Hockey on the beaches of Goa in November

Schedule and order of play

The tournament will take place over three days, between November 8 and November 10. There will be a function to mark the opening ceremony of the event on the evening of November 7.

The first two days will see each team playing against every other team in a round-robin format to decide who goes through to the final. The final will be played on Day 3 of the event.

Every participating player will receive a medal and the teams finishing in the top three will receive a trophy for their efforts. There is also a special cash prize for the winning team.

Rules and regulations for the tournament

The following are the rules of the tournament:

• Every team plays with 4 outfield players and 1 goalkeeper. The goalkeeper has to wear a different coloured shirt to be separated from the outfield players. Players can be substituted at any time of the game.

• The field is 20 meters (width) x 30 meters (length) in dimension.

• The goals are 4 meters wide (inside the posts) and 2 meters high.

• Goals can be scored from any position on the field.

• The ball is a handball-like leather-ball.

• One referee is positioned at the sideline in the middle of the field on a high chair.

• If the ball unintentionally touches the body of a player, the game will be allowed to continue. If the ball is played with any part of the body intentionally there will be a free hit for the other team.

• The goalkeeper can defend the ball with any part of the body.

• The game can be played with any custom hockey stick (indoor, outdoor, special beach hockey stick; wood or composite). The ball has to be played with the flat side of the stick– just like normal hockey.

• The ball can be played above the shoulder, as long as no other player is in danger through this. It is not allowed to drag the stick over the head of the opponent.

• A player is not allowed to keep the ball more than 4 seconds in the air (taking it out of the sand and balancing or bouncing it on the stick). Within 4 seconds the ball has to be passed on or dropped to the ground again.

• Free hits can be shot at the goal from any part of the field. The opponent has to keep a 4 meter distance from the hit taker.

• In front of every goal there is an 8 meter zone that is marked through tags on the side of the field. If an unintentional “normal” foul has been made within this zone, the free hit has to be taken back on that 8 meter line. Intentional fouls within this zone or unfair off-the-ball-incidents anywhere on the field will lead to a penalty from this 8 meter line.

• The kick-off of the game can be taken in either direction of the field. The distance of the opponents has to be 4 meters here as well.

• For intentional rough fouls the referee can show a yellow card which causes a 2 minute suspension for the player and the team has to play with one player less.

• Players are allowed to wear shoes and shin guards. The teams should agree though to every player wearing shoes or no player at all, to avoid foot-injuries.

• A match is played for two periods of 15 minutes each.

• If there is a tie in the playoffs there will be two more periods of three minutes each in overtime where the golden goal rule will be employed. If no goal is scored in overtime there will be a penalty shoot-out with 3 players from each team getting a chance to shoot. In case of a tie there will be a sudden death penalty shoot-out until one team misses the goal.