Duration
A hockey match consists of two halves of 35 minutes with a half-time interval of 10 minutes.
Players
A team is made up of a maximum 18 players, composed of 11 players on the field and up to seven substitutes. If a team has only one goalkeeper, they play a match with a maximum of 16 players.
Substitutions
There are no limits on the number of substitutions, apart from during a penalty corner or video referral when substitutions are not allowed.
Green card
If a player is shown a green card by the umpire, he or she has a temporary suspension lasting two minutes. This means the team plays with one fewer player during this period. The time penalty kicks in when the suspended player sits on a chair next to the technical table. After the two minutes are up, the player can return to the pitch. The Technical Officer on duty is responsible for timing the temporary suspension.
Playing the ball above shoulder height
A player may play the ball above shoulder height with his or her stick provided this is
not dangerous or leads to dangerous play. This rules applies to the entire pitch,
including inside the circle.
40-second rule during a penalty corner
A penalty corner must be taken within 40 seconds of being awarded. This can be monitored on the PC countdown clock. The umpire will ensure all players are ready in time. A player delaying and causing the time to overrun will be given a green card.
The 40-second requirement does not apply if the game has been halted because of injury (depending upon the type of injury) or if the penalty corner results in a re-award immediately afterwards.
Video umpire
Each team is allowed one video umpire team referral per match. Team referrals are restricted to decisions within the 23 metre areas relating to the award (or non-award) of goals, penalty strokes and penalty corners.
The on pitch umpires will ask the video umpire to study the relevant images and for his or her advice and recommendation. If the referral is successful, the team retains the right to make another team referral. If the referral is unsuccessful, the team loses the right to use the video umpire for the rest of the game.
The umpires may also consult the video umpire, using their own umpire referral, if they have doubts about whether or not to award a goal.
If a classification match ends with a shoot-out, each team has the right to a team referral during the shoot-outs. Referrals remaining at the end of normal time may not be carried over into the shoot-out competition.
Shoot-outs
During the classification phase of the World Cup, a shoot-out competition will be used if the teams remain drawn after 70 minutes. Each team picks five players who will each take one shoot-out.
If the teams are drawn after the 10 shoot-outs, the winner will be chosen by sudden death. When one team has scored or been awarded one more goal than the opposing team after an equal number of shoot-outs that team is the winner.
More information on the current rules of hockey can be found at the links below.