New Indoor and Outdoor Rules Implementation Confirmed

England Hockey has confirmed when the 2027 FIH rules will take effect in England: indoor changes arrive on 1 November 2026, while outdoor hockey stays under the current rules until the 2027/28 season.

Outdoor: no mid-season changes

The 2027 FIH Rules of Hockey for outdoor hockey will take effect in England from the 2027/28 season.

With the outdoor season already underway, England Hockey will keep the current FIH Rules of Hockey in place throughout 2026/27, avoiding a change part way through the season.

Detailed guidance on the 2027 rules will follow closer to implementation.

For the rest of this season, teams and officials should continue to use the FIH Rules of Hockey (effective from 1 March 2026) and the rules guidance document released before the season began.

Indoor: new rules from 1 November

The 2027 FIH Rules of Indoor Hockey take effect in England on 1 November 2026—with one exception.

England Hockey will not introduce the changes to Rule 14 at this stage because of their implications for England’s disciplinary system.

The existing Rule 14 provision stays in place for the coming indoor season. A player can therefore still receive the same colour card in the same match for different offences.

Introducing the other changes from 1 November gives teams competing in European club indoor competitions the chance to play under the new rules before those events.

What’s changing on court? From 1 November:

• Unlimited goalkeeper–field player substitutions: there will be no limit on the number of substitutions between fully kitted goalkeepers and an additional field player.
• A new way to control an airborne ball: players may bring a ball in the air under control by pressing it down with the flat side of the stick.

The new rule book also includes further amendments and clarifications. More information, guidance and education materials will be shared ahead of the indoor season.

Get ready for the indoor season: teams and officials should use the Rules of Indoor Hockey (effective from 1 November 2026) alongside the EHO personal penalties guidance, remembering that the existing Rule 14 provision remains in place in England.