Water polo at the 1948 Summer Olympics

In the first round each team in a group played each other team in the same group. The placings were determined on points. If the points were equal, then the better goal average decided. The first two teams of each group were qualified for the second round, while the third placed team was eliminated.

Group A

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1.	Belgium (BEL)	2	1	1	0	14	5	3		X	4:4	10:1
2.	United States (USA)	2	1	1	0	11	4	3		4:4	X	7:0
3.	Uruguay (URU)	2	0	0	2	1	17	0		1:10	0:7	X

Group B

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1.	Sweden (SWE)	2	2	0	0	10	2	4		X	4:1	6:1
2.	Spain (ESP)	2	1	0	1	6	5	2		1:4	X	5:1
3.	Switzerland (SUI)	2	0	0	2	2	11	0		1:6	1:5	X

Group C

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1.	Netherlands (NED)	2	2	0	0	26	1	4		X	12:1	14:0
2.	India (IND)	2	1	0	1	8	16	2		1:12	X	7:4
3.	Chile (CHI)	2	0	0	2	4	21	0		0:14	4:7	X

Group D

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1.	Italy (ITA)	2	1	1	0	13	4	3		X	4:4	9:0
2.	Yugoslavia (YUG)	2	1	1	0	16	7	3		4:4	X	12:3
3.	Australia (AUS)	2	0	0	2	3	21	0		0:9	3:12	X

Group E

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1.	Hungary (HUN)	2	2	0	0	16	4	4		X	5:2	11:2
2.	Egypt (EGY)	2	0	1	1	5	8	1		2:5	X	3:3
3.	Great Britain (GBR)	2	0	1	1	5	14	1		2:11	3:3	X

Group F

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1.	France (FRA)	2	2	0	0	11	2	4		X	4:1	7:1
2.	Argentina (ARG)	2	1	0	1	7	6	2		1:4	X	6:2
3.	Greece (GRE)	2	0	0	2	3	13	0		1:7	2:6	X

In the second round each team in a group played each other team in the same group unless they had met in a previous round. In this case the previous result stood and was carried forward to this group. So in each group only three matches had to be played. The placings were determined on points. If the points were equal, then the better goal average decided. The first two teams of each group were qualified for the semi-finals, while the third placed team was eliminated.

The results which are carried forward from the first round are shown in italics.

Group G

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1.	Sweden (SWE)	2	1	1	0	8	1	3		X	1:1	7:0
2.	Belgium (BEL)	2	0	2	0	5	5	2		1:1	X	4:4
3.	United States (USA)	2	0	1	1	4	11	1		0:7	4:4	X

Group H

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1.	Netherlands (NED)	2	2	0	0	17	3	4		X	5:2	12:1
2.	Spain (ESP)	2	1	0	1	13	6	2		2:5	X	11:1
3.	India (IND)	2	0	0	2	2	23	0		1:12	1:11	X

Group I

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1.	Italy (ITA)	2	1	1	0	8	7	3		X	4:3	4:4
2.	Hungary (HUN)	2	1	0	1	6	5	2		3:4	X	3:1
3.	Yugoslavia (YUG)	2	0	1	1	5	7	1		4:4	1:3	X

Group J

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1.	France (FRA)	2	1	1	0	7	4	3		X	3:3	4:1
2.	Egypt (EGY)	2	0	2	0	7	7	2		3:3	X	4:4
3.	Argentina (ARG)	2	0	1	1	5	8	1		1:4	4:4	X

As in the second round each team in a group played each other team in the same group unless they had met in a previous round. In this case the previous result stood and was carried forward to this group. So in each group only three matches had to be played. The placings were determined on points. If the points were equal, then the better goal average decided. The first two teams of each group were qualified for the final round, while the third and fourth placed team were eliminated and took part in a consolation tournament.

The results which are carried forward from the previous rounds are shown in italics.

Group K

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1.	Netherlands (NED)	3	2	1	0	13	8	5		X	3:3	5:3	5:2
2.	Belgium (BEL)	3	1	2	0	8	5	4		3:3	X	1:1	4:1
3.	Sweden (SWE)	3	1	1	1	8	7	3		3:5	1:1	X	4:1
4.	Spain (ESP)	3	0	0	3	4	13	0		2:5	1:4	1:4	X

Group L

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1.	Italy (ITA)	3	3	0	0	14	6	6		X	4:3	5:2	5:1
2.	Hungary (HUN)	3	2	0	1	13	10	4		3:4	X	5:4	5:2
3.	France (FRA)	3	0	1	2	9	13	1		2:5	4:5	X	3:3
4.	Egypt (EGY)	3	0	1	2	6	13	1		1:5	2:5	3:3	X

As in all other rounds each team in the final played each other team unless they had met in a previous round. In this case the previous result stood and was carried forward to the final. So in the final only four matches had to be played. The placings were determined on points. If the points were equal, then the better goal average decided.

The results which are carried forward from the previous rounds are shown in italics.

Final Group

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
	Italy (ITA)	3	3	0	0	12	7	6		X	4:3	4:2	4:2
	Hungary (HUN)	3	1	1	1	10	8	3		3:4	X	4:4	3:0
	Netherlands (NED)	3	0	2	1	9	11	2		2:4	4:4	X	3:3
4.	Belgium (BEL)	3	0	1	2	5	10	1		2:4	0:3	3:3	X

Group for fifth to eighth places - consolation tournament

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
5.	Sweden (SWE)	3	2	1	0	8	4	5		X	1:1	3:2	4:1
6.	France (FRA)	3	1	2	0	6	5	4		1:1	X	3:3	2:1
7.	Egypt (EGY)	3	1	1	1	8	7	3		2:3	3:3	X	3:1
8.	Spain (ESP)	3	0	0	3	3	9	0		1:4	1:2	1:3	X