The hosts of volleyball’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments have been unveiled with Paris 2024 spots on the line
People’s Republic of China, Japan and Poland will host the women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament, while China, Brazil and Japan will host the men’s.
The hosts of both the women’s and men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament for volleyball have been announced today (8 March) as China, Japan, Poland and Brazil get ready to welcome the teams battling for qualification for Paris 2024.
The women’s OQTs will take place from 16-24 September 2023 with the **men’s tournaments following from 30 September to 8 October 2023. **
Twelve teams per gender will compete in the Olympic volleyball competition at Paris 2024, with six per gender qualifying through the upcoming OQTs. The OQTs will include the top 24 teams in the FIVB ranking who have not yet qualified, with teams separated into three pools of eight and the top two per pool securing their spot at next year’s Games.
France, as host nation, have already qualified for Paris 2024, while the remaining five spots per gender following the tournaments will be allocated through the FIVB World Ranking at the end of the preliminary phase of the Volleyball Nations League 2024.
Draw to decide pools for 2023 Olympic Qualifying Tournaments
On 17 March, a Drawing of Lots ceremony will take place in Lausanne, Switzerland to define the pools for the 2023 OQTs.
The men’s teams that will compete in the OQT include Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Slovenia, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine and the USA.
Women’s teams participating in the OQT include Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, Slovenia, Serbia, Thailand, Turkiye, Ukraine and the USA.
In the current women’s World Rankings, Serbia lead the way with 392.63 points, followed by Italy, Brazil and the USA.
Poland sit top of the men’s World Rankings on 389.42 points, with Italy, France and Brazil occupying spots two to four.
The USA are the reigning Olympic champions after their victory at Tokyo 2020, while on the men’s side hosts France will be aiming to retain their Olympic title on home soil in 2024.