2027 Women's Volleyball World Cup Qualifiers: 18 Teams Secure Berths, Remaining Spots Awaited

All five women's volleyball continental qualifying events have concluded, meaning the first phase of the qualification process for the 2027 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Cup is complete. As of now, 18 of the 32 participating teams have been determined. In addition to defending champions Italy and co-hosts Canada and the United States, 15 other women's national teams have secured their spots through continental qualification: Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Japan, Kenya, Poland, Puerto Rico, Serbia, Thailand, and Turkey. According to the tournament format, each continental confederation has three berths for the 2027 World Cup. These berths are awarded to the best-performing teams at the respective continental championships in 2026. The first three berths were awarded to Italy as the 2026 world champion, along with Canada and the United States, the two host nations for the 2027 edition. Thus, a total of 18 teams have qualified, and the remaining 14 spots will be determined through other pathways in due course. NORCECA (North, Central America and Caribbean) The 2026 NORCECA Women's Volleyball Continental Championship took place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. There, Cuba and the Dominican Republic advanced to the semifinals alongside World Cup hosts Canada and the USA (who already had automatic berths). This secured Cuba and the Dominican Republic the first continental tickets to next year's global event. Ultimately, they finished third and fourth, respectively. Fifth-placed Puerto Rico also earned a World Cup berth as the next best team, completing NORCECA's three slots. Notably, this is Puerto Rico's first World Cup appearance since 2026, highlighting the significant progress of their women's volleyball. AVC (Asia) At the 2026 AVC Women's Volleyball Asian Championship held in Tianjin, China, Thailand and China advanced to the gold medal match. Thailand went on to win the continental title, while the mighty hosts China had to settle for second place. Both teams qualified for the 2027 World Cup. Japan, which won the bronze medal match in Tianjin, also secured a World Cup berth, completing Asia's three representatives. This outcome was not surprising as these three teams are among the top in the continent and the world. Thailand with its fast, technical style has asserted its position, while China and Japan have always been traditional powers in Asian women's volleyball. CAVB (Africa) At the 2026 CAVB Women's Volleyball African Nations Championship held in Nairobi, Kenya, Egypt and Kenya were the first teams to secure tickets to the World Cup in Canada and the USA. They achieved this by reaching the tournament final. Egypt went on to top the podium, while the host nation had to settle for runner-up. Cameroon, which won the continental bronze medal in Nairobi, claimed Africa's third ticket to the World Cup. The presence of these three teams shows that African women's volleyball is developing and making significant strides. CEV (Europe) Three European teams booked their World Cup tickets after advancing to the semifinals of the 2026 CEV Women's Volleyball European Championship along with already qualified defending champions Italy. This meant that the other three semifinalists – Serbia, Poland, and Turkey – secured the three continental berths for next year's premier event. Turkey, Italy, and Serbia, in that order, stood on the EuroVolley podium in Istanbul. This is the most competitive region, as teams like the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium failed to qualify and will have to wait for opportunities via the world ranking. CSV (South America) At the end of the penultimate competition day at the 2026 CSV Women's Volleyball South American Championship in Rio de Janeiro, the three teams that would book tickets to the 2027 World Cup were already known – Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia. In that order, on the following day, they claimed gold, silver, and bronze medals of the continental tournament. Brazil continues to assert its absolute strength in South America, while Argentina and Colombia have also shown remarkable improvement. Remaining Spots and Prospects Thus, after the continental qualifiers concluded, 18 teams have secured their places at the 2027 World Cup. The remaining 14 spots will be determined through other pathways, including the world ranking and possibly additional qualifying tournaments. For teams without a ticket yet, the opportunity remains, but they will need to strive continuously in the coming time to be able to participate in the biggest volleyball festival on the planet. The 2027 Women's Volleyball World Cup will be the first time the tournament is held with 32 participating teams, a major change from previous editions. The tournament will take place in Canada and the United States, promising top-level matches and opportunities for emerging teams. With 18 teams already determined, the race for the remaining 14 spots promises to be highly intense. Teams like the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and other strong European sides without a ticket will have to compete fiercely. Meanwhile, other continents also have potential representatives waiting for their chance. For world women's volleyball, the presence of the 18 strongest teams from all continents shows the increasing competitiveness. Teams like Italy, Serbia, Brazil, the USA, and China are always top contenders for the title. However, the rise of teams like Turkey, Poland, Japan, and Thailand also promises surprises. Vietnamese volleyball fans are particularly interested in the Asian region, where Thailand has excellently secured a ticket and China and Japan are also present. The Vietnam women's team has not yet qualified for the 2027 World Cup, but the achievements of teams in the region are motivation for Vietnamese women's volleyball to continue striving. In summary, the 2027 Women's Volleyball World Cup qualifiers have passed the halfway mark. 18 teams have secured their spots, and the race for the remaining 14 will continue in the coming time. The tournament promises to be an exciting sports event, gathering the strongest teams in the world.