Hockey
About Hockey
Field hockey is a fast, technical eleven-a-side team sport played with a stick and a hard ball — with smaller formats for schools, communities and beaches.
How the sport works
- Two teams of eleven play four quarters of fifteen minutes each.
- The ball is moved with the flat side of the stick only.
- Goals count only when scored from inside the shooting circle.
- Penalty corners and strokes punish offences inside the circle.
- Substitutions are unlimited and rolling, except during a penalty corner.
The field of play
Pitch size
91.4 m × 55 m
Surface
Water-based or sand-dressed turf
Shooting circle
14.63 m from goal
Goal
3.66 m × 2.14 m
Formats
Discover the Game
Field hockey is played in four federation-sanctioned formats. Each one has its own pace, pitch and pathway.
Equipment
Equipment
- Composite stick sized to player height
- Hard hockey ball
- Shin guards and ankle protection
- Mouthguard
- Turf shoes
- Gloves (optional)
Player uniform
- Team shirt with squad number
- Shorts or skort in team colours
- Team socks over shin guards
Goalkeeper equipment
- Helmet with full face protection
- Chest and arm padding
- Leg guards and kickers
- Hand protectors
- Distinct shirt colour
Safety
- Warm-up and cool-down are mandatory at federation centres.
- Protective equipment is checked before every session.
- Certified first-aid cover is present at all sanctioned matches.
4 federation-sanctioned formats.