Players also foul out if they pick up three major fouls. Players are sent to a penalty box just as in hockey. Plus, there are spot penalty shots like in soccer if a defending player commits a foul inside the goal mouth area. These features give the sport an enormous crossover appeal, especially in countries where team handball, soccer and basketball are popular. It is perhaps no surprise that European countries such as Hungary, Spain and Yugoslavia have dominated the sport for a long time.
Water polo is also popular in Australia and South Africa.
It is less popular in North America, but this is changing. Canada is making gains on the international stage. She is director of operations at the national office of Water Polo Canada. One big reason for this increase in popularity has been an increase in media coverage, she says. The Internet has also played a big role in making the sport more visible.