Changes in High School Water Polo Rules Directed at Increasing Scoring Opportunities

Changes have been approved in high school water polo rules that will permit a player with the ball outside of 6 meters to shoot directly and score no matter where the foul occurred. As long as the ball is located outside of 6 meters, a player can shoot directly and score or put the ball into play and then score even if the foul occurs away from the ball.

This was one of 22 rules changes recommended by the NFHS Water Polo Rules Committee at its January 21-22 meeting held virtually. All rules changes were reviewed by the NFHS Rules Review Committee and approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

In a similar change in Rule 4-22-2, if a player with the ball within 6 meters is awarded a free throw, that player may put the ball in play and move outside 6 meters and be considered a "live" player that is eligible to score from anywhere in the field of play. As long as the ball is outside of 6 meters, it can be scored.

Sandy Searcy, NFHS director of sports and editor of the NFHS Water Polo Rules, said these changes to Rule 4 were approved to promote scoring opportunities in the sport. 

Another major change was to Rule 9-2, which increases the distance opposing players must be positioned away from the player taking a penalty throw.

“A penalty throw should be free from interference as the team shooting has already been disadvantaged,” Searcy said. “Having the defenders on the 6-meter line and 3 meters away addresses this issue.”

Four key changes were approved in Rule 7 dealing with Exclusion Fouls. Rule 7-2-4 was revised to state that if a player climbs from the side of the pool instead of swimming to the re-entry area, that player is excluded for the remainder of the game.

Three notes were approved for Rule 7-3-1c, which establish a clear definition of “control of the ball” – a concept that is the basis for numerous judgments in water polo, including fouls, advantage, exclusion decisions, time-outs and goalkeeper privileges.   

In a Rule 7-12-1 change, a player receiving a second minor act of misconduct in a game will be excluded for the remainder of the game for misconduct, and a change in Rule 7-17 further clarifies what constitutes a goalkeeper’s failure to take position on the goal line (during a penalty throw) and adds sanction for this behavior.

A change in Rule 7-17 further clarifies what constitutes a goalkeeper’s failure to take position on the goal line (during a penalty throw) and adds a sanction for this behavior.

The most significant changes in Rule 6 dealing with fouls were Rules 6-10-1 and 6-10-2 which permit the center who is facing or locked up with the defender to let go and attempt to play the ball while it is in the air, as long as there is not a push-off or a sink of the defender.

The most significant changes in Rule 6 dealing with fouls were Rules 6-10-1 and 6-10-2 which permit the center to face the defender, let go and attempt to play the ball while it is in the air, as long as there is not a push-off or a sink of the defender.

Additional notes in Rule 8-2 define circumstances that should exist for determining probable goals. The additional language establishes criteria for determining probable goals when an offensive player has the ball inside the 6-meter area in situations not otherwise covered in Rule 8.

Another significant change was made in Rule 1-8, which now states that “placement of team benches and the administrative table shall be determined by the facility layout and may be positioned on either side of the pool.

A complete listing of the water polo rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Water Polo” and then “Rules.” The print version of the 2026-27 and 2027-28 Water Polo Rules Book will be available for purchase in late May at www.NFHS.com, and the digital version will be available in May via NFHS Digital at www.NFHS.org. 

According to the 2024-25 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, there are 21,756 boys participating in water polo at 1,053 schools, and 18,023 girls playing the sport at 1,067 schools.