How to qualify for rugby at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained
After thrilling competitions at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, rugby will once again be on the Olympic programme at Paris 2024. Some 288 athletes will have the chance to compete at the Stade de France in front of 80,000 fans. Find out everything you need to know about how teams can secure their quotas, the stars to watch and the pathway to qualification below.
Rugby will be one of the first competitions on show at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 with only the football competition starting before the rugby men’s tournament.
With two days of competition before the Opening Ceremony and a first set of medals awarded just the day after, rugby will launch Paris 2024 in style.
The men’s tournament will be historic, with either Fiji winning a third gold medal in a row or a new team crowned Olympic champions for the first time since Paris 1924. In the women’s tournament, Australia and New Zealand will aim for a second gold medal, however France, silver medallists at Tokyo 2020 and playing at home, will also be among the favourites.
Up to 80 000 spectators will be able to attend each session of rugby at the Stade de France, the venue that will also host athletics during the second week of the Olympic Games.
Find out the answers to the most asked questions about the qualification system of rugby for Paris 2024.
How many rugby players will compete at Paris 2024?
A total of 288 athletes (24 teams) will compete in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 rugby tournaments. 12 teams of 12 players will qualify for both the women's and men's tournaments.
It is exactly the same number of teams and athletes that have competed since Rio 2016 when rugby returned to the Olympic programme.
What is the rugby qualification pathway to Paris 2024?
The qualification process will be almost the same for men and women with only one slight difference. Read on for all the details.
Host-country: One quota per gender (24 athletes)
France, as the host country, are guaranteed a quota place in the men’s and women’s competition, on the sole condition that both teams are playing in World Rugby-approved international high-performance Rugby Sevens competitions, which is the case.
The 11 other quotas for each tournament will be allocated in three possible ways.
2022-2023 World Rugby Sevens World Series: Four quotas per gender (96 athletes)
The teams ranked 1 to 4 at the end of the 2022-2023 World Rugby Sevens World Series will obtain one quota place for their NOC for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Tournaments will be held from November 2022 to May 2023.
2023 World Rugby Regional Association Olympic Qualification Tournaments: Six quotas per gender (144 athletes)
An Olympic Qualification Tournament will be organised by every World Rugby Regional Association between 31 May 2023 and 31 December 2023. The winner of each of the designated tournaments will earn a quota place for their NOC for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The teams that have already qualified for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 through the World Rugby Sevens World Series will not be eligible to participate in the Regional Olympic Qualification tournaments unless otherwise agreed by World Rugby.
The quota distribution will be as follow:
- Africa: One quota per gender
- Asia: One quota per gender
- Europe: One quota per gender
- North America: One quota per gender
- Oceania: One quota per gender
- South America: One quota per gender
The only difference between men’s and women’s qualification process relates to the Regional Olympic Qualification tournaments. If two teams from North America qualify through the World Rugby Sevens World Series for Women, the regional place will be added to the Final Olympic Repechage Tournament.
Final Olympic Repechage Tournament: One quota per gender (24 athletes)
The Final Olympic Repechage Tournament will be held between the end of the Regional Qualification process and 23 June 2024 and will offer one quota place per gender. 12 teams per gender will qualify for this event. They will be selected according to the ranking from the 2023 Regional Qualification Tournaments as follows:
- Africa: Two teams per gender
- Asia: Two teams per gender
- Europe: Two teams per gender
- North America: Two teams per gender
- Oceania: Two teams per gender
- South America: Two teams per gender
Teams that have already earned a quota for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will not be eligible to participate in the Final Olympic Repechage Tournament. In case two North American women’s team have qualified through the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series, the next highest-ranked NOC in the Final Olympic Repechage Tournament will qualify a quota for Paris 2024.
What is the Paris 2024 rugby competition schedule?
Rugby will be one of the main highlights at the beginning of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Six days of competition are scheduled at the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis.
The men’s tournament will begin before the Opening Ceremony. The pool Phase and quarter-finals are scheduled on 24 and 25 July. The semi-finals, classification matches and medal events are scheduled on 27 July.
The women’s tournament will follow from 29 July to 31 July.
READ MORE: Olympic Games Paris 2024 sports calendar released
Rugby athletes to watch at Paris 2024
In the men’s tournament, Fiji are undefeated since rugby returned to the Olympic programme at Rio 2016. Jerry Tuway's team won gold at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. New Zealand will no doubt challenge them for the title of Olympic champions after losing the final in Tokyo 2020. Caleb Tangitau and Akuila Rokolisoa are among their stars.
Great Britain have reached the semi-finals at the two last Olympic Games and will once again attempt to finish on the podium. At home, France will be hoping for a first medal thanks to young players such as Paulin Riva, Jordan Sepho and Nelson Epee.
In the women’s tournament, France reached the final at Tokyo 2020. Their biggest star in Japan was Anne-Cecile Ciofani, the World Rugby player of the year. Les Bleues were eventually beaten by New Zealand in final.
Michaela Blyde and Tyla Nathan-Wong helped the Black Ferns finish one step higher than in Rio 2016 where Australia were crowned champions. Charlotte Caslick is one of the 2016 Olympic champions still playing in the World Series for Australia.
Rugby qualification timeline to Paris 2024
- TBC by 30 May 2023: 2022/23 World Rugby Sevens Series completed
- TBC within three days after the event: World Rugby confirms in writing to the NOCs the quota places obtained
- TBC two weeks after the event: The NOCs confirm to the World Rugby the use of the allocated quota places
- TBC within five days after the previous step: World Rugby to reallocate all unused quota places
- TBC by 31 December 2023: World Rugby Regional Association Olympic Qualification Tournaments completed
- TBC within three days after the event: World Rugby confirms in writing to the NOCs the quota places obtained
- TBC two weeks after the event: The NOCs confirm to the World Rugby the use of the allocated quota places
- TBC within five days after the previous step: World Rugby to reallocate all unused quota places
- TBC by 23 June 2024: Final Olympic Repechage tournaments
- TBC within three days after the event: World Rugby confirms in writing to the NOCs the quota places obtained
- TBC two weeks after the event: The NOCs confirm to the World Rugby the use of the allocated quota places
- TBC within five days after the previous step: World Rugby to reallocate all unused quota places
- 8 July 2024: Paris 2024 Sport Entries deadline
- 26 July - 11 August: Olympic Games Paris 2024
Find out more about the qualification system for other sports that will feature at Paris 2024.