USA hosts LA28 volleyball qualification; one host quota per gender

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

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

Volleyball at LA28 will feature 12 quota places in each gender, with each quota place corresponding to a 12-athlete team, for a total of 24 teams (288 athletes).

Quota places are allocated to National Olympic Committees (NOCs).

As hosts, the USA will receive one quota place in each gender.

The allocation of quota places begins with the 2026 Continental Championships, followed by the 2027 World Cup, and the FIVB Volleyball World Ranking in June 2028.

Volleyball qualification at LA28 Olympics: Key facts

As hosts, the United States of America have one quota in the men’s event and another in the women’s event .

The allocation of other quota places* begins with the 2026 Continental Championships (5 quotas per gender, 1 per event), the Volleyball World Cup 2027 (three quotas per gender) and the FIVB World Ranking in June 2028 (three quotas per gender). The final Olympic entries deadline is 26 June 2028 .

Only those athletes who respect and comply with the Olympic Charter, the Policy, the World Anti-Doping Code and the Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions, the conditions of participation established by the IOC, as well as the rules or policies of the FIVB, may participate in the LA28 Olympic Games.

Gabriela Braga Guimaraes of Brazil

How does volleyball qualification for the LA28 Olympics work?

The first pathway to Olympic qualification is through the 2026 Continental Championships (21 August – 27 September). The highest-ranked team in the final standings of each of the five tournaments per gender is allocated a quota place for LA28 . These events are:

Asian Volleyball Championship 2026 in the People’s Republic of China between 21-30 August

African Volleyball Championship 2026 in Kenya between 23 August-5 September

EuroVolley 2026 in Türkiye, Czechia, Azerbaijan and Sweden between 21 August-6 September

South American Volleyball Championship 2026 in Brazil between 8-13 September

NORCECA Volleyball Championship 2026 in Dominican Republic between 21-29 August*

*The NORCECA continental event is played, with the USA participating, to its conclusion. The top four teams (excluding the USA) then play a 1 vs. 4, 2 vs. 3 semi-final and subsequent final, where the winner qualifies for LA28. The rankings of 1, 2, 3 and 4 are based on where the teams finish in the continental qualifier.

Asian Volleyball Continental Championship 2026 in Japan between 4-13 September

African Volleyball Continental Championship 2026 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 7-21 September

EuroVolley 2026 in Italy, Bulgaria, Finland and Romania between 9-26 September

South American Volleyball Continental Championship 2026 in Brazil between 15-20 September

NORCECA Volleyball Continental Championship 2026 in Canada between 11-19 September.*

The three-highest placed teams in the final standing per gender that have not yet qualified are allocated a quota place for the LA28 Olympic Games .

The 32 teams are divided into eight pools of four teams each, competing in a round robin format. The top two teams from each pool advance to the round of 16, with the tournament then continuing in a single-elimination format through to the final. The hosts and dates of the World Cup 2027 are:

Women: 20 August-5 September in USA and Canada

Men: 10-26 September in Poland

Three quota places will be allocated to eligible teams that have not yet qualified for LA28 based on the FIVB World Ranking at the end of the VNL 2028 preliminary phase , on 11 June 2028 (date TBC) for women and 18 June 2028 for men. Priority will be given to teams from a continent without a qualified team, followed by other teams that have not yet qualified.

FRA-POL - Men’s Gold Medal Match | Volleyball | Olympic Games Paris 2024

The Men’s Gold Medal Match took place at South Paris Arena 1, Paris, on 10

France won Gold with a final score FRA 3:0 POL.

How many athletes will compete in volleyball at LA28?

At LA28, both the women’s and men’s tournaments will feature 12 teams, with each team consisting of 12 athletes, for a total of 24 teams and 288 athletes .

What is the LA28 volleyball competition format and schedule?

The preliminary rounds will take place from Saturday 15 July to Sunday 23 July. Each day will feature four sessions for both the women’s and men’s tournaments.

Quarterfinals will take place on Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 July and the semi-finals on Wednesday 26 July and Thursday 27 July.

The men’s bronze medal match is scheduled for Friday 28 July, followed by the men’s gold medal match and the women’s bronze medal match on Saturday 29 July. The women’s champion will be crowned on Sunday 30 July .

The Olympic volleyball action will unfold at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California .

The Team Italy huddle during the women’s gold medal match between United States and Italy at Paris 2024

Volleyball qualification schedule for LA28

21–29 August 2026: Women NORCECA Volleyball Championship 2026 in DOM

21–30 August 2026: Women Asian Volleyball Championship 2026 in CHN

21 August – 6 September 2026: Women EuroVolley 2026 in TUR, CZE, AZE, SWE

23 August – 5 September 2026: Women African Volleyball Championship 2026 in KEN

4-13 September 2026: Men Asian Volleyball Championship 2026 in JPN

7–21 September 2026 Men African Volleyball Championship 2026 in COD

9–26 September 2026: Men EuroVolley 2026 in ITA, BUL, FIN, ROM

8–13 September 2026: Women South American Volleyball Championship 2026 in BRA

11–19 September 2026: Men NORCECA Volleyball Championship 2026 in CAN

15–20 September 2026: Men South American Volleyball Championship 2026 in BRA

1 September 2027: The NOCs with the potential to qualify through the Volleyball World Cups 2027 confirm in writing to the FIVB the use of the allocated quota places

20 August– 5 September 2027: Volleyball World Cup 2027 for women in USA & CA

10– 26 September 2027: Volleyball World Cup 2027 for men in POL

1 April 2028: The NOCs with the potential to qualify through the World Ranking confirm in writing to the FIVB the use of the allocated quota places

11 June 2028 (date TBC): World Ranking qualification pathway for women

18 June 2028: World Ranking qualification pathway for men

No later than 26 June 2028: The FIVB reallocates all unused quota places

26 June 2028: LA28 sports entries deadline

Yuki Ishikawa of Team Japan

Athletes and teams that could shine at LA28

Few teams will have a bigger spotlight on them than the USA , playing an Olympic tournament on home soil.

The USA have been on at least one Olympic volleyball podium at every Games since Beijing 2008 . Legendary coach Karch Kiraly is now leading the men’s team, with 39-year-old outside hitter Matthew Anderson still in top form.

France will also have plenty of experience to call on, with veteran Earvin N’Gapeth looking to help the team win a third consecutive Olympic gold medal. Italy , led by Alessandro Michieletto , won the last two world titles, in 2022 and 2025, but have not reached the Olympic podium since taking silver at Rio 2016.

VNL 2026 champions Poland also remain one of the strongest teams in the game, with Tomasz Fornal named the tournament’s MVP, while Japan will be looking to build on their recent rise, with Takahashi Ran and Ishikawa Yuki among the players taking the team to a new level.

Italy have been one of the dominant teams on the women’s side in recent years, collecting Olympic gold at Paris 2024 , the 2025 World Championship and three VNL titles. But after Türkiye ’s breakthrough VNL triumph in 2026, the race for gold at LA28 could be more open.

While the VNL 2026 MVP Melissa Vargas is the protagonist of the Turkish team, Italy’s coach Julio Velasco is experimenting with Ekaterina Antropova as an outside hitter, playing alongside opposite hitter Paola Egonu .

Brazil , meanwhile, remain a familiar face on the podium. Led by stars such as Gabi , the team has consistently challenged for medals, although Olympic gold has remained out of reach since London 2012 .

The People’s Republic of China, USA and Japan will also be in the mix as the battle for the LA28 podium takes shape.

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.

Picture by 2024 Getty Images

14 - 30 July 2028

LA 2028 | Olympic Games | USA