England Hockey Publishes Rule Guidance for 2026/27 Season
England Hockey has released its updated rule guidance for the 2026/27 season, with several important changes that will affect everyone involved in the game which will come into effect from 1 September 2026.
The changes follow the latest revisions to the FIH Rules of Hockey and apply to both adult and junior competitions.
Key updates include clearer sanctions for having too many players on the pitch, the permanent adoption of the aerial ball rule trial across all competitions, revised guidance on the disposal of penalty corner protective equipment, and clarifications for both goalkeepers and umpires.
The maximum permitted size of a goalkeeper's left-hand protector has also been increased to 365mm, allowing manufacturers to produce larger CE-compliant gloves that remain legal under FIH regulations.
Leagues, clubs and organisers may choose to adopt the new rules earlier during pre-season or summer competitions, which can help everyone get familiar with the changes ahead of the new campaign.
Everyone is reminded to check the specific regulations of their competition, particularly around match timings, where competition-specific rules continue to apply.
England Hockey will be running a series of webinars and roadshows in the run-up to the new season to walk everyone through the changes and answer any questions. These will be bookable via Hockey Hub, with more details to follow soon.
Regulations Document Library
This document library contains regulations relevant to the Adult and Junior South Central Hockey Leagues, including a summary of the changes made from previous regulations.
All documents can be downloaded directly from the linked pages below.
Adult Documents Library
The Adult Documents Library contains key resources, guidance, and documentation to support team managers, team coaches, administrators, and clubs throughout the season.
Use the link below to access the latest League regulations, policies, guidance notes, forms and other supporting documents.
Junior Documents Library
The Junior Documents Library contains the key documents, guidance and resources to support clubs, team managers, coaches and volunteers throughout the season.
Use the link below to access the latest junior regulations, competition guidance, forms and supporting documentation.
Officiating Documents Library
The Officiating Documents Library contains the key resources, guidance and documentation to support umpires, umpire coaches, assessors, appointing officers and clubs throughout the season.
Use the link below to access the latest officiating regulations, policies, guidance notes, forms and other supporting documents.