The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has released the latest updates to its Hockey Turf & Field Standards for 11-a-side fields and HOCKEY5s courts.

The documents define the standards and qualities that FIH Approved Hockey Turfs, fields and courts need to satisfy, outlining crucial elements such as construction, sports performance, player welfare, layout and durability requirements as well as environmental considerations.

An important part of this update, which replaces the 2017 edition and is effective immediately, sees the creation of a new system of classification for products and fields, a move intended to provide greater clarity to the intended uses of the different products available, from community sports fields all the way through to very highest level of international, televised hockey.

The update also provides a clear separation between the Hockey Turf and Field categories. The various Hockey Turf designations range from Global through to Community 3G Multi-Sport surfaces, while the Field designations are now from Category 1 (Venues designed to host international Tier 1 televised hockey) to Category 5 (Multi-sports fields primarily intended for large ball sports, but also used for school and foundation level hockey).

All new fields requiring FIH certification from June 2021 should be designed and tested in accordance with the standards contained within the updated documents.

To see the updated Hockey Turf & Field Standards document, click here.

The publication of the new standards coincides with an updated facilities section on the FIH website, that contain new facilities and field guidance, together with details of all the members of the FIH Quality Programme and their FIH Approved products. If you are considering installing a field or purchasing new field equipment, we strongly encourage you to visit www.fih.ch/qp