United States hosts LA28 beach volleyball qualification for Los Angeles Olympics; Total 48 teams across both genders

How to qualify for beach volleyball at the LA28 Olympics: The qualification system explained

How does beach volleyball qualification for LA28 work? Find out everything you need to know about the format, key events, stars to watch and number of athletes.

Beach volleyball at LA28 will feature 24 quota places per gender (each representing a two-athlete team), totalling 48 teams (96 athletes)

Quota places are secured by National Olympic Committees (NOCs)

As hosts, the USA will receive one quota place for each event (men’s and women’s)

Each National Olympic Committee may hold a maximum of two team quota places (four athletes) per gender

The allocation of quota places begins with the 2026 Continental Championships, followed by the 2027 World Championships, the Olympic Ranking in early 2028 (cut-off date TBC), and the three stages of the Olympic Q-Series between May and June 2028

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Beach volleyball qualification at LA28 Olympics: Key facts

The qualification period starts on 1 August 2026 and ends on 11 June 2028 . The NOC (National Olympic Committee) must select its athletes from the top 12 eligible ranked players on the Olympic Ranking as of 12 June 2028, provided they meet the following criteria:

For quota spots obtained via 2027 World Championships , the Olympic Ranking (with a cut-off date between 29 February and 31 March 2028, TBC), or the Olympic Q-Series : having individually participated in at least eight events across the World Tour (Elite16 and Challenge levels) and the Olympic Q-Series

For quota spots obtained via the 2026 Continental Championships , Continental Tour Finals , or host Country quotas: having individually participated in at least six of these events, or in competitions recognised as Zonal

National Tours, multi-sport games, or regional games

Beach volleyball at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 took place at the Eiffel Tower Stadium.

How does beach volleyball qualification for the LA28 Olympics work?

An NOC can secure its maximum quota places for LA28 via the Olympic Ranking (with a cut-off date between 29 February and 31 March 2028) or by winning one of the qualifying tournaments: its respective Continental Championships or the Finals of its Continental Tour in 2026, the 2027 World Championships, or one of the three stages of the Olympic Q-Series .

As host country, the United States will automatically receive one quota place for each tournament (women’s and men’s).

Respecting the maximum of two quota places per NOC per gender , all 48 quotas will follow these qualification pathways for LA28, in chronological order:

10 quota places (five per gender) will be allocated between 1 August and 15 November 2026, at the five Continental Championships or Continental Tour Finals (Asia

Central America & Caribbean, and South America) - subject to a maximum of two quota places per NOC in each gender

Two quota places (one for women and one for men) during the 2027 World Championships, in the Netherlands. The NOC with a winning team in the tournament will obtain a quota in LA28 - respecting the maximum of two quotas per NOC in each gender

28 quota places – 14 women’s and 14 men’s: the top 14 teams of each gender in the Olympic Ranking between 29 February and 31 March 2028 (cut-off date TBC) will secure a quota place for the LA28 Olympic Games for their respective NOC – subject to a maximum of two quota places per NOC for each gender

Six quota places — three for women and three for men: the winning teams in each gender at each of the three Olympic Q-Series stages will secure a quota place for the Olympic Games LA28 for their respective NOC — subject to a maximum of two quota places per NOC per gender An athlete who has already secured a quota place for her

his NOC for LA28 — whether through the Continental Championships, the 2026 Continental Tour Finals, the 2027 World Championships, or the Olympic Ranking (with a cut-off date TBC between 29 February and 31 March 2028) — is not eligible to compete in the Olympic Q-Series. A NOC that has already secured its two quota places per gender for LA28 — whether through Continental Championships or 2026 Continental Tour Finals, the 2027 World Championships, the Olympic Ranking (with a cut-off date TBC between February 29 and March 31, 2028), or even the host Country quota place - is not eligible to compete in the Olympic Q-Series.

An athlete who has already secured a quota place for her

A NOC that has already secured its two quota places per gender for LA28 — whether through Continental Championships or 2026 Continental Tour Finals, the 2027 World Championships, the Olympic Ranking (with a cut-off date TBC between February 29 and March 31, 2028), or even the host Country quota place - is not eligible to compete in the Olympic Q-Series.

Two quota places — one for women and one for men, totalling four athletes allocated to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) hosting LA28: the United States. The host Country retains the right to participate in other Olympic qualifying tournaments to secure its second quota place for each gender, subject to the maximum limit of two per NOC

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How many athletes will compete in beach volleyball in LA28?

In LA28 , the women’s and men’s tournaments will each have 24 teams and 48 athletes, a competition total of 96. That number remains unchanged compared to Paris 2024.

What is the LA28 beach volleyball competition format and schedule?

Under the Olympic beach volleyball tournament format, 16 of the 24 teams from the group stage advance to the knockout phase, featuring the Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the bronze and gold-medal matches.

Beach volleyball at LA28 will take place from 15-29 July at Alamitos Beach in Long Beach (in the greater Los Angeles area). Thirty years after the sport made its Olympic debut at Atlanta 1996 , it returns to the USA on the Californian coastline.

Beach volleyball qualification schedule for LA28

1 August - 15 November 2026: Beach Volleyball Continental Championships

13 – 22 August 2027: Beach Volleyball World Championships - Netherlands

29 February - 31 March 2028: Olympic Ranking – cut-off date TBC

11 - 14 May 2028: Olympic Q-Series - Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

1 - 4 June 2028: Olympic Q-Series - Montreal, Canada

8 - 11 June 2028: Olympic Q-Series - Orlando, Florida, USA

14 - 30 July: Olympic Games LA28

Jonatan Hellvig of Sweden (right) won the men’s gold medal alongside David Åhman at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Athletes that could shine in LA28

Scandinavia has dominated the men’s Olympic tournaments. Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sørum won gold at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, while Sweden’s David Åhman and Jonathan Hellvig triumphed at Paris 2024 . A year later, Åhman and Hellvig won the World Championships held in Australia.

Another Swedish duo, Jacob Hölting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson , topped the world rankings for the sport at the start of the LA28 qualification period in August 2026.

On the women’s side, Ana Patrícia and Duda returned Brazil to the top of the women’s podium at Paris 2024 , ending a 28-year drought. Brazilian teams also hold the top two spots in the rankings (as of 3 August 2026): Carol Solberg

Rebecca Silva and Thâmela Coradello

The USA’s Krysten Cruz and Taryn Brasher come into the mix having reached the podium at the 2023 (bronze) and 2025 (silver) World Championships. With an eye on LA28, Dutch pair Katja Stam and Raisa Schoon have shown significant improvement during the 2026 season and could make a strong showing at the 2027 World Championships, where they will be playing on home sand.

The Brazilian team of Ana Patrícia and Duda clinched the women’s beach volleyball gold medal at Paris 2024.

Find out more about the qualification system for other sports that will feature at LA28.

*As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes’ participation at the Los Angeles Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Los Angeles 2028.

14 - 30 July 2028

LA 2028 | Olympic Games | USA