outside the circle. It is taken close to where the offence occurred.

During a free hit, the ball must be stationary and opponents must be standing at least five metres from the ball.

If the ball goes over the backline off the stick of a defending player or the goalkeeper and it is deemed unintentional, play is re-started with the ball on the 23m line and in line with where it crossed the backline. It is often called the 23m restart and rules of a free hit apply in this case.

However, if the defending player plays the ball beyond the backline intentionally and it doesn't take any deflection from the goalkeeper on the way out, the opposition team is awarded a penalty corner.

How many players in hockey?

In hockey, each team has 11 players, including 10 field players and one goalkeeper. There are five substitutes on the bench and there is no limit to the number of times a player is allowed to be substituted. This is commonly known as rolling substitution.

The field players are commonly categorised into defenders, midfielders and strikers.

The fullbacks, wingbacks, centrebacks and sweepers make up the defensive unit of a team. Its main responsibility is to stop the rival team from scoring a goal.

The forwards, on the other hand, are made up of inside forwards, wingers and centre forwards and their main role is to score goals. In modern hockey, there are no fixed jobs even if players are assigned specific positions.

Meanwhile, the midfielders act as a bridge between forwards and defenders and help in defence as well as offence.

Each team uses a different formation of field players to suit their style of play.

The goalkeeper, meanwhile, is the only player allowed to touch the ball with any part of his body. The goalie wears protective equipment like a helmet, throat collar, body armour, kickers and leg guards at all times and also wears a different coloured jersey.

Field hockey time duration

The total duration of a field hockey match is 60 minutes (four quarters of 15 minutes each). Before 2019, matches were played for 70 minutes, with a five-minute halftime break after 35 minutes. The clock is stopped whenever the ball is ‘dead’ due to stoppages like injuries, lost ball or anything that is not in the flow of a game. Effectively, a 60-minute match usually takes longer to finish.

The umpires (one in each half of the pitch) are responsible to make sure players do not waste time during a game. Time wasting can invite short suspensions, usually handed out through cards - green or yellow.

How many quarters in hockey?

There are four quarters of 15 minutes each in field hockey. There is a two-minute break after the first and third quarter and a 15 minute-interval after the second quarter, which is halftime.