Water polo at the 1988 Summer Olympics

Water polo at the 1988 Summer Olympics as usual was part of the swimming sport, the other two being swimming and diving. They were not seen as three separate sports, because they all were governed by one federation &mdash; FINA. Water polo discipline consisted of one event: the men's team competition.

In the preliminary round twelve teams were divided into two groups. The two best teams from each group (shaded ones) advanced to the semi-finals. The two numbers three and four played classification matches to determine places 5 through 8, with the earlier result taken with them. The rest of the teams also played classification matches to determine places 9 through 12.

Group A

 * 21 September
 * Italy 9-9 Soviet Union
 * France 16-5 South Korea
 * Australia 11-13 West Germany
 * 22 September
 * South Korea 1-11 Italy
 * France 9-10 West Germany
 * Australia 4-11 Soviet Union
 * 23 September
 * South Korea 2-18 West Germany
 * Australia 5-7 Italy
 * France 4-18 Soviet Union
 * 26 September
 * Italy 7-10 West Germany
 * South Korea 4-17 Soviet Union
 * France 6-7 Australia
 * 27 September
 * France 8-14 Italy
 * Australia 13-2 South Korea
 * Soviet Union 8-9 West Germany

Group B

 * 21 September
 * Hungary 12-10 Greece
 * United States 7-6 Yugoslavia
 * China 6-13 Spain
 * 22 September
 * Greece 10-7 China
 * United States 7-9 Spain
 * Hungary 9-10 Yugoslavia
 * 23 September
 * United States 14-7 China
 * Greece 7-17 Yugoslavia
 * Hungary 6-6 Spain
 * 26 September
 * United States 18-9 Greece
 * Hungary 14-7 China
 * Spain 8-10 Yugoslavia
 * 27 September
 * Greece 9-12 Spain
 * Hungary 9-10 United States
 * Yugoslavia 17-7 China

Semi finals

 * 30 September
 * West Germany 10-14 Yugoslavia
 * Soviet Union 7-8 United States

Bronze medal match

 * 1 October
 * West Germany 13-14 Soviet Union

Final

 * 1 October
 * Yugoslavia 9-7 United States

Group D

 * 30 September
 * Italy 9-9 Hungary
 * Australia 8-7 Spain
 * 1 October
 * Australia 5-13 Hungary
 * Italy 9-11 Spain

Group E

 * 30 September
 * France 11-4 China
 * South Korea 7-17 Greece
 * 1 October
 * South Korea 7-14 China
 * France 7-10 Greece