[1] The 11th edition of the Men's FINA Water Polo World Cup were held in Sydney, Australia from September 28 to October 3, 1999.

The top eight teams from the previous World Aquatic Championship have qualified.

*Hungary, Italy and Spain qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Croatia also qualified, although the team was not even at the World Cup, having finished ninth at last year's World Swimming Championships in Perth, Australia, missing the eight-team cut-off for the World Cup.

But by finishing second at the recent European Championship and the fact that Hungary downed Olympic and World Champion Spain 8-4 in the medal semi-final, Croatia claimed the European continental berth.