Water polo is a fast-paced team sport played in water where two teams compete to score goals by throwing or pushing the ball into their opponent's net. The rules require players to remain within boundaries of their designated pool area and not touch the ground with their feet to gain support. Teams have thirty-five seconds of possession to score before the ball is turned over, and the game is divided into quarters up to eight minutes long to account for fouls and timeouts. Ordinary fouls result in a penalty of one minute in the penalty box or a free throw for the other team, while major fouls lead to a twenty second ejection or being ejected for the rest of the game after three fouls.

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Rules of Water Polo
by richardfoster | Nov 5, 2021 | Blog, Richard Foster Attorney, Water Polo
Water polo is a fast-paced game, with continuous action for the duration of the match. The
rules are relatively simple to learn and can be applied to many water sports including
swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and surfing. There are two teams that compete against
each other to score goals by throwing or pushing the ball into their opponents’ net. The
players on these teams must observe the following rules.
Boundaries
The players must remain within the boundaries of their own designated area. While in the
pool, where this game takes place, one cannot leave the pool as long as the game’s status
is active.
Trending Water
The players’ feet must not touch the ground on either side of the pool. This ensures that
they do not gain any support from their surroundings and maintain balance while in water
even if they are pushed by another player or fall into a struggle.
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Time
Time is very sensitive in this game. When in possession of the ball, a team only has thirty-
five seconds to score a goal. If they do not score within this time frame, possession is given
to the opposing team. Water polo is divided into quarters, with each taking a maximum of
eight minutes to play. Since fouls, stoppages, and timeouts must be accounted for, the
total length of one quarter can take up to twelve minutes.
Ordinary Foul
An ordinary foul or minor foul is committed by the player who holds the ball. If they
accidentally drop it, this will not be considered a violation of the rules unless another
player obstructs them from regaining possession of it. The referee has the authority to
punish players for committing an ordinary foul with one minute in the penalty box where
no substitutions are allowed or awarding a free throw to the opposing team.
Major Foul
The punishment for a major foul is a temporal ejection from the game, where a player is
allowed to resume after twenty seconds. However, if one player commits three fouls within
one game, they are automatically ejected and cannot play for the remaining time. Major
fouls include pushing an opponent underwater while in possession of the ball or using
underhand methods to gain an advantage over them.
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