The 1936 water polo tournament was held at the Schwimmstadion in the Reichssportfeld in Berlin, which was also the site of the swimming and diving events, and the swimming section of the modern pentathlon. For the first time the modern style of group play with round-robin preliminary groups was used. There were 16 teams separated into four preliminary pools of four teams each. The top two teams in each pool advanced to semi-final pools. In the semis, four teams in each pool contested a round-robin, but the results from preliminary pools were carried over. The top two teams in each semi-final pool advanced to a final round medal pool, again a round-robin with results from the semi-final pools carried over. The 3rd- and 4th-placed teams in the semi-final pools went on to a classification round for places 5-8, again contested as a round-robin, with results from the semi-finals carried over.
HUN
GER
BEL