The 1988 Summer Olympics men's water polo tournament featured twelve national teams competing under FINA governance in Seoul, South Korea.
Key Facts
- Year
- 1988
- Host city
- Seoul, South Korea
- Number of teams
- 12 teams
- Events contested
- 1 (men's team competition)
- Governing body
- FINA
- Preliminary groups
- 2 groups of 6 teams
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Water polo has been a recurring Olympic discipline governed by FINA alongside swimming and diving. As part of the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, twelve nations qualified to compete in the men's team tournament, continuing the sport's long-standing Olympic presence under a single aquatics federation.
Twelve teams were divided into two preliminary groups. The top two teams from each group advanced to the semi-finals, while teams finishing third and fourth contested classification matches for places five through eight. The remaining teams played off for positions nine through twelve, with prior results carried forward.
The tournament concluded with final standings determined through a structured bracket of semi-finals, classification matches, and finals. The event reinforced water polo's status as an integral part of the Olympic aquatics programme, with results contributing to national sports records and international rankings under FINA's oversight.