| Highest governing body | International Canoe Federation |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | Kayak polo, polo |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | Water |
| Equipment | Water polo ball, buoyancy aid, helmet and face guard, goals, canoe polo kayak, paddle, spray deck |
| Presence | |
| Olympic | No |
| World Games | 2005 – present |
.JPG)
Canoe polo, also known as kayak polo or polo (to players and fans), is one of the competitive disciplines of kayaking. It incorporates ball-handling skills into a contact team game, wherein group tactics and positional play are as important as individual speed and fitness.
Each team has five players on the pitch (and up to three substitutes), who compete to score in their opponent's goal, which is suspended two meters above the water. The ball can be thrown by hand or flicked with the paddle to pass between players and shoot at the goal. Pitches can be set up in swimming pools or any stretch of flat water, which should measure 35 meters by 23 meters.
The kayaks are specifically designed for polo, faster and lighter than typical ones. The paddles are lighter and designed with pulling power and ball control in mind, with rounded blades for safety. Nose and tail boat bumpers, body protection, helmets and faceguards are compulsory.