How is a penalty corner taken, and when is it completed?

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Taking it (Rule 13.3) Time and play are stopped when the penalty corner is awarded and restart when the teams are ready. The ball is placed on the back-line inside the circle, at least 10 metres from the goal-post, on whichever side the attacking team prefers. An attacker pushes or hits the ball without intentionally raising it, with at least one foot outside the field. The other attackers must be on the field, outside the circle, with sticks, hands and feet not touching the ground inside the circle. No one other than the taker may be within 5 metres of the ball when it is pushed or hit. No more than five defenders, including the goalkeeper, are behind the back-line, with sticks, hands and feet not touching the ground inside the field. The other defenders must be beyond the centre-line. Until the ball has been played, no attacker other than the taker may enter the circle, and no defender may cross the centre-line or back-line. After playing the ball, the taker must not play it again or approach within playing distance until another player has played it. A goal cannot be scored until the ball has travelled outside the circle. If the first shot at goal is a hit, the ball must cross the goal-line, or be on a path that would have crossed it, at no more than 460 mm (the height of the backboard) before any deflection. Second and later hits, and flicks, deflections and scoops, may be at any height provided it is not dangerous. If a defender within 5 metres of the first shot is struck below the knee, another penalty corner is awarded. If the defender is struck on or above the knee in a normal stance, the shot is judged dangerous and a free hit is awarded to the defending team. Completed (Rule 13.5) when a goal is scored, a free hit is awarded to the defending team, the ball travels more than 5 metres from the circle, the ball is played over the back-line without a penalty corner being awarded, or a defender commits an offence that does not result in another penalty corner. Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2026.