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International Federation · Field Hockey

FIH — International Hockey Federation

Hockey’s international federation, founded in Paris on 7 January 1924 and based in Lausanne; an ASOIF member with 145 national federations (Olympedia) and organiser of the Hockey World Cup and Pro League.
✓ Last reviewed: September 2026
Founded7 January 1924, Paris, as the Fédération Internationale de Hockey sur Gazon[1][2]
MergerWith the IFWHA (women’s hockey): 1982 in the FIH’s account; 23 April 1983 in Olympedia’s[1][2]
HeadquartersLausanne, Switzerland (Olympedia)[1]
Members145 member national federations (Olympedia, January 2026); five continental federations[1][3]
RecognitionASOIF full member; World Anti-Doping Code signatory; IPC-recognised federation[4][5][1]
RulesRules of Hockey, Rules of Indoor Hockey, Hockey5s, Beach Hockey and Para Hockey rules, approved by the FIH Executive Board[7]
World Cup 2026Belgium and the Netherlands, 15–30 August 2026[9]

What is the FIH?

The FIH — the Fédération Internationale de Hockey, which presents itself in English as the International Hockey Federation — is the international federation for hockey, the game played on a pitch with sticks and a ball and known in North America as field hockey. The federation describes itself on its rules page as “the international governing body for hockey”.[7] It was founded in 1924 as the Fédération Internationale de Hockey sur Gazon, called together by Paul Léautey of France to form, in its own words, “the sport’s international governing body”.[2]

The FIH governs hockey in several forms, each with its own rule book; on its rules page it states that it is responsible for the “Rules of Outdoor Hockey (11 a-side), Indoor Hockey, Hockey5s, Beach and Para Hockey (Hockey ID).”[7] Olympedia records that the FIH is also “an International Paralympic Committee (IPC)-recognized federation”, although “hockey has never appeared at the Paralympics”.[1]

Its members are national associations, grouped into five continental federations — the African Hockey Federation, the Asian Hockey Federation, EuroHockey, the Oceania Hockey Federation and the Pan American Hockey Federation.[3] Its governing documents, listed on the FIH’s official-documents page, include the FIH Statutes, the FIH Integrity Code, a Safeguarding Policy and the Rules of Hockey.[14] Olympedia records Tayyab Ikram of Pakistan as president.[1]

What does the FIH govern or do?

The FIH writes the rules of the game. Its rules page offers the Rules of Hockey 2027 for the outdoor game, the Rules of Indoor Hockey 2027, the FIH Rules of Hockey 5s of May 2024, the Beach Hockey Rules 2024 and the FIH Rules of Para Hockey 2026, with the rules “Approved by the FIH Executive Board”.[7]

It publishes world rankings for national teams. The FIH describes its method as “a new match based system” that “involves an exchange of points between the 2 teams competing in each match played”, where “The number of points exchanged depends on the result of the match, the relative ranking of the teams and the importance of the match”; the system took effect on 1 January 2020.[8] See world rankings.

On anti-doping, the FIH states: “The FIH is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code.” It says it has “adopted Anti-Doping Rules which are in full accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code”.[6] WADA’s own list of signatories confirms it.[5]

The FIH runs the international competition calendar — its World Cups, the FIH Pro League and the Nations Cups.[9][11] It is holding its 50th Statutory Congress in Doha, Qatar, on 24 October 2026, with elections to the Executive Board and a review of the “FIH Regulatory and Judicial Framework” on the agenda.[12]

When was the FIH founded and where is it based?

The FIH’s history page states: “The Fédération Internationale de Hockey sur Gazon (FIH) was founded on 7 January 1924 by Paul Léautey (FRA).” It names seven founding national associations: Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Hungary, Spain and Switzerland.[2] Olympedia, independently, gives the same date, place and founders: the federation “was formed on 7 January 1924, in Paris, France, with seven founding members”.[1]

Women’s hockey had its own world body, the International Federation of Women’s Hockey Associations (IFWHA). The two sources date the union differently. The FIH writes that “In 1982, a few years after celebrating their respective Golden Jubilees, the FIH (1974) and the IFWHA (1977) came together to form the current FIH.”[2] Olympedia gives a later date: “On 23 April 1983, the IFWHA was dissolved, and women’s hockey became part of the FIH.”[1] The words “sur Gazon” (on grass) have since dropped out of the name, which the federation now gives as the Fédération Internationale de Hockey; no source retrieved dates that change.[1][4]

Olympedia states that “The organization has its headquarters based in Lausanne, Switzerland”.[1] The FIH Statutes, which would fix the legal seat, could not be retrieved from the federation’s site, so the seat rests on Olympedia alone.

