The tournament was played in two different stages. In the first stage, the eighteen participants were divided into six groups of three teams each. In the second stage, three groups were formed, one containing the six winners from first stage groups to contest the tournament title. A second group was formed by the six runners-up from first stage groups which played for position places from 7th to 12th. The third group was formed by the six teams which finished last from first stage groups, which played for positions places from 13th to 18th. All groups in both stages played a single round-robin format.