Continental Championships to Open Road to LA 2028 Olympics
Continental championships across five regions begin the race for LA 2028 Olympic qualification and 2027 World Cup places.
National volleyball teams begin competing for Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualification and places at the 2027 FIVB Volleyball World Cup as continental championships across five regions take place from August through September.
These tournaments mark the first opportunity in the current cycle for teams to qualify for the Olympics through continental competition. One team from each of the five continental championships will earn an Olympic quota place in both the men's and women's events, accounting for five Olympic berths per gender. The three highest-placed eligible teams from each continental tournament will also qualify for the 2027 World Cup, filling 15 of the 32 places in both men's and women's competitions. Results will additionally count toward the FIVB World Ranking, which factors into remaining qualification spots.
The women's championships begin first, with Europe, Asia, and NORCECA starting August 21, Africa starting August 23, and South America running September 8-13. Europe's women's tournament will be played across Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Czechia, and Sweden, concluding in Istanbul, with Italy, Türkiye, Serbia, Poland, and the Netherlands among the contenders. Asia's women's championship will be held in Tianjin, China, featuring China, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The NORCECA women's tournament takes place in Santo Domingo, while Nairobi and Rio de Janeiro host the African and South American championships.
The men's championships begin in September, opening with Asia's tournament in Fukuoka, Japan, from September 4-13, featuring Japan, Iran, China, Qatar, and South Korea. Africa's championship runs in Kinshasa from September 7-21. Europe's men's tournament runs September 9-26 across Italy, Bulgaria, Finland, and Romania, concluding in Milan, with Italy, Poland, France, Slovenia, and Türkiye among the contenders. NORCECA's men's championship will be played in Moncton from September 11-19, followed by South America's tournament in Rio de Janeiro from September 15-20.
The United States has already secured an Olympic quota place as LA28 host but will still compete in both NORCECA championships. Under the region's qualification format, the four highest-finishing teams other than the U.S. advance to a semifinal and final phase, with the winner claiming NORCECA's Olympic qualification place. Canada, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic are among the men's contenders, while the Dominican Republic, Canada, and Puerto Rico will challenge the U.S. in the women's tournament.
