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Hockey rules - how hockey works outdoors and indoors

Hockey, also known as hockey, is a team sport that is particularly popular in Central Europe and Australia. In this article, we will tell you about the rules of hockey and explain in detail how this popular sport works.

spized | Rules

March 17, 2025 |

Whats’ on this page

1. Hockey Rules - Aim of the game

2. General hockey rules at a glance

3. The penalty cards in hockey

3.1 The green card

3.2 The yellow card

3.3 The yellow-red card

3.4 The red card

4. Hockey penalty corners

5. What equipment is needed for hockey?

6. Hockey pitch: rules and sizes

6.1 The three-quarter field

6.2 The half field

7. More hockey rules - time-outs, face-offs and more

8. The positions in hockey

9. Summary: The most important hockey rules

Hockey Rules - Aim of the game

Hockey is played with a game ball and two goals. And as is usual in team sports with a ball, each team tries to score more goals than the opponent. Hockey also requires a healthy balance between attack and defence. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game wins the game.

General hockey rules at a glance

A team consists of 10 field players and a goalkeeper.
The goal may only be scored within the marked shooting circle.
Each team has up to five substitutes - substitutions can be made in any number.
Hockey is fundamentally a non-body contact game - players may not be pushed or actively blocked.
The cue ball is to be played with the flat side of the racket only.
The cue ball must not touch the body or the foot.
The playing time for hockey is 2 x 35 minutes.
Since 2007, each team is allowed to take one time-out of 60 seconds per half-time.

The penalty cards in hockey

The green card

In hockey, the green penalty card means a warning to a player for a rules violation. In national and international competitions, a time penalty of 2 to 5 minutes is also imposed. In indoor hockey, the green card results in a time penalty of 60 seconds. A player can only receive one green card. The next offence must be punished with at least a yellow card.

The yellow card

The yellow penalty card in hockey results in a time penalty of 2 to 5 minutes on the small field and 2 to 10 minutes on the large field. In the case of a technical violation without physical contact, the player must leave the field for at least 5 minutes. For a foul with physical contact, the minimum is 10 minutes. Players or coaches who are suspended shall be seated in a designated seating area. Players and coaches with time penalties may stay with the team during the half-time interval and during a time-out.

The yellow-red card

Similar to football, the yellow-red card results in exclusion for the rest of the hockey game. The team plays with one player less for the rest of the match. The yellow-red card is given if a player has already received a time penalty or a yellow card and commits another offence that would also result in a time penalty or a yellow card. It suspends the player for at least one match. In indoor hockey, the team is allowed to complete itself after 15 minutes of playing time in a shorthanded situation.

The red card

The red penalty card in hockey is the highest punishment. The player must leave the field and the team plays with one player less for the rest of the hockey game. The player is suspended for at least the next two games.

Hockey penalty corners

The penalty corner is one of the most important components in the sport of hockey and is often of game-deciding importance. Before the penalty corner is taken, the goalkeeper and a maximum of 4 defenders are allowed to be behind the baseline or goal line. The referees make sure that the players stand with their feet behind the line. The special feature: In order to protect themselves from the ball, the defenders may wear face masks during a penalty corner. All other defenders must stay on the halfway line. The attackers are also not allowed to be in the shooting circle. As soon as the penalty corner is cleared, a face-off is given to the attacker. Only after the pass, the defenders are allowed to enter their own shooting circle. Because the ball has to leave the shooting circle at least once before the goal is scored, the attackers usually take the ball outside the shooting circle. Now the attackers have various options open to them to score a goal. In hockey, goals are very often scored in the course of a penalty corner.

What equipment is needed for hockey?

Probably the best-known piece of equipment in hockey is the stick. This is made of wood or a plastic compound. The hockey stick is flat on one side and rounded on the other.

In addition, all players must wear a hockey jersey. The men additionally equip themselves with hockey pants - the ladies wear skirts instead. Shin guards and a mouth guard are also compulsory in hockey. In addition, field players wear socks and often protective gloves.

The goalkeeper increasingly gets into the line of fire and accordingly needs special protective equipment. The equipment of a hockey goalkeeper includes the following hockey products:

Helmet with grille
Cane gloves
Suspensorium
Leg protectors incl. kicker and rails
Chest protector
If necessary, neck brace and laryngeal protection
Goalkeeper's trowel (special hockey stick for goalkeepers)

You want to design the hockey jerseys for your team yourself? Then visit our website and design hockey jerseys according to your wishes and ideas.

Hockey pitch: rules and sizes

A common hockey pitch has a size of 91.4 x 55 metres and is quartered with lines. Accordingly, each quarter has a size of 22.9 x 55 metres. The shooting circle consists of a semicircle starting centrally from the goal and has a radius of 14.6 metres. Within the kicking circle is a penalty mark 6.4 m (7 yards) from the goal. In addition, the playing fields must have a run-out area at the side lines and baselines. This shall be at least 4 m (13 ft) on the touchlines and 5 m (16 ft) on the baselines.

The three-quarter field

The three-quarter pitch is a shortening of the pitch length. Usually, junior teams between U12 and U14 play on a three-quarter pitch, playing against each other in 9 vs. 9 (8 field players + 1 goalkeeper).

The half field

The half-field is exactly half the size of the normal large field. The half-field is also called the small field and is used for youth teams in the U10 age group. Here, the teams play against each other in 7 vs. 7 (6 field players + 1 goalkeeper). The goals are placed along the side line so that the direction of play changes (from top to bottom, instead of left to right).

More hockey rules - time-outs, face-offs and more

Hockey has a very simple basic principle: whoever scores more goals wins the game. However, hockey is a complicated set of rules - there are many offences that result in completely different penalties. In the following sections, we will give you a better understanding of the many hockey rules.

Video evidence: Video evidence has been available in hockey since 2012. Each team is allowed to call for video evidence once per half-time for disputed scenes. Personal penalties cannot be reviewed with video evidence. To call for video evidence, a player or coach must show the referee a "T" with their hands.

Seven-metre penalty: A seven-meter penalty is awarded for deliberate rules violations in the shooting circle or rules violations that prevented a one hundred percent scoring chance. Time is stopped during the execution of the penalty kick.

Time-out: The time-out comprises an interruption of the game for a maximum of 60 seconds. The captain and coach may request the time-out by raising a card. During the time-out, the coach has the opportunity to take tactical measures. Each team may use a time-out once per half.

Bully: If play is interrupted by an injury or a stoppage of the clock, play is restarted with a bully. The bully shall be taken in the vicinity where the cue ball was last located. One player from each team lines up for the bully - after both players have touched the ground to the right of the ball, they may play the ball.

Impact: If the ball leaves the field completely, play is restarted with an impact. This principle is similar to the throw-in in football.

Push: When pushing, the stick is brought close to the so that the ball moves along the ground. Both ball and stick are in contact with the ground.

Lifting: Lifting involves playing a stationary or slow rolling ball up with a deliberate scooping motion.

The positions in hockey

Unlike in most team sports, there are no fixed positions in hockey. Usually there is only a differentiation between defenders, midfielders and attackers. The individual positions can vary depending on the alignment of the game and the tactical approach. Many hockey teams play with four defenders, three midfielders and three attackers in possession. Depending on the score and tactics, teams will push an outside defender forward to bolster the attack. Alternatively, a centre-back is pushed into the midfield to make the build-up more variable or to create superior numbers in the midfield. Defensively, midfielders and defenders usually play man-to-man defence. One defender remains free and moves into the midfield when defending to intercept passes or create spaces.