Bandy
Winter team sport played on ICE with 11 players per team using sticks + BALL (not puck). Field size ~SOCCER PITCH. Ancient — direct ancestor of ice hockey. Massive popularity RUSSIA, SWEDEN, FINLAND, KAZAKHSTAN. World Championships since 1957. Traditional but declining in some regions.
What is Bandy?
Bandy is WINTER TEAM SPORT played on ICE with 11 PLAYERS PER TEAM using CURVED STICKS + SMALL BALL (not puck like ice hockey). Field size ~SOCCER PITCH (100m × 60m — much larger than ice hockey rink). Ancient origins — DIRECT ANCESTOR of MODERN ICE HOCKEY (bandy played in England 1800s; codified rules 1882). Sometimes called 'RUSSIAN HOCKEY'. MASSIVE POPULARITY: RUSSIA (bandy = huge — several thousand pro players), SWEDEN, FINLAND, KAZAKHSTAN. Smaller scenes NORWAY, US (Minneapolis), CANADA. GAMEPLAY: 11 field players + goalie per team. 2 halves × 45 min like soccer (matches match soccer duration + scale). Ball is small (~62g, orange colored). Goals ~3.5m wide × 2m high. Players wear skates + hockey-like equipment (helmets, shin pads). Corner kicks, free-hits, offsides — similar structure to SOCCER + hockey hybrid. Considered ORIGINAL FORM of ice hockey. Ice hockey grew from indoor rink adaptation (smaller field, no offside, puck instead of ball) but bandy remains traditional 'field on ice' form. FIB (Federation of International Bandy) governs. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS since 1957. Also RINK BANDY = smaller-court version resembling ice hockey. Popular winter tradition in cold climates.
Quick facts
Category
Ball Sports
Type
Team sport
Players
22–30
Duration
~90 min
Where played
outdoor
Field / court
ice field (soccer-scale)
Country of origin
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Estimated origin
England 1800s (Fenland region); codified rules 1882; FIB founded 1955; World Championships since 1957
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Score more goals than opponent by hitting ball into opponent's net with stick.
Rules
Basic rules
11 field players + goalie per team on soccer-sized ice field
Ice conditions + skates required.
Ball (not puck) hit with curved stick into 3.5m × 2m goal
Similar visual to soccer + hockey hybrid.
OFFSIDE rule (like soccer) — attacker must not be beyond last defender
Differs from ice hockey.
Corner strokes, free-hits, penalty shots for fouls
Rules structure mirrors soccer more than hockey.
2 halves × 45 min (~soccer duration)
Long-endurance sport.
Goalie NO STICK — uses hands + body only
Different from ice hockey.
Scoring
1 goal = 1 point. Team with more goals wins.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Goal (ball fully crosses goal line) | 1 point |
| Penalty shot for fouls in penalty area | 1 shot |
| Overtime + penalty shootout in playoffs | Golden goal or shootout |
Win condition · More goals than opponent after 90 min (or after OT/shootout in playoffs).
Playing area
Called
ice field (soccer-scale)
Dimensions
100m × 60m
Large rectangular ice field, ~soccer pitch size. Goals 3.5m × 2m.
Equipment
Bandy stick (curved wood/composite, ~127cm)
€50-200
Bandy ball (small orange, ~62g)
€10-20
Ice skates + hockey-like protective equipment
€300-800
Goalie: no stick, heavy pads + gloves
€500-1000
Strategies
Soccer-like positioning (offside line, defensive shape)
Not hockey tempo.
Long-range shooting (larger field + goals)
Different from tight ice hockey scoring zones.
Corner strokes strategic (like soccer corners)
Set-piece scoring.
Endurance-focused (90 min on ice)
Very demanding fitness sport.
Terminology
- Bandy
- Sport name; possibly from Welsh 'bando' or Irish 'bain' (to hit).
- Rink bandy
- Smaller ice hockey-rink-sized bandy variant.
- FIB
- Federation of International Bandy — governing body.
- Bandy stick
- Curved wooden/composite stick ~127cm long.
- Center circle
- Where match starts (soccer-like).
Major competitions
Bandy World Championship (Men + Women)
annual · worldwide · since 1957
Russian Super League
annual · Russia · since 1946
Swedish Elitserien
annual · Sweden · since 1931
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Federation of International Bandy (FIB)
Founded 1955 · Sweden
Official site ↗Russian Bandy Federation
Founded 1957 · Moscow, Russia
Swedish Bandy Association
Founded 1925 · Stockholm, Sweden
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Sergey Ivanov (Russia) — Bandy legend, multiple world champion
- Christoffer Fagerström (Sweden) — Modern star
- Kalle Sundvall (Sweden) — Elite forward
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Find bandy club — Russia, Sweden, Finland dominant; small US scene
Difficult outside Nordic/Russia.
- 2
Ice skating skill required first
Sport-specific stick training second.
intermediate
- 1
Compete in national leagues (Russian Super League, Swedish Elitserien)
Highly professional in Russia + Sweden.
advanced
- 1
National team + World Championship path
Small elite pool globally.
Frequently asked
What is Bandy?+
WINTER TEAM SPORT played on ICE with 11 PLAYERS PER TEAM using CURVED STICKS + SMALL BALL (not puck). Field size ~SOCCER PITCH (100m × 60m). DIRECT ANCESTOR of MODERN ICE HOCKEY (bandy in England 1800s; codified 1882). Sometimes called 'RUSSIAN HOCKEY'. Massive popularity RUSSIA, SWEDEN, FINLAND, KAZAKHSTAN. 2 halves × 45 min like soccer. Bandy has OFFSIDE rule (like soccer); ice hockey does not. Considered ORIGINAL FORM from which ice hockey evolved as smaller-rink adaptation.
How is Bandy different from Ice Hockey?+
BANDY on huge SOCCER-SIZED ICE FIELD (100m × 60m); ICE HOCKEY on smaller RINK (60m × 30m). BANDY uses BALL; ICE HOCKEY uses PUCK. BANDY 11v11; ICE HOCKEY 6v6. BANDY 2 × 45 min halves; ICE HOCKEY 3 × 20 min periods. BANDY has OFFSIDE (like soccer); ICE HOCKEY has different offside/icing rules. BANDY goalies have NO STICK; ICE HOCKEY goalies have stick. BANDY is ORIGINAL FORM; ICE HOCKEY evolved as indoor-rink adaptation (smaller field, no offside, puck for tighter scoring). Bandy still huge in Russia + Nordic countries; ice hockey global.
Is Bandy in the Olympics?+
NO — NOT CURRENTLY on Olympic program. Bandy featured as DEMONSTRATION SPORT at 1952 OSLO WINTER OLYMPICS but never permanent Olympic sport. FIB has lobbied for inclusion; challenges include HIGH INFRASTRUCTURE COST (large ice field), REGIONAL POPULARITY (small outside Russia/Nordic), + IOC preferences for global sports. World Championships since 1957 remain top competition. Winter World Games sometimes feature bandy.
Sources & provenance
- FIB — Federation of International Bandy— FIB
- Wikipedia — Bandy— Wikipedia