The FIVB published the final list of participants for the 2027 men's World Championship on Monday, 19 October 2026. Thirty-two teams will play in Poland in September 2027, with the host and reigning champion Italy joining 15 continental qualifiers and 15 teams picked by world ranking. Italy will try to keep the trophy it won after titles in 2022 and 2025. Poland, the host, is going for a fourth world title after its earlier wins in 1974, 2014 and 2018, and it is hosting the tournament for the third time. The 32-team format is only the second in the event's history, following its debut in the Philippines in 2025.
Fifteen teams earned their places through continental championships. Asia sends Japan, Iran and South Korea, while Africa is represented by Tunisia, Cameroon and Algeria. Europe has France, Finland and Slovenia, South America has Brazil, Argentina and Chile, and the NORCECA zone supplies the United States, Canada and Cuba. Japan, Tunisia, Brazil and the United States top their continental lists. Poland won European gold, so France, second at the European Championship, is the first European name on the qualified list.
The last 15 places went to the highest-ranked teams not already qualified, using the FIVB ranking updated on 16 October 2026. That group comprises Bulgaria, Germany, Ukraine, Belgium, Turkey, Serbia, Czech Republic, Greece, Romania, Netherlands, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Denmark, Egypt and Estonia. Twelve of those 15 come from Europe. Denmark returns to the medal race after 61 years, and Estonia, ranked 30th, is making its debut in the tournament.
The Netherlands qualified after a group-stage exit at the European Championship in September, which dropped the team to 23rd in the ranking. Coach Joel Banks leads a side that will make its 15th World Championship appearance, having reached the final in 1994 and finished 13th at the last world finals, held last year. Romania's place was secured in September during the European Championship, where it lost 0-3 to France in the quarterfinals and finished eighth. Coach Sergiu Stancu's side is ranked 22nd.
The FIVB communiqué does not mention Russia. Russia placed third in the ranking behind Poland and Italy, which would normally guarantee a place. Earlier, the FIVB said the Russian federation had notified it that it voluntarily chose not to take part in the 2027 men's World Championship. Stanisław Szewczenko, who heads the Russian volleyball federation, later pushed the matter further and directed criticism at Poland, saying the withdrawal was made on security grounds and that the tournament would be overly politicised. A Russian appearance in Poland had already drawn heavy controversy because of Russia's war after its invasion of Ukraine.
Five cities will stage matches: Gdańsk, Katowice, Łódź, Olsztyn and Kraków. The first four host the initial-phase matches, while the semifinals and medal matches go to the Tauron Arena in Kraków. The 32 teams split into eight pools of four, and the top two in each pool reach the round of 16. The knockout rounds run to the final and the bronze-medal match. The tournament also offers one of the last chances to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, with three places reserved for the best teams. Dutch women have already qualified for their own 2027 world championship, scheduled from 20 August to 5 September in the United States and Canada, and the draws for both events are due later this year.
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The FIVB published the final list on Monday, 19 October 2026, filling 15 places through the world ranking alongside Poland, Italy and 15 continental qualifiers. Russia does not appear in the communiqué despite its third-place ranking.
AI text based on reports by NOS, sport.interia.pl, ANSA.it and other publishers. Published .