Beach volleyball, a variant of the traditional indoor volleyball, is played by two teams of two players each. The sport made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games and has since become a popular event at the Olympics[3].
Rules of Play
Each match begins with a serve that must clear the net in one hit.
After the serve, each team is allowed to touch the ball three times before it must go back over the net. Teammates must alternate shots, and a player cannot hit the ball twice in a row, except if they block a ball at the net, in which case they can hit the next shot as well[1][3].
A point ends when the ball touches the ground (either in- or out-of-bounds), a team hits the ball more than three times, or a player touches the ball twice in a row illegally. A point also ends if a player touches the net[1].
Scoring and Match Length
Olympic beach volleyball matches follow a best two-out-of-three set format. The first two sets are played to 21 points, with each team needing to win by two to secure the set. If the teams are tied after the first two sets, a third set is played to 15 points, with the winning team needing to win by two points[1][2][3].
Competition Format
The Olympic beach volleyball competition consists of two stages: preliminary rounds and single elimination.
In the preliminary rounds, 24 teams in each gender are divided into six pools of four teams each. Teams play each other in a round-robin format, with the top two teams from each pool and the top two third-place teams advancing to the elimination round. The remaining four third-place teams compete in a “lucky loser” playoff to join the elimination round[2][4].
Qualification
Teams qualify for the Olympics through several methods:
The host country, France, receives one team spot in each gender.
The top teams from the 2023 Beach Volleyball World Championships receive automatic quota spots.
The top 17 teams in each gender, based on the FIVB Olympic Ranking from January 1, 2023, to June 10, 2024, earn spots.
The last five spots in each gender are determined through Continental Olympic Tournaments[2][5].
Single Elimination Round
After the preliminary rounds, the competition transitions to a single-elimination format. The winner of each match progresses, while the loser is eliminated. This format continues until the semifinals, where the winners compete for the gold and silver medals, and the losers play for the bronze medal[2][4].
Schedule and Venue
The beach volleyball matches at the 2024 Paris Olympics will take place from July 27 to August 10 at the Eiffel Tower Stadium.
Each day will feature multiple sessions, including morning, afternoon, and evening sessions, with a total of 10 matches per day during the pool stage[4].
Most Important Facts About Olympic Beach Volleyball for 2024
Teams and Players: 24 teams in each gender, with two players per team.
Qualification: Teams qualify through the 2023 World Championships, FIVB Olympic Ranking, and Continental Olympic Tournaments.
Preliminary Rounds: Round-robin format in six pools of four teams each.
Match Format: Best two-out-of-three sets; first two sets to 21 points, third set to 15 points if necessary.
Scoring: Rally scoring, where the team that wins the point also wins the right to serve the next point.
Single Elimination: After preliminary rounds, teams compete in a single-elimination format until the medal matches.
Venue and Dates: Eiffel Tower Stadium, July 27 to August 10, 2024.
Competition Stages: Preliminary rounds followed by single-elimination rounds, culminating in semifinals and medal matches.
