The road to Paris 2024: Volleyball Olympic qualification system explained in detail

The format of the Olympic qualification tournament for volleyball at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the format of the Olympic Games have changed compared to the previous Olympic Games. Learn how to qualify for volleyball at the Paris Olympics and how they are similar and different from those at Tokyo 2020.

Expectations for the 2024 Paris Olympics have skyrocketed every day, with the individual international federations of 32 sports announcing their respective "road to Paris 2024".

The Fivb has released its own Olympic volleyball qualification timeline. The world rankings will play a more important role in the allocation of volleyball seats at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The volleyball format for the 2024 Paris Olympics has also been slightly adjusted compared to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Learn together with this article the answers to frequently asked questions about volleyball seats at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

How many teams will compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics volleyball event?

There are 12 teams in the men's and women's volleyball competitions, and the total number of male and female athletes is 144.

What is the path to volleyball for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?

As the host, France automatically won the men's and women's volleyball seats for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Of the remaining 11 seats for men and women, six will be determined through three qualifying events, which will take place in September and October 2023.

Each of the three qualifying tournaments is contested by eight teams, which are based on the FIVB World Rankings: the men's rankings announced on 12 September 2022 and the women's rankings published on 17 October 2022 will be used as a reference. The champions and runners-up teams in each event will qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In addition, five teams in men and five teams in women will be determined by the FIVB World Rankings in June 2024, and teams ranked high on all continents who have not yet won an Olympic seat will receive tickets to Paris 2024.

Comparison with the previous Olympic Games: A total of 6 qualifying events were held before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and the winner qualified. The remaining 5 qualifications are determined by intercontinental events.

How will the volleyball format for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games be adjusted?

The 12 teams participating in the Paris Olympic Volleyball Preliminary Round will be divided into 3 groups of 4 teams each. This format is different from that of the Tokyo Olympics, where the 12 participating teams were divided into 2 groups of 6 teams each.

After the Paris Olympic Preliminary Round, the top two teams in each group and the two third-place teams with the best results advanced to the knockout rounds. The format will be no different from the Tokyo Olympics, and the quarterfinals, semi-finals and bronze medal competitions will be held.

Teams and athletes worth watching for at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Host France doesn't have to bother with qualifying, but that doesn't mean they can ignore their teams on the road to the Paris Olympics, especially the French men's volleyball team. The French men's volleyball team, led by Jean Patri and Elvin Ngapeser, won the country's first volleyball gold medal in Olympic history at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Brazilian men's volleyball team returned from Tokyo disappointed and missed the Olympic podium for the first time since the 2000 Sydney Olympics. At the Paris Olympics, their goal was undoubtedly self-redemption, with veteran Bruno Resende and Youandy Lear still in the squad.

In terms of women's volleyball, Tokyo Olympic champion and runner-up Team USA and Brazil have a deep lineup of players, and the performance of serbian star Thiana Boskovic and Italy's Paula Engnu is worth looking forward to.

After the Rio Olympic women's volleyball champion Chinese team encountered Waterloo in Tokyo, it is worth paying attention to whether the Chinese women's volleyball team in the Paris Olympic cycle can regain its strength.

Timeline of volleyball events for the 2024 Paris Olympics

1 September 2022: The host confirms to the FIVB that the host country seat will be used

September 12, 2022: The teams participating in the Men's Volleyball Olympic Qualification Tournament are determined according to the world rankings

October 17, 2022: The teams participating in the Women's Volleyball Olympic Qualification Tournament are determined according to the world rankings

September 16-24, 2023: Women's Volleyball Olympic Qualification Tournament

September 20, 2023 - October 8, 2023: Men's Volleyball Olympic Qualifying Tournament

June 17, 2024: The remaining seats of the women's volleyball team at the Paris Olympic Games will be determined by world rankings

June 24, 2024: The remaining seats of the men's volleyball team at the Paris Olympic Games will be determined by world rankings

On the day after the olympic qualification event and activities, the FIVB will notify the relevant national and regional Olympic committees and national and regional volleyball federations in writing of the Olympic qualification matters

Within 7 days of receiving the FIVB's notice, the relevant national and regional Olympic Committees need to confirm in writing to the FIVB whether to use the seats obtained

Before 2 July 2024: FIVB allocates all unused Olympic seats

8 July 2024: Registration deadline for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games

26 July to 11 August 2024: Paris 2024 Olympic Games