# Handball at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament

The men's tournament was one of two handball tournaments at the 1988 Summer Olympics. It was the sixth appearance of a men's handball tournament as a medal event at the Olympic Games.

## Qualification

| Mean of qualification | Date | Host | Vacancies | Qualified |
| Host nation | 30 September 1981 | Baden-Baden | 1 | South Korea |
| 1986 World Championship | 25 February – 8 March 1986 | Switzerland | 6 | Yugoslavia Hungary East Germany Sweden Spain Iceland |
| 1987 World Championship Group B | 17–28 February 1987 | Italy | 2 | Soviet Union Czechoslovakia |
| 1987 African Championship | 3–12 July 1987 | Rabat | 1 | Algeria |
| 1987 Pan American Games | 9–16 August 1987 | Indianapolis | 1 | United States |
| 1987 Asian Championship | 20–29 August 1987 | Amman | 1 | Japan |
| Total | Total | Total | 12 | |

## Preliminary round
### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Soviet Union | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 130 | 82 | +48 | 10 | Gold medal game |
| 2 | Yugoslavia | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 116 | 109 | +7 | 7 | Bronze medal game |
| 3 | Sweden | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 106 | 91 | +15 | 6 | Fifth place game |
| 4 | Iceland | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 96 | 102 | −6 | 5 | Seventh place game |
| 5 | Algeria | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 89 | 109 | −20 | 2 | Ninth place game |
| 6 | United States | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 81 | 125 | −44 | 0 | Eleventh place game |
| 20 September 1988 10:00 | Yugoslavia | 18–24 | Soviet Union | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Hofmann, Prause (FRG) |
| 20 September 1988 10:00 | Vujović 8 | (7–10) | Tyumentsev 6 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Hofmann, Prause (FRG) |
| 20 September 1988 10:00 | 3× 4× | | 2× 5× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Hofmann, Prause (FRG) |
| 20 September 1988 14:00 | Sweden | 21–18 | Algeria | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lelong, Tancrez (FRA) |
| 20 September 1988 14:00 | Hajas, Järphag 4 | (14–9) | Seghir 5 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lelong, Tancrez (FRA) |
| 20 September 1988 14:00 | 2× 4× | | 3× 6× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lelong, Tancrez (FRA) |
| 20 September 1988 18:00 | Iceland | 22–15 | United States | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Rauchfuß, Buchda (GDR) |
| 20 September 1988 18:00 | Arason 8 | (8–8) | Lash 4 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Rauchfuß, Buchda (GDR) |
| 20 September 1988 18:00 | 3× 2× | | 3× 5× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Rauchfuß, Buchda (GDR) |
| 22 September 1988 10:00 | Yugoslavia | 31–23 | United States | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lee, Park (KOR) |
| 22 September 1988 10:00 | Vujović 7 | (17–11) | Goss 7 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lee, Park (KOR) |
| 22 September 1988 10:00 | 2× 3× | | 1× 5× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lee, Park (KOR) |
| 22 September 1988 14:00 | Sweden | 18–22 | Soviet Union | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Marin, Şerban (ROU) |
| 22 September 1988 14:00 | Hajas 6 | (7–11) | Karshakevich 9 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Marin, Şerban (ROU) |
| 22 September 1988 14:00 | 3× 3× | | 2× 7× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Marin, Şerban (ROU) |
| 22 September 1988 18:00 | Iceland | 22–16 | Algeria | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Zaworotny, Brosio (ARG) |
| 22 September 1988 18:00 | Arason 8 | (11–8) | Seghir 4 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Zaworotny, Brosio (ARG) |
| 22 September 1988 18:00 | 2× 6× | | 2× 6× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Zaworotny, Brosio (ARG) |
| 24 September 1988 10:00 | Yugoslavia | 23–22 | Algeria | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Rauchfuß, Buchda (GDR) |
| 24 September 1988 10:00 | Smajlagić 7 | (10–11) | three players 4 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Rauchfuß, Buchda (GDR) |
| 24 September 1988 10:00 | 3× 7× | | 3× 3× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Rauchfuß, Buchda (GDR) |
| 24 September 1988 14:00 | Sweden | 20–14 | Iceland | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Sjong, Ludvigsen (NOR) |
| 24 September 1988 14:00 | Carlén, Hajas 5 | (12–6) | three players 3 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Sjong, Ludvigsen (NOR) |
