7 players per team in the water at any time (6 field players + 1 goalkeeper). Per the 2026-27 rules book, after the start of play a team may elect to play with seven field players and no goalkeeper; when a team plays without a player wearing the goalkeeper's cap, none of its players in the water ...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that only 6 players are active in the water at once during play, which leads them to overlook the goalkeeper. However, the NCAA's Section 4 clearly states each team has 7 players in the water (6 field players + 1 goalie) at all times, and this can be confusing because it doesn't match their initial perception of a typical game setup.