How is the FIH recognised?

The FIH is a full member of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations: ASOIF’s member list, retrieved on 30 September 2026, names the “Fédération Internationale de Hockey” among its 30 full members.[4] WADA’s list of Code signatories carries the “International Hockey Federation (FIH)” under “ASOIF members (Assoc. of Summer Olympic International Federations)”.[5] No IOC decision giving the date of the FIH’s recognition could be retrieved from a primary source.

Hockey’s Olympic history predates the federation. The FIH records that “Hockey debuted at the Games of the 4th Olympiad in London, England in 1908”, and Olympedia notes that men’s hockey was played at London 1908 and Antwerp 1920, before the FIH existed, and that women’s hockey joined the Olympic programme in 1980.[2][1] Hockey is on the programme of the Olympic Games; the Hockey5s format was introduced at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games, and the FIH records it as part of the Youth Olympic programme since then.[2]

Beyond the Olympic Movement, Olympedia records the FIH as recognised by the International Paralympic Committee, although hockey has not been on the Paralympic programme.[1] See IPC and para sport governance.

What does the FIH organise?

The FIH Hockey World Cup began with the men’s event in 1971 at the Real Club de Polo in Barcelona; the first women’s World Cup was held in Mandelieu, France, in 1974.[2] The FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium Netherlands 2026 ran from 15 to 30 August 2026 with sixteen teams per gender.[9] In the men’s final on 30 August at the Belfius Hockey Arena in Belgium, Germany beat Spain 1–0 — in the FIH’s headline, “German men reign again after edging Spain to clinch fourth World Cup title”; in the women’s final on 29 August at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, Argentina and the Netherlands drew 1–1 and Argentina won the penalty shoot-out 3–1.[10]

The FIH Pro League is an annual league of national teams, which the FIH calls the “League of the Best”. Its 2025–26 season ended on 29 June 2026; the FIH headlined on 28 June 2026 “Belgium crowned men’s Pro League champions, secure LA28 Olympic ticket”. Nations Cups for men and women sit alongside it.[11]

The FIH also stages an indoor World Cup, first held in Leipzig in February 2003, and a Hockey5s World Cup, first held in Oman from 28 to 31 January 2024.[2][13] Hockey is on the programme of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, in progress at the end of September, which the FIH reported on 29 September 2026 as reaching the semi-finals with LA28 qualification at stake.[15]

Who are its members?

The FIH’s members are national hockey associations. Olympedia states: “As of January 2026, the FIH has 145 member national federations.”[1] The FIH’s own members page lists its members alphabetically, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, and shows “Adherent Members” as a separate category, but gives no total.[3] The 50th FIH Congress on 24 October 2026 is to vote on “the membership application from the Lebanese Hockey Federation”.[12]

The members are grouped into five continental federations:

These are the names the FIH uses on its members page.[3] Member associations’ national teams reach the FIH Hockey World Cup through Hockey World Cup Qualification Tournaments, with sixteen teams per gender in the finals; at the 2026 edition Germany won the men’s title.[9][10]

References

  1. Olympedia — Fédération Internationale de Hockey (organisation page). Accessed 2026-09-30.
  2. FIH — History of hockey. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  3. FIH — FIH Members. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  4. ASOIF — Members. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  5. WADA — Code signatories. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  6. FIH — Anti-doping and medical. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  7. FIH — Rules of Hockey. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  8. FIH — Outdoor hockey world rankings. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  9. FIH — FIH Hockey World Cup. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  10. FIH — FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium Netherlands 2026 (event page). Accessed 2026-09-30.
  11. FIH — FIH Pro League. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  12. FIH — 50th FIH Congress: agenda confirmed (30 September 2026). Accessed 2026-09-30.
  13. FIH — Hockey5s World Cup. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  14. FIH — Official documents. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  15. FIH — News (29 September 2026 item on the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games). Accessed 2026-09-30.