2027 Women's Volleyball World Cup: 18 Teams Secure Their Places as Continental Qualifying Concludes

2027 WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL WORLD CUP: 18 TEAMS SECURE THEIR PLACES AS CONTINENTAL QUALIFYING CONCLUDES All five women's volleyball continental qualifying events are now over, completing the first phase of the qualification process for the 2027 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Cup. As many as 18 of the 32 participating teams are now known. Alongside defending champions Italy and co-host nations Canada and USA, the women's national teams of Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Japan, Kenya, Poland, Puerto Rico, Serbia, Thailand and Turkiye have secured their spots - three per confederation - through their continental qualification pathways. The first three berths were reserved for Italy as winners of the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship, and for Canada and the United States of America, who will welcome the 2027 edition as tournament hosts. NORCECA: By reaching the semifinals of the 2026 NORCECA Women's Continental Championship in Santo Domingo along with World Cup hosts Canada and USA, Cuba and the Dominican Republic secured the first continental tickets. They eventually finished third and fourth in the final standings and were joined by fifth-placed Puerto Rico as World Cup qualifiers. ASIA: Thailand and China earned the next tickets by advancing to the gold medal match of the 2026 AVC Women's Asian Championship in Tianjin. Thailand went on to snatch the continental crown, leaving the hosts in second place. Japan won the bronze medal match and also qualified. AFRICA: Egypt and Kenya were the first African teams to secure passage, progressing to the final of the 2026 CAVB Women's African Nations Championship in Nairobi. Egypt topped the podium while Kenya settled for runner-up. Cameroon claimed the continental bronze and Africa's third ticket. EUROPE: Three European teams booked their tickets after advancing to the 2026 CEV Women's European Championship semifinals alongside already qualified defending champions Italy. Serbia, Poland and Turkiye picked up the three continental berths. Turkiye, Italy and Serbia, in that order, lined up on the EuroVolley podium in Istanbul. SOUTH AMERICA: At the end of the penultimate competition day at the 2026 CSV Women's South American Championship in Rio de Janeiro, the three teams that would book tickets were already known - Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. In that order on the following day, they finished as gold, silver and bronze medalists. With 18 places filled, 14 spots remain for the 2027 World Cup, which will be staged in Canada and the United States with an expanded field of 32 teams.