NFHS & FIH Field Hockey Penalty Corner Mask Rules
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) have implemented the following policies on face mask use during field hockey penalty corner shots effective for the 2025 season.
NFHS Wired Mask Approval – Rule 1-6-5: Allows a wire-caged style penalty corner face mask to be worn when defending a penalty corner in NFHS field hockey play. The new face protection language in Rule 1-6-5 reads as follows:
“A wire-caged face mask that is smooth and rounded may be worn for defending penalty corners. Players shall remove the wire-caged mask at the completion of the penalty corner. If no suitable opportunity to remove the mask arises, they may continue to wear it within the 25-yard area.”
If the wire-caged face mask is not removed beyond the 25-yard area, the result is a player misconduct penalty.
FIH Face Mask Mandate: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has mandated the use of face masks for all players defending penalty corners in FIH competitions. This decision, effective immediately, aims to enhance player safety during these critical moments of the game.
FIH President Tayyab Ikram said of the mask ruling: “Athletes’ welfare is on top of our priorities. Therefore, it goes without saying that their safety cannot be compromised. I’m convinced that this decision, that I’ve strongly encouraged, is the right thing to do! Of course, we respect the fact that this measure might not always be possible to implement in some non-FIH events. Nevertheless, I can only encourage the global hockey community to include this measure in their own competitions or, at least, to implement alternative solutions to protect players during this phase of the game.”
