Volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's qualification explained

The qualification for the 2020 men's Olympic volleyball tournament allocated twelve teams quota spots: the hosts, the winners in each of the six pools of Intercontinental Qualifying Tournament, and five continental Olympic qualification tournament winners. Teams already qualified for the event are not eligible to play in the following qualification tournaments.

Qualification summary

Eventstyle-"width:23%" DatesVenue(s)QuotaQualifier(s)
Host nation[1] 1
Intercontinental QualifierPool A9–11 August 2019 Varna1
Pool B Rotterdam1
Pool C Bari1
Pool D GdańskSopot1
Pool E Saint Petersburg1 ROC
Pool F Ningbo1
European Qualifier5–10 January 2020 Berlin1
Asian Qualifier7–12 January 2020 Jiangmen1
African Qualifier7–11 January 2020 Cairo1
South American Qualifier10–12 January 2020 Mostazal1
North American Qualifier10–12 January 2020 Vancouver1
Total12

Timeline

ConfederationTournamentstyle-"width:25%" DateVenueTeams
FIVB (Intercontinental)Intercontinental Olympic QualifierPool A9–11 August 2019 Varna4
Pool B9–11 August 2019 Rotterdam4
Pool C9–11 August 2019 Bari4
Pool D9–11 August 2019 GdańskSopot4
Pool E9–11 August 2019 Saint Petersburg4
Pool F9–11 August 2019 Ningbo4
CAVB (Africa)7–11 January 2020 Cairo5
AVC (Asia and Oceania)Asian Championship Western Asia Qualifier 17–21 July 2019 Muscat3
13–21 September 2019 Tehran15+1
7–12 January 2020 Jiangmen8
CEV (Europe)5–10 January 2020 Berlin8
NORCECA (North America)22–24 August 2019 Colorado Springs4
2–7 September 2019 Winnipeg5+1+1
10–12 January 2020 Vancouver4
CSV (South America)10–14 September 2019 Mostazal6+2
10–12 January 2020 Mostazal4

Pool standing procedure

For all qualification tournaments except North American qualification tournament

  1. Total number of victories (matches won, matches lost)
  2. In the event of a tie, the following first tiebreaker will apply: The teams will be ranked by the most points gained per match as follows:
    • Match won 3–0 or 3–1: 3 points for the winner, 0 points for the loser
    • Match won 3–2: 2 points for the winner, 1 point for the loser
    • Match forfeited: 3 points for the winner, 0 points (0–25, 0–25, 0–25) for the loser
  3. If teams are still tied after examining the number of victories and points gained, then the FIVB will examine the results in order to break the tie in the following order:
    • Sets quotient: if two or more teams are tied on the number of points gained, they will be ranked by the quotient resulting from the division of the number of all sets won by the number of all sets lost.
    • Points quotient: if the tie persists based on the sets quotient, the teams will be ranked by the quotient resulting from the division of all points scored by the total of points lost during all sets.
    • If the tie persists based on the points quotient, the tie will be broken based on the team that won the match of the Round Robin Phase between the tied teams. When the tie in points quotient is between three or more teams, these teams ranked taking into consideration only the matches involving the teams in question.

For North American qualification tournament only

  1. Total number of victories (matches won, matches lost)
  2. In the event of a tie, the following first tiebreaker will apply: The teams will be ranked by the most points gained per match as follows:
    • Match won 3–0: 5 points for the winner, 0 points for the loser
    • Match won 3–1: 4 points for the winner, 1 point for the loser
    • Match won 3–2: 3 points for the winner, 2 point for the loser
    • Match forfeited: 5 points for the winner, 0 points (0–25, 0–25, 0–25) for the loser
  3. If teams are still tied after examining the number of victories and points gained, then the NORCECA will examine the results in order to break the tie in the following order:
    • Points quotient: if two or more teams are tied on the number of points gained, they will be ranked by the quotient resulting from the division of all points scored by the total of points lost during all sets.
    • Sets quotient: if the tie persists based on the points quotient, the teams will be ranked by the quotient resulting from the division of the number of all sets won by the number of all sets lost.
    • If the tie persists based on the sets quotient, the tie will be broken based on the team that won the match of the Round Robin Phase between the tied teams. When the tie in sets quotient is between three or more teams, these teams ranked taking into consideration only the matches involving the teams in question.

Host country

FIVB reserved a berth for the 2020 Summer Olympics host country to participate in the tournament.

Intercontinental Olympic Qualification Tournaments

Qualification round

Twenty-four teams qualified for the competition as the top twenty-four teams of FIVB World Ranking on 1 October 2018[2] (except Japan who qualified as hosts for the 2020 Summer Olympics.).[3] [4]

Qualified for the 2019 Intercontinental Olympic Qualifier
Already qualified as hosts for the 2020 Summer Olympics
SeedingTeamWC 2015OG 2016WL 2017WCH 2018Total
1801004590315
2100804080300
390902462266
4805032100262
570703856234
630504245167
750502833161
825502636137
90305050130
10023870110
402203092
1101344580
12530103075
1302304072
1400185068
1553193663
1600224062
1702003050
1801133347
1902172544
2002061440
215352538
220203032
2300161228
230302528

Final round

See main article: 2019 FIVB Volleyball Men's Intercontinental Olympic Qualification Tournaments.

Means of qualification

width=10px bgcolor=#ccffccQualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics

Pool F

Continental Olympic Qualification Tournaments

Africa

Qualified teams

of the 53 CAVB and IOC member associations, a total of 5 CAVB member national teams entered the qualifying stage. But, Ghana were disqualified for not arriving in Cairo until just before the beginning of the tournament. All of Ghana's matches were forfeited and Ghana were ranked in last place in the final standing.

Final round
width=100%Round robin

Final round

See main article: Volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's African qualification.

Of the 4 qualified teams, only winners of this round qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Means of qualification
width=10px bgcolor=#ccffccQualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics
Round robin

Asia and Oceania

Qualified teams

Of the 61 AVC and IOC member associations, a total of 18 AVC member national teams entered the qualifying stage

Zonal qualification round
width=100%Pool WZ
Inter-zonal qualification round
width=50%Pool Awidth=50%Pool B
width=50%Pool Cwidth=50%Pool D
Final round
width=50%Pool Awidth=50%Pool B
Notes
  • Teams in bold qualified for the next phase and final tournament.
  • (H): Qualification group hosts
  • Kazakhstan replaced Pakistan who withdrew from the final round.

Zonal qualification round

Of the 3 western zone teams, top two teams qualified to the next round.

Means of qualification
width=10px bgcolor=#ccffccQualified for the 2019 Asian Championship
Western Asia

Inter-zonal qualification round

See main article: 2019 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship.

Of the 16 qualified teams, the top eight teams (excluding Japan) qualified for the next round.

Means of qualification
width=10px bgcolor=#ccffccQualified for the 2020 Asian Olympic Qualifier
width=10px bgcolor=#dfefffQualified for the 2020 Asian Olympic Qualifier playoffs
width=10px bgcolor=#87ceebAlready qualified as hosts for the 2020 Summer Olympics
9th–12th places round
  • Note: Kazakhstan replaced Pakistan, who withdrew from the final round.

Final round

See main article: Volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's Asian qualification.

Of the 8 qualified teams, only the winners of this round qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Means of qualification
width=10px bgcolor=#ccffccQualified for the 2020 Asian Olympic Qualifier semifinals
Final four

Europe

Qualification round

The hosts Germany and the top seven ranked teams from the CEV European Ranking as of 30 September 2019 which had not yet qualified to the 2020 Summer Olympics competed in the 2020 European Olympic Qualification Tournament.

width=10px bgcolor=#ccffccQualified for the 2020 European Olympic Qualifier
width=10px bgcolor=#87ceebAlready qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics via the 2019 Intercontinental Olympic Qualifier
Seeding TeamTotal
1100964848292
921004446282
96825042270
294844250270
90924638266
384943844260
498863636256
580903640246
682744234232
H86982818230
776882030214

Final round

See main article: Volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's European qualification.