| 24 September 1988 14:00 | 2× 3× | | 2× 4× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Sjong, Ludvigsen (NOR) |
| 24 September 1988 18:00 | Soviet Union | 26–14 | United States | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Haak, Koppe (NED) |
| 24 September 1988 18:00 | Tyumentsev 6 | (10–5) | Goss 5 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Haak, Koppe (NED) |
| 24 September 1988 18:00 | 2× 3× | | 3× 3× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Haak, Koppe (NED) |
| 26 September 1988 10:00 | Yugoslavia | 19–19 | Iceland | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Haak, Koppe (NED) |
| 26 September 1988 10:00 | Portner 6 | (8–10) | Gíslason, Þráinsson 5 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Haak, Koppe (NED) |
| 26 September 1988 10:00 | 2× 11× | | 3× 8× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Haak, Koppe (NED) |
| 26 September 1988 14:00 | Sweden | 26–12 | United States | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Brosio, Zaworotny (ARG) |
| 26 September 1988 14:00 | B. Jilsén 6 | (11–6) | Lash, Sullivan 4 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Brosio, Zaworotny (ARG) |
| 26 September 1988 14:00 | 2× 1× | | 2× 5× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Brosio, Zaworotny (ARG) |
| 26 September 1988 18:00 | Soviet Union | 26–13 | Algeria | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lee, Park (KOR) |
| 26 September 1988 18:00 | Gopin, Nesterov 4 | (13–5) | Bouanik 5 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lee, Park (KOR) |
| 26 September 1988 18:00 | 2× 2× | | 1× 4× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lee, Park (KOR) |
| 28 September 1988 10:00 | United States | 17–20 | Algeria | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lelong, Tancrez (FRA) |
| 28 September 1988 10:00 | Hillery, Lash 5 | (8–10) | three players 3 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lelong, Tancrez (FRA) |
| 28 September 1988 10:00 | 3× 4× | | 3× 2× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lelong, Tancrez (FRA) |
| 28 September 1988 14:00 | Iceland | 19–32 | Soviet Union | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Rauchfuß, Buchda (GDR) |
| 28 September 1988 14:00 | Gíslason 6 | (8–15) | Tuchkin 11 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Rauchfuß, Buchda (GDR) |
| 28 September 1988 14:00 | 3× 2× | | 3× 7× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Rauchfuß, Buchda (GDR) |
| 28 September 1988 18:00 | Yugoslavia | 25–21 | Sweden | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Marin, Şerban (ROU) |
| 28 September 1988 18:00 | Puc 5 | (14–10) | Carlén, B. Jilsén 5 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Marin, Şerban (ROU) |
| 28 September 1988 18:00 | 2× 1× | | 3× 2× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Marin, Şerban (ROU) |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | South Korea (H) | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 127 | 117 | +10 | 8 | Gold medal game |
| 2 | Hungary | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 102 | 93 | +9 | 6 | Bronze medal game |
| 3 | Czechoslovakia | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 109 | 103 | +6 | 6 | Fifth place game |
| 4 | East Germany | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 109 | 100 | +9 | 6 | Seventh place game |
| 5 | Spain | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 101 | 106 | −5 | 4 | Ninth place game |
| 6 | Japan | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 97 | 126 | −29 | 0 | Eleventh place game |
* 1 2 3 25% rule: Hungary +6 GD, 80 GS; Czechoslovakia +2 GD, 88 GS; East Germany +2 GD, 84 GS
| 20 September 1988 11:30 | Hungary | 20–22 | South Korea | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |
| 20 September 1988 11:30 | P. Kovács 10 | (9–11) | Kang 7 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |
| 20 September 1988 11:30 | 2× 5× | | 3× 4× 1× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |
| 20 September 1988 15:30 | East Germany | 25–18 | Japan | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Haak, Koppe (NED) |
| 20 September 1988 15:30 | Borchardt, Wahl 6 | (14–10) | Miyashita 6 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Haak, Koppe (NED) |
| 20 September 1988 15:30 | 2× 4× | | 3× 4× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Haak, Koppe (NED) |
| 20 September 1988 19:30 | Spain | 17–20 | Czechoslovakia | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Wester, Blademo (SWE) |
| 20 September 1988 19:30 | Serrano 7 | (5–10) | Bartek 6 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Wester, Blademo (SWE) |
| 20 September 1988 19:30 | 2× 4× | | 2× 7× 2× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Wester, Blademo (SWE) |
