Section 5: Rules of Play
5.1 Match Duration and Periods
- 4 periods of 8 minutes actual playing time (clock stops on every whistle)
- 2-minute interval between the first and second periods and between the third and fourth periods
- 5-minute interval at halftime (between the second and third periods); teams switch ends
- Overtime (if tied): two 3-minute periods of actual play with a 3-minute interval; if still tied, penalty shootout
- Penalty shootout: 5 alternating penalty throws per team; sudden-death if still level
5.2 Ball Handling
- Field players may touch the ball with only one hand at a time (except the goalkeeper)
- Goalkeeper may use two hands on the ball within the 5 m area of their own goal
- The ball may not be pushed underwater by any player — this is an ordinary foul
- A player may not hold the ball underwater when tackled — turnover foul
- Players may dribble the ball (push it ahead while swimming), pass to teammates, or shoot at goal
- A player may not take the ball under the water surface to avoid an opponent
5.3 Shot Clock and Possession
- 30-second shot clock: The attacking team must attempt a shot that contacts the goal frame (posts, crossbar, or goalkeeper) or enters the goal within 30 seconds of gaining possession
- Shot clock resets to 30 seconds on: change of possession, a shot hitting the goal/goalkeeper, awarded exclusion foul, corner throw awarded to attacking team
- Shot clock resets to 20 seconds when: an exclusion foul is awarded and the attacking team retains possession with advantage
- If the shot clock expires without a valid shot: turnover — free throw to the defending team
5.4 Timeouts
- Each team may call 2 timeouts per game (plus 1 additional in overtime)
- Timeouts are 1 minute in duration
- A timeout may only be called by the team in possession during a dead-ball situation
- Teams huddle at their bench; the coach may provide tactical instruction
5.5 Goalkeeper Privileges and Restrictions
- Within their own 5 m area: may use two hands, punch the ball with a fist, stand or walk on the bottom (if shallow enough)
- Beyond the 5 m area: treated as a field player (one hand only, no two-hand privileges)
- May not cross the half-distance line
- May score goals from any legal position within their own half
- May not hold the ball for more than the shot clock limit
5.6 Restarts and Set Plays
- Free throw: Awarded for ordinary fouls; taken immediately from the spot of the foul without waiting for the referee’s whistle
- Goal throw: Awarded when the attacking team last touches the ball before it goes over the goal line outside the goal; taken by the goalkeeper from within the 2 m area
- Corner throw: Awarded when the defending team (including the goalkeeper) last touches the ball before it goes over the goal line; taken from the 2 m mark on the side nearest where the ball crossed
- Neutral throw: Referee tosses the ball into the water between two opposing players (similar to a jump ball); used for simultaneous fouls or disputed possession
5.7 WP4 (4x4) Format
Effective under the World Aquatics Competition Regulations in force as from February 2026, World Aquatics established WP4, a 4-a-side water polo discipline governed by Superseding Rules to Part Six, Appendix 9. WP4 is a distinct discipline from the 7-a-side game described elsewhere in this rulebook; Appendix 9 applies specifically at World Aquatics WP4 Events and does not change the rules of standard water polo.
- Each team fields four players in the water rather than seven, on a smaller field of play than the 30 m × 20 m / 25 m × 20 m pools used for 7-a-side competition (Appendix 9)
- A WP4 match consists of four periods of 5 minutes of actual playing time each (Appendix 9)
- Each period is contested as a “set”: the team scoring more goals within a period wins that set, and each set won is worth 1 point; the team with the most points at the end of the match wins (Appendix 9)
- WP4 uses a shortened shot-clock cycle relative to the 30-second possession clock used in 7-a-side play, consistent with the format’s faster tempo (Appendix 9)
- WP4 is designed to be staged in non-traditional venues, including temporary and urban pool installations, to broaden participation and audience reach
The inaugural World Aquatics Water Polo 4x4 Open Championships were held in Dubrovnik, Croatia (31 August–6 September 2026), and WP4 is scheduled to be contested at the 2027 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest.