Volleyball at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's qualification
The qualification for the 2016 Men's Olympic Volleyball Tournament was held from 8 September 2015 to 5 June 2016. Twelve teams qualified, the hosts, the FIVB World Cup champions and runners-up, five continental Olympic qualification tournament champions and four teams from two World Olympic qualification tournaments. Teams already qualified for the event were not eligible to play in the following qualification tournaments.
Qualification summary
Means of qualification
Pool standing procedure
For all qualification tournaments except North and South American qualification tournaments
Number of matches won
Match points
Sets ratio
Points ratio
Result of the last match between the tied teams
Match won 3–0 or 3–1: 3 match points for the winner, 0 match points for the loser
Match won 3–2: 2 match points for the winner, 1 match point for the loser For North American qualification tournament only
Number of matches won
Match points
Points ratio
Sets ratio
Result of the last match between the tied teams
Match won 3–0: 5 match points for the winner, 0 match points for the loser
Match won 3–1: 4 match points for the winner, 1 match point for the loser
Match won 3–2: 3 match points for the winner, 2 match points for the loser For South American qualification tournament only
Match points
Sets ratio
Points ratio
Result of the last match between the tied teams
2 match points for the winner, 1 match point for the loser
Host country
reserved a vacancy for the 2016 Summer Olympics host country to participate in the tournament.
The winners qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The second and third ranked teams qualified for the [|2016 2nd World Olympic Qualification Tournament].
Asia and Oceania
The 2016 Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament combined with [|2016 1st World Olympic Qualification Tournament]. The hosts Japan and the top three ranked teams except Japan from the FIVB World Ranking as of October 2015 competed in this tournament. The top ranked among the four teams qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics as the 2016 Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament winners.
Europe
The hosts Germany and the top seven ranked teams from the CEV European Ranking as of 19 October 2015 which had not yet qualified to the 2016 Summer Olympics competed in the 2016 European Olympic Qualification Tournament.
The winners qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The second and third ranked teams qualified for the 2016 1st World Olympic Qualification Tournament.
North America
The top four teams from the 2015 NORCECA Championship competed in the 2016 North American Olympic Qualification Tournament.
The winners qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The runners-up qualified for the 2016 1st World Olympic Qualification Tournament, whereas the third ranked team qualified for the 2016 2nd World Olympic Qualification Tournament.
The winners qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The runners-up qualified for the 2016 1st World Olympic Qualification Tournament, whereas the third ranked team qualified for the 2016 2nd World Olympic Qualification Tournament.
World qualification tournaments
There were 2 tournaments to get 5 remaining spots in the 2016 Summer Olympics. Only the teams which had not yet qualified from the 3 events above played in the tournaments. 12 teams had rights to play in the tournaments, Japan as the hosts of the 1st tournament, the top three Asian teams except Japan from the FIVB World Ranking as of October 2015 and the second and third ranked teams from continental qualification tournaments. The 1st tournament was combined with the 2016 Asian Olympic qualification tournament which played in Japan. The best ranked Asian team qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The best three ranked teams, excluding the best Asian team, also secured the vacancies in the 2016 Summer Olympics. The 2nd tournament which was held in Mexico consisted of 4 teams, and only the best ranked team took the last spot for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The table below showed the allocation of 12 qualified teams.