Water polo at the 1952 Summer Olympics

Twenty-one nations competed in water polo at the 1952 Summer Olympics at Helsinki.

Eliminating rounds
In order to reduce the field from 21 teams to 16 for the round-robin pools, two eliminating rounds were used. The teams were drawn into 10 pairs, with one team (Finland) drawing a bye through the eliminating rounds. The 10 winners of the first eliminating round advanced to the round robins, while the 10 losers were paired again for a second eliminating round. Again the winners advanced to the round robins; the 5 losers of this second eliminating round, however, were eliminated from competition.

First eliminating round
25 July 1952 ● Australia def. Sweden, 5-3 ● Yugoslavia def. South Japan, 12-1 ● Soviet Union def. South Africa, 7-2 ● India def. Egypt, 5-4 ● Hungary def. United States 7-0 ● Italy def. Netherlands 3-2 ● Romania def. Argentina 6-2 ● Spain def. Brazil, 3-2 ● Portugal def. Norway 3-0 ● Great Britain def. Mexico 10-3

Second eliminating round
26 July 1952 ● United States def. Egypt 4-3 ● South Africa def. Netherlands 4-2 ● Argentina def. South Japan 5-0 ● Mexico def. Norway 5-3 ● Brazil def. Sweden 6-5

Group A
26 July: Australia draw United States 3-3 27 July: Spain draw United States 2-2 27 July: United States draw Finland 2-2 27 July: Spain draw Australia 3-3 27 July: Australia draw Finland 2-2 29 July: Spain def. Finland 5-0

Group B
26 July: Hungary def. Portugal 5-0 27 July: Hungary def. South Africa 8-2 27 July: Portugal draw Argentina 3-3 27 July: South Africa draw Argentina 4-4 29 July: Hungary def. Agentina 9-0 1 August: South Africa def. Portugal 5-3

Group C
26 July: Italy def. Yugoslavia 4-3 27 July: Yugoslavia def. India 6-1 27 July: Italy def. Mexico 7-1 27 July: Yugoslavia def. Mexico 4-0 27 July: Italy def. India 7-0 29 July: Mexico def. India 3-1

Group D
26 July: Great Britain def. Brazil 5-4 27 July: Soviet Union def Brazil 6-1 27 July: Romania def Great Britain 3-2 27 July: Romania def Brazil 6-1 27 July: Soviet Union def Great Britain 7-3 29 July: Soviet Union draw Romania 7-5

Group E
30 July: Yugoslavia draw Romania 2-2 30 July: Hungary def. Spain 4-2 31 July: Yugoslavia def. Hungary 4-2 31 July: Spain def. Romania 5-4 1 August: Hungary def. Romania 4-0 1 August: Yugoslavia def. Spain 3-1

Group F
30 July: Soviet Union def. South Africa 5-1 30 July: Italy def. Australia 6-4 31 July: Italy def. South Africa 5-0 31 July: Australia draw Soviet Union 4-4 31 July: Italy def. Soviet Union 3-0 1 August: Australia def. South Africa 4-1

Finals
The semifinals match between Hungary and Yugoslavia, and Soviet Union and Italy counted for the final pool.

1 August: Hungary def. Soviet Union 3-0 1 August: Italy def. Yugoslavia 4-2 2 August: Hungary def. Italy 7-2 2 August: Soviet Union def. Yugoslavia 2-1