American Beach Water Polo Association
QUICK COMPARISON OF BEACH WATER POLO RULES AND FINA WATER POLO RULES
| BEACH WATER POLO | FINA WATER POLO | |
| Field dimensions |
16m x 12.5m (maximum) or 14m x 10m (minimum) |
30m x 20m (maximum) or 20m x 10m (minimum) |
| Goal dimensions |
2.5m x .80m |
3m x .90m |
| Ball dimensions |
Circumference of 65 - 68cm |
Circumference of 68 - 70cm |
| Officials and referees |
1 referee and 1 secretary |
2 referees, 2 timers, 2 secretaries |
| Number of players |
Teams of four players (five for female matches and boys 14 & under) with rosters of 7 players. |
7 players with a roster of 13 |
| Duration of game |
Without time. Best of three games (six goals for men, four for women and youth, wins a game. |
Four periods of seven minutes each. |
| Restart after goal |
Goal keeper puts the ball in play immediately after a goal is scored. However, once game point is reached, the re-start is from the center court with teams lined up on their own side. |
Teams line up at center court and ball is put into play after signal from the referee. |
| Time of possession |
Without time |
30 seconds |
| Personal fouls, exclusions and brutality |
Yellow card warning for overaggressive play. To kick or hit, or attempt either of the two with the intent to injure results in a red card - with exclusion from the game and the remaining games in the match, with substitution. Red cards may also be given for unsportsmanlike conduct, bad language, dangerous or persistent foul play. |
Substitution after 3 personal fouls. Penalty shot for brutality. |
| Major fouls and exclusion time |
Immediate re-entry after touching corner |
20 seconds from time of penalty |
| Colors of caps |
Any colors (within the same team) |
White and dark |
| Direct shot after foul |
Allowed beyond mid court |
Allowed beyond 5 meters |
| Direct shot from corner throw |
Allowed |
Not allowed |