Hockey India has chosen some prominent hockey-playing states – Odisha, Jharkhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka and Maharashtra – for the initiative. Combined Universities has also been chosen to conduct the five-a-side tournaments, which have gained popularity internationally as Hockey 5s. The new format will be an extension of the existing game, but with a different set of rules to promote more entertainment and action.
The FIH has been drafting the rules for Hockey 5s since 2013-14 and had a trial run at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China last year. This year, FIH officially introduced it in regional levels in the UK and Australia as well as Hong Kong. Now, India will promote it, beginning with Odisha.