The Board of Directors of the Argentine Association of Polo (AAP), approved a new set of rules to be applied with inmediate effect in the tournaments played all over Argentina, starting in the current 2026 spring season. The changes involve four separate rules which include specific issues that can vary from different situations, such as chukka duration, referee horse protocol, fair play restart, among others.

Rule 3, referee horse protocol: From now on, horses must be delivered to the referees in due time, at the centre of the field, both at the start and and the end of the match. Horses must be properly equipped –  bandages, tails untied, complete saddles with four rains. If the team who delivers the horse to the referee don’t don’t abide to this rule, the referee is able to restart the game, by awarding a penalty or whatever he thinks fit to that team.

Rule 18, fair play restart: This rule adds point G – when play resumes via a Fair Play drop (unpunished referee stoppage), the team in possession of the ball chooses which player starts the play. In case the situation happens when the ball is in dispute, and benefits one of the teams, the restart will be a thrown-in. In case the interruption don’t produce any disadvantage for any of the teams, the play must continue with no interruption.

Rule 10, chukka duration: Regulation chukkers are set to 7 minutes of playing time until the first bell, plus a maximum of 30 extra seconds unless a whistle blows for a foul, wide ball, or goal. Therefore, point f) will remain ineffective. It’s worth noting that point f) saw the opportunity to award a shot to the goalposts after the second bell sound. Now, if the ball finds the flags after the second bell sound, the goal won’t be granted.

Rule 7: This rule establishes two new amendments – point a) specifically determines that if the ball passes over the top of the ball, the goal will not be valid: note 1) establishes that if the ball steps into goalpost, the umpire must blow the whistle and award a goal kick.