| 22 September 1988 11:30 | Hungary | 16–19 | Czechoslovakia | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Guterman, Taranuhin (URS) |
| 22 September 1988 11:30 | Iváncsik 6 | (6–12) | Kotrč 7 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Guterman, Taranuhin (URS) |
| 22 September 1988 11:30 | 3× 3× | | 2× 4× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Guterman, Taranuhin (URS) |
| 22 September 1988 15:30 | East Germany | 22–23 | South Korea | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Jug, Jeglič (YUG) |
| 22 September 1988 15:30 | Borchardt 8 | (13–9) | Kang 9 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Jug, Jeglič (YUG) |
| 22 September 1988 15:30 | 3× 4× | | 1× 3× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Jug, Jeglič (YUG) |
| 22 September 1988 19:30 | Spain | 25–19 | Japan | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Sjong, Ludvigsen (NOR) |
| 22 September 1988 19:30 | Muñoz 8 | (13–5) | Yamamura 6 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Sjong, Ludvigsen (NOR) |
| 22 September 1988 19:30 | 2× 5× | | 2× 6× 1× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Sjong, Ludvigsen (NOR) |
| 24 September 1988 11:30 | Hungary | 22–19 | Japan | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Wester, Blademo (SWE) |
| 24 September 1988 11:30 | Marosi 11 | (10–11) | Tamamura 13 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Wester, Blademo (SWE) |
| 24 September 1988 11:30 | 2× 6× | | 1× 9× 1× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Wester, Blademo (SWE) |
| 24 September 1988 15:30 | East Germany | 21–20 | Spain | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |
| 24 September 1988 15:30 | Borchardt 8 | (11–8) | Muñoz 6 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |
| 24 September 1988 15:30 | 2× 4× | | 2× 5× 1× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |
| 24 September 1988 19:30 | South Korea | 29–28 | Czechoslovakia | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Hofmann, Prause (FRG) |
| 24 September 1988 19:30 | Lee 9 | (15–12) | Sovadina 10 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Hofmann, Prause (FRG) |
| 24 September 1988 19:30 | 3× 5× | | 3× 7× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Hofmann, Prause (FRG) |
| 26 September 1988 11:30 | Hungary | 26–16 | Spain | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Jug, Jeglič (YUG) |
| 26 September 1988 11:30 | Marosi 8 | (14–8) | Muñoz 5 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Jug, Jeglič (YUG) |
| 26 September 1988 11:30 | 2× 5× | | 2× 5× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Jug, Jeglič (YUG) |
| 26 September 1988 15:30 | East Germany | 24–21 | Czechoslovakia | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Marin, Şerban (ROU) |
| 26 September 1988 15:30 | Borchardt 9 | (11–9) | Bajgar, Bartek 5 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Marin, Şerban (ROU) |
| 26 September 1988 15:30 | 3× 8× | | 2× 6× 1× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Marin, Şerban (ROU) |
| 26 September 1988 19:30 | South Korea | 33–24 | Japan | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Guterman, Taranuhin (URS) |
| 26 September 1988 19:30 | Kang 10 | (18–11) | Yamamura 7 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Guterman, Taranuhin (URS) |
| 26 September 1988 19:30 | 6× | | 2× 6× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Guterman, Taranuhin (URS) |
| 28 September 1988 11:30 | Czechoslovakia | 21–17 | Japan | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Jug, Jeglič (YUG) |
| 28 September 1988 11:30 | Sovadina 6 | (13–7) | Tamamura, Yamamura 5 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Jug, Jeglič (YUG) |
| 28 September 1988 11:30 | 2× 5× | | 2× 2× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Jug, Jeglič (YUG) |
| 28 September 1988 15:30 | Spain | 23–20 | South Korea | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Wester, Blademo (SWE) |
| 28 September 1988 15:30 | Serrano 8 | (10–9) | Lee 8 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Wester, Blademo (SWE) |
| 28 September 1988 15:30 | 2× 2× | | 2× 1× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Wester, Blademo (SWE) |
| 28 September 1988 19:30 | Hungary | 18–17 | East Germany | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Guterman, Taranuhin (URS) |
| 28 September 1988 19:30 | Iváncsik 8 | (7–9) | Hahn, Schneider 4 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Guterman, Taranuhin (URS) |
| 28 September 1988 19:30 | 3× 6× | | 2× 6× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Guterman, Taranuhin (URS) |

