Olympic Games 2023/24

The Olympic volleyball tournament stands as the premier international contest for the sport, distinct from club competitions such as the CEV Champions League because participants represent nations based on citizenship. Volleyball became an official medal sport at the Summer Olympics in 1964 in Tokyo, having previously appeared as a demonstration event in 1924. The competition is governed internationally by the FIVB, which was founded in 1947, while the broader Games are overseen by the International Olympic Committee, established in 1894.

The current format, set in 2004, divides twelve teams per gender into two pools of six for a round-robin stage, with the top four from each group advancing to knockout quarterfinals. This structure replaced an earlier single-pool system used between 1964 and 1968. Qualification involves a multi-year process including the host nation’s automatic spot, continental championships, and FIVB world rankings, with no promotion or relegation. Beach volleyball joined the program in 1996.

France won its second consecutive men’s gold medal at the Paris 2024 Games, having also secured victory in Tokyo 2020. Italy claimed its first-ever Olympic gold in women’s volleyball by defeating the USA. Brazil leads the men’s all-time medal count with three golds, shared with the USA and the Soviet Union. In the women’s tournament, Cuba, Brazil, China, and the Soviet Union each hold three gold medals. The Olympics are regarded as the highest honor in volleyball, surpassing the FIVB World Championship in prestige.