Of the 8 qualified teams, only the winners of this round qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Means of qualification
width=10px bgcolor=#ccffccQualified for the 2020 European Olympic Qualifier semifinals
Final four

North America

Qualified teams

Of the 35 NORCECA and IOC member associations, a total of 7 NORCECA member national teams entered the qualifying stage

Qualification round – NORCECA Champions Cup
width=100%Round robin
Qualification round – NORCECA Championship
width=50%Pool Awidth=50%Pool B
Final round
width=100%Round robin
Notes
  • Teams in bold qualified for the next phase and final tournament.
  • (H): Qualification group hosts

Qualification round

See main article: 2019 Men's NORCECA Volleyball Champions Cup.

The 2019 NORCECA Champions Cup champions and the top three teams from the 2019 NORCECA Championship which had not yet qualified to the 2020 Summer Olympics competed in the 2020 North American Olympic Qualification Tournament.

Means of qualification
width=10px bgcolor=#ccffccQualified for the 2020 North American Olympic Qualifier
width=10px bgcolor=#dfefffQualified for the 2020 North American Olympic Qualifier playoffs
width=10px bgcolor=#87ceebAlready qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics via the 2019 Intercontinental Olympic Qualifier
NORCECA Champions Cup – Round robin
Team
1 (Q) 312
2 (H)37
336
435
Source: NORCECA
(H) Host; (Q) Qualified to the phase indicated.
NORCECA Championship – Pool A
Team
1 (H, Q)210
225
320
Source: NORCECA
(H) Host; (Q) Qualified to the phase indicated.
NORCECA Championship – Pool B
Team
1315
2310
334
431
Source: NORCECA
(Q) Qualified to the phase indicated.
NORCECA Championship – Final round

Final round

See main article: Volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's North American qualification.

Of the 4 qualified teams, only winners of this round qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Means of qualification
width=10px bgcolor=#ccffccQualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics
Round robin
Team
1 (H, Q)313
2311
335
431
Source: FIVB
(H) Host; (Q) Qualified to the phase indicated.

South America

Qualified teams

Of the 11 CSV and IOC member associations, a total of 8 CSV member national teams entered the qualifying stage

Qualification round
width=50%Pool Awidth=50%Pool B
Final round
width=100%Round robin
Notes
  • Teams in bold qualified for the next phase and final tournament.
  • (H): Qualification group hosts

Qualification round

See main article: 2019 Men's South American Volleyball Championship.

The top four teams from the 2019 South American Championship which had not yet qualified to the 2020 Summer Olympics competed in the 2020 South American Olympic Qualification Tournament.

Means of qualification
width=10px bgcolor=#ccffccQualified for the 2020 South American Olympic Qualifier
width=10px bgcolor=#dfefffQualified for the 2020 South American Olympic Qualifier playoffs
width=10px bgcolor=#87ceebAlready qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics via the 2019 Intercontinental Olympic Qualifier
5th–8th places round

Final round

See main article: Volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's South American qualification.

Of the 4 qualified teams, only winners of this round qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Means of qualification
width=10px bgcolor=#ccffccQualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics
Round robin

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Host city election for the Olympic Summer Games 2020 . . 13 January 2020.
  2. Web site: 1 October 2018. FIVB Senior World Ranking - Men (as of 1 October 2018). 17 November 2018. FIVB.
  3. Web site: 23 September 2018. Qualification System – Games of the XXXII Olympiad – Tokyo 2020. 17 November 2018. FIVB.
  4. Web site: 30 January 2019. Intercontinental Olympic qualification tournament hosts announced. 10 August 2019. FIVB.