## Final round
### Eleventh place game

| 30 September 1988 10:00 | United States | 21–24 | Japan | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Brosio, Zaworotny (ARG) |
| 30 September 1988 10:00 | Goss 8 | (11–8) | Tamamura 10 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Brosio, Zaworotny (ARG) |
| 30 September 1988 10:00 | 2× 4× | | 2× 3× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Brosio, Zaworotny (ARG) |

### Ninth place game

| 30 September 1988 11:30 | Algeria | 15–21 | Spain | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Ludvigsen, Sjong (NOR) |
| 30 September 1988 11:30 | Seghir 5 | (6–11) | Marín 4 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Ludvigsen, Sjong (NOR) |
| 30 September 1988 11:30 | | | 2× 3× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Ludvigsen, Sjong (NOR) |

### Seventh place game

| 30 September 1988 14:00 | Iceland | 29–31 (ET) | East Germany | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |
| 30 September 1988 14:00 | Arason 9 | (13–12) | Borchardt 8 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |
| 30 September 1988 14:00 | 2× 7× | | 2× 7× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |
| Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |||

### Fifth place game

| 30 September 1988 15:30 | Sweden | 27–18 | Czechoslovakia | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lelong, Tancrez (FRA) |
| 30 September 1988 15:30 | Järphag 8 | (14–8) | Bartek 5 | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lelong, Tancrez (FRA) |
| 30 September 1988 15:30 | 2× 4× | | 2× 4× 1× | Suwon Gymnasium, Suwon Referees: Lelong, Tancrez (FRA) |

### Bronze medal game

| 1 October 1988 15:00 | Yugoslavia | 27–23 | Hungary | Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |
| 1 October 1988 15:00 | Portner, Vujović 7 | (12–13) | Iváncsik, P. Kovács 6 | Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |
| 1 October 1988 15:00 | 2× 6× 1× | | 2× 4× | Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul Referees: Christensen, Jørgensen (DEN) |

### Gold medal game

| 1 October 1988 17:00 | Soviet Union | 32–25 | South Korea | Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul Referees: Hofmann, Prause (FRG) |
| 1 October 1988 17:00 | Rymanov 7 | (17–11) | Kang 10 | Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul Referees: Hofmann, Prause (FRG) |
| 1 October 1988 17:00 | 3× 3× | | 2× 1× | Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul Referees: Hofmann, Prause (FRG) |