Hockey 5s is a small-sided outdoor game introduced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in 2014. Hockey 5s was created for the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China and has been growing in popularity internationally. It is a fast small-sided game that uses specially designed boards that surround the perimeter of the field and keep the ball in play.

The current rules are Hockey 5s rules are available below along with guidelines for umpires on this new format. The FIH is committed to evolving Hockey5s into a sport that young people love watching and playing so watch this space!

Hockey has always been known for its fast pace and skill. The sport has seen constant innovation to keep up with the dynamic environment. One such innovation has been the introduction of Hockey5s.

1. Faster: 20 minutes! Yes, just 20 minutes will separate the champions from the contenders. Expect high levels of intensity as the teams will have just 1,200 seconds to prove their dominance in the shortest version of hockey. The 20 minutes will be split into two halves of 10 minutes each with a halftime break of two minutes.
2. Skillful: With just five players on the field, expect players to have more ball-time and more touches than in a 11-a side game. More ball time gives an opportunity for players to showcase their one-on-one skills and discover innovative ways to find the back of the net.
3. Easier to understand: Easy to play and follow. Played in a smaller arena, Hockey5s is viewer friendly and there are no stoppages, unless a player is injured or substituted. The sole mission of the players is to play fair and score more goals than their opponents.
4. More Goals: The duration may be short but that doesn’t limit the goal scoring appetite of the players, who are always looking to get their names on the scoring sheet. In the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in China, an average of eight goals were scored in the preliminary round in the boys’ section.
5. Accessible: Hockey5s has played an instrumental role in spreading the sport to developing nations and contribute toward the FIH’s 10-year Hockey Revolution strategy to transform the sport. Like the last edition, expect lesser known hockey nations to give some of the hockey power-houses a tough game.