Seven players are in the water for each team in Olympic water polo.
Each side consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. Teams may have substitutes on the bench, but only seven players per team can occupy the playing area during normal play. If a player is temporarily excluded for a foul, that team may have fewer than seven players in the water until the exclusion ends.
Water polo developed from aquatic games in Britain during the nineteenth century and appeared in the modern Olympics in 1900. Women’s water polo joined the Olympic program at Sydney 2000. The sport is played in four quarters, with teams trying to throw a buoyant ball into the opposing goal.
The number seven can be confused with the full tournament roster. Olympic teams have historically been allowed more players than can enter the water at once, and roster limits have changed over time. The on-field figure, however, remains seven per side in Olympic competition.