Game Format & Rules

The pitches are 28 metres long and 16 metres wide.

The games are played on mini goals without a goalkeeper. The goals are 140 cm wide and 12 cm high. On the left and right there is a 30 cm wide goal opening each.

Eligible to take part are players aged 18 and over. In the men's category, only players are eligible who are not actively registered in any of the three highest ice hockey leagues of their country between September 2026 and January 2027.

At check-in, all participants confirm with their signature that they are in a state of health suitable for taking part in the tournament and that they have assessed their physical fitness on their own responsibility. In case of justified doubts about a participant's fitness, the organiser is entitled to request a medical certificate and to refuse participation until such proof is provided. Participation takes place in acknowledgement of the risks typically associated with playing ice hockey and playing on natural ice.

A team consists of at least 4 and at most 9 players. Teams can enter as a men's, women's or mixed team. Players may only be registered for one team. If a team fields players who are not registered, the game concerned is scored 0:5 for the opposing team.

The game is played 3-on-3 without a goalkeeper. The remaining team members can be substituted on the fly at any time. Additional nominations of players are only possible in agreement with the organising committee.

Each pitch has a game supervisor who is responsible for the flow of the game, monitors the game, decides on goals and penalties, counts the points and reports the result to the tournament organisation.

Group allocation and group stage

The teams are randomly assigned to one of 16 groups by drawing lots.
In the group stage, each team plays 5 games.
The playing time is 12 minutes gross playing time.

Intermediate round / Pre-play-off

After the group stage, the teams are assigned to three groups according to their ranking:

Champions Group: places 1 and 2
Buddy Group: places 3 and 4
Chillout Group: places 5 and 6

The first- and second-placed teams of the group stage play in up to two intermediate-round games of 10 minutes each for the 16 play-off places of the Champions Group.

The third- and fourth-placed teams play in up to two intermediate-round games of 10 minutes each for the 16 play-off places of the Buddy Group.

The fifth- and sixth-placed teams play in up to two intermediate-round games of 10 minutes each for the 16 play-off places of the Chillout Group.

In case of a draw, a penalty shot decides.

Play-offs on Saturday afternoon

The play-offs start with 16 teams in each group.
Round of 16: 16 teams
Quarter-finals: 8 teams
Semi-finals: 4 teams
Final: 2 teams
In case of a draw, a penalty shot decides.

Finals on Saturday, 16 January 2027

19:00 - Final Chillout Group
19:30 - Final Buddy Group
20:00 - Final Champions Group

If the game is tied after regular time, it goes into sudden victory: first, play continues 3-on-3 for one minute. If no goal is scored, it is reduced to 2-on-2 for another minute. If still no goal is scored, play continues 1-on-1. The next goal decides the game.

The organising committee is entitled to exclude players who pose a danger to themselves or other participants from the tournament at any time.
The organising committee reserves the right to adjust the tournament rules if necessary. Changes will be communicated to the teams in good time before the start of their first games.

All referees and officials support the Pond Hockey tournament on Lake Weissensee on a voluntary basis. Respectful behaviour towards the referees, the other teams, fans and spectators as well as the organising team is therefore a matter of course for all participants.

Commitment and ambition are part of hockey - however, unsporting or disrespectful behaviour is not tolerated. Verbal or physical attacks as well as serious misconduct towards referees, players, officials or spectators can lead to immediate exclusion from the tournament.

Fans and spectators are sometimes located directly next to the playing areas. All players are therefore obliged to play in such a way that other people are not unnecessarily endangered by hockey sticks or the puck.

At Pond Hockey, fair play and the safety of everyone involved come first. Every team is responsible for familiarising itself with the applicable rules before the start of the tournament and for observing them.

• Faceoff: The faceoff only takes place at the start of the game in the centre of the ice. Both teams line up 3-on-3, the two faceoff players hold their sticks on the ice. The referee stays outside the playing area and throws in the puck to start the game.
• The gross playing time is 12 minutes. Exact playing times can be seen in the tournament mode. If a team does not turn up on time or at all, the game is scored 0:5 against the team that did not turn up.
• Goals cannot be scored from your own half of the pitch (not even if the puck is deflected off the stick or skate of a defender). Goals can only be scored in the attacking half, i.e. behind the centre line.
• Slapshots, snap shots or wrist shots that are too hard are prohibited. All players carefully consider their shots so as not to endanger other players on the pitch, spectators or other people.
• There is no offside or icing.

Pucks that leave the ice are put back into play by the team that did not touch the puck last.

The defending team must keep a distance of at least one stick length from the player who plays the puck back in at the nearest possible point where the puck left the pitch.

The player with the puck must attempt a pass (not a shot on goal) to resume play. The referees are equipped with spare pucks so that the game can continue without delay.

As the game is very fast and the referees cannot see all the action, players are asked to behave fairly. Every player is encouraged to do their part to support the referee in deciding who last touched the puck before it left the ice.

• Goaltending: No player may throw themselves onto the ice in front of the goal, kneel on the ice, block the goal with their skates closer than one metre in front of the goal, throw or place their stick in front of the goal or stand in front of the net to prevent a goal by the other team.

If this happens anyway, the referee raises their hand and warns the defending team. If the referee's repeated warning is not respected, the referee blows the whistle and can award a goal to the attacking team.

• Flip passes are generally allowed. Deliberately lifting the puck is not allowed. However, if a flip pass endangers players or spectators, this results in a minor penalty and loss of the puck.
• Body contact and body checks of any kind are prohibited.

Basic offences such as tripping, hooking, slashing or obstruction count as minor penalties.

The same rules as in ice hockey apply to stick handling. A high stick - contact with the puck above hip height - results in a minor penalty; safety comes first.

The puck may not be shot or passed to another player higher than skate height.

Slap shots are not allowed, the sticks must stay on the ice - minor penalty.

• A minor penalty means loss of the puck. In case of repeated offences, the referee can, even after a warning, award a technical goal to the opposing team.
• Each team is assigned to one half of the pitch; if necessary, the referee can also decide this. A bench next to the pitch is available for the substitutes.

Substitutions are made on the fly as in ice hockey; if a player leaves the pitch behind the goal, the substituting player may not enter the pitch. The same applies laterally at the general substitution area. This explicitly means the substitution zone is only defined in the lateral own half (players' bench) up to the centre of the pitch (referee).

In case of a substitution error, there is a warning. The referee can also decide on loss of the puck for a team. In case of repeated offences, a goal against can also be awarded.

• The tournament management reserves the right to exclude players who pose a danger to themselves and others from the tournament.
• In case of rule violations, it is at the referees' discretion to award a goal or possession of the puck to the opposing team.
• After the game, both teams ensure that the playing area is free of snow and ice chips.

As a rule, the losing team takes over the ice cleaning. Snow pushers and shovels are provided at each pitch.

• Any kind of insult or attack on the referee will be punished as a major penalty. Penalties of this kind include excessive swearing, shouting, arguments and any physical altercation over a referee's decision.
• Major penalties or incidents that endanger the safety of players, volunteers and spectators will lead to the immediate exclusion of the responsible player from the remainder of the tournament. In addition, the referee may also award a technical goal.

• In the group stage, a tie is possible as a game result. As soon as the signal sounds, the game is over.
• In the knockout round, in the event of a tie, a 3-minute overtime is played, possibly followed by a "shoot out" with 3 shooters from the center line on the empty goal.