What are the violations & penalties in Water Polo?

Verdict

Ordinary foul: free throw to the offended team; minor infraction (e.g., taking the ball under, two-handed touch, holding without ball); Exclusion foul: 20-second exclusion to the penalty area; team plays short until the time expires, the opposing team scores, or possession changes hands per the r...

Why people argue about this

People often think that if a player gets three personal fouls in Water Polo, they're just ejected for the rest of the game. But actually, what the rule means is that they get ejected from their current play and must be replaced by a teammate, meaning they can still participate later on in the match but not during their foul period.

Send this to your friend — argument over.

Section 7: Violations & Penalties

Ordinary foul: free throw to the offended team; minor infraction (e.g., taking the ball under, two-handed touch, holding without ball)
Exclusion foul: 20-second exclusion to the penalty area; team plays short until the time expires, the opposing team scores, or possession changes hands per the rule book
Excluded-player re-entry (revised for 2026-27): the NCAA rescinded a September 17, 2024 interpretation that had permitted an excluded player to re-enter competition immediately upon a goal scored before the 20-second exclusion had elapsed. Under the current interpretation, that early re-entry is no longer permitted, consistent with the rule's intent that a player serving a minor act of misconduct sit out the full interval before returning
Common exclusion fouls: holding/sinking opponent with the ball, brutality with intent, sustained interference
3 personal fouls (exclusion fouls) by a single player = exclusion from the rest of the match (player is replaced after the 3rd)
Penalty foul: foul inside the 5-meter area against an attacker who would otherwise score = penalty shot from the 5-m line
Simulation / faking a foul (new for 2026-27): if the team in possession of the ball commits an act of simulation (faking a foul), the referee stops play, removes the ball from the water, and awards the ball to the opposing team. If the team not in possession commits simulation, the referee — subject to the advantage rule — stops play, removes the ball, orders the shot clock reset, and returns the ball to the team in possession. In both cases play restarts as after a timeout, and the offending player is assessed a minor act of misconduct but is not excluded
Brutality / misconduct: red card + 4-minute exclusion; replacement allowed after 4 minutes
Yellow card: warning to coach/bench; second yellow = ejection from bench
NCAA-specific: misconduct review framework + suspension for ejected players in subsequent matches per the rule book

Section 7: Violations & Penalties

Ordinary foul: free throw to the offended team; minor infraction (e.g., taking the ball under, two-handed touch, holding without ball)

Exclusion foul: 20-second exclusion to the penalty area; team plays short until the time expires, the opposing team scores, or possession changes hands per the rule book

Excluded-player re-entry (revised for 2026-27): the NCAA rescinded a September 17, 2024 interpretation that had permitted an excluded player to re-enter competition immediately upon a goal scored before the 20-second exclusion had elapsed. Under the current interpretation, that early re-entry is no longer permitted, consistent with the rule's intent that a player serving a minor act of misconduct sit out the full interval before returning

Common exclusion fouls: holding/sinking opponent with the ball, brutality with intent, sustained interference

3 personal fouls (exclusion fouls) by a single player = exclusion from the rest of the match (player is replaced after the 3rd)

Penalty foul: foul inside the 5-meter area against an attacker who would otherwise score = penalty shot from the 5-m line

Simulation / faking a foul (new for 2026-27): if the team in possession of the ball commits an act of simulation (faking a foul), the referee stops play, removes the ball from the water, and awards the ball to the opposing team. If the team not in possession commits simulation, the referee — subject to the advantage rule — stops play, removes the ball, orders the shot clock reset, and returns the ball to the team in possession. In both cases play restarts as after a timeout, and the offending player is assessed a minor act of misconduct but is not excluded

Brutality / misconduct: red card + 4-minute exclusion; replacement allowed after 4 minutes

Yellow card: warning to coach/bench; second yellow = ejection from bench

NCAA-specific: misconduct review framework + suspension for ejected players in subsequent matches per the rule book

Section 7: Violations & Penalties