# 2018 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship qualification

The 2018 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship featured 24 teams. Three places were allocated to the hosts, Italy and Bulgaria and the titleholder, Poland. The remaining 21 places were determined by a qualification process, in which entrants from among the other teams from the five FIVB confederations competed.

## Qualified teams

| Country | Confederation | Qualified as | Qualified on | Previous appearances | Previous appearances | Previous appearances | Previous best performance |
| Country | Confederation | Qualified as | Qualified on | Total | First | Last | Previous best performance |
| Italy | CEV | Host country | 9 December 2015 | 16 | 1949 | 2014 | Champions (1990, 1994, 1998) |
| Bulgaria | CEV | Host country | 9 December 2015 | 17 | 1949 | 2014 | Runners-up (1970) |
| Poland | CEV | Defending champions | 21 September 2014 | 16 | 1949 | 2014 | Champions (1974, 2014) |
| Serbia | CEV | CEV Second Round Pool E winners | 27 May 2017 | 9 | 1956 | 2014 | Runners-up (1998) |
| Netherlands | CEV | CEV Second Round Pool B winners | 28 May 2017 | 11 | 1949 | 2002 | Runners-up (1994) |
| Slovenia | CEV | CEV Second Round Pool C winners | 28 May 2017 | 0 | None | None | None |
| Finland | CEV | CEV Second Round Pool F winners | 28 May 2017 | 7 | 1952 | 2014 | 9th place (2014) |
| Russia | CEV | CEV Second Round Pool D winners | 28 May 2017 | 18 | 1949 | 2014 | Champions (1949, 1952, 1960, 1962, 1978, 1982) |
| France | CEV | CEV Second Round Pool A winners | 28 May 2017 | 15 | 1949 | 2014 | 3rd place (2002) |
| Japan | AVC | AVC Final Round Pool B winners | 15 July 2017 | 14 | 1960 | 2010 | 3rd place (1970, 1974) |
| Australia | AVC | AVC Final Round Pool B runners-up | 16 July 2017 | 6 | 1982 | 2014 | 15th place (2014) |
| Belgium | CEV | CEV Third Round Pool G winners | 23 July 2017 | 8 | 1949 | 2014 | 8th place (1970) |
| Brazil | CSV | 2017 South American champions | 11 August 2017 | 16 | 1956 | 2014 | Champions (2002, 2006, 2010) |
| China | AVC | AVC Final Round Pool A runners-up | 13 August 2017 | 13 | 1956 | 2014 | 7th place (1978, 1982) |
| Iran | AVC | AVC Final Round Pool A winners | 13 August 2017 | 5 | 1970 | 2014 | 6th place (2014) |
| Argentina | CSV | CSV Qualifier winners | 2 September 2017 | 11 | 1960 | 2014 | 3rd place (1982) |
| Dominican Republic | NORCECA | 2017 NORCECA runners-up | 30 September 2017 | 1 | 1974 | 1974 | 22nd place (1974) |
| United States | NORCECA | 2017 NORCECA champions | 30 September 2017 | 15 | 1956 | 2014 | Champions (1986) |
| Canada | NORCECA | 2017 NORCECA 3rd place | 1 October 2017 | 10 | 1974 | 2014 | 7th place (2014) |
| Tunisia | CAVB | 2017 African champions | 27 October 2017 | 9 | 1962 | 2014 | 15th place (2006) |
| Egypt | CAVB | 2017 African runners-up | 27 October 2017 | 8 | 1974 | 2014 | 13th place (2010) |
| Cameroon | CAVB | 2017 African 3rd place | 29 October 2017 | 3 | 1990 | 2014 | 13th place (2010) |
| Puerto Rico | NORCECA | NORCECA Final Four winners | 12 November 2017 | 4 | 1974 | 2014 | 12th place (2006) |
| Cuba | NORCECA | NORCECA Final Four runners-up | 12 November 2017 | 14 | 1956 | 2014 | Runners-up (1990, 2010) |

### Notes

    $^1$ Competed as SFR Yugoslavia from 1956 to 1990 and as Serbia and Montenegro (FR Yugoslavia) from 1994 to 2006; 3rd appearance as Serbia.
    $^2$ Competed as Soviet Union from 1949 to 1990; 7th appearance as Russia.

## Qualification process

The distribution by confederation for the 2018 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship was:
* Asia and Oceania (AVC): 4 places
* Africa (CAVB): 3 places
* Europe (CEV): 7 places (+ Italy and Bulgaria qualified automatically as host nations and Poland qualified automatically as the reigning champions for a total of 10 places)
* South America (CSV): 2 places
* North America (NORCECA): 5 places

### Summary of qualification

Qualifying end date :
| AVC | 20 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 15 September 2016 | 14 August 2017 |
| CAVB | 21 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 20 May 2017 | 29 October 2017 |
| CEV | 39+3 | 7+3 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 7+3 | 13 May 2016 | 23 July 2017 |
| CSV | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 7 August 2017 | 2 September 2017 |
| NORCECA | 39 | 5 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 9 July 2016 | 12 November 2017 |
| Total | 127+3 | 21+3 | 0 | 106 | 0 | 21+3 | 13 May 2016 | 12 November 2017 |
Note: CEV total includes +3 for Italy as co-hosts, Bulgaria as co-hosts, and Poland as reigning champions.

## Confederation qualification
### AVC
#### Teams

* Australia (final round → Qualified)
* Bangladesh (Subzonal Round)
* China (final round → Qualified)
* Chinese Taipei (Zonal Round → Final Round)
* Fiji (Zonal Round)
* Iran (final round → Qualified)
* Japan (final round → Qualified)
* Kazakhstan (Zonal Round → Final Round)
* Kyrgyzstan (Subzonal Round → Zonal Round)
* Macau (Zonal Round)
* Maldives (Subzonal Round)
* Myanmar (Zonal Round)
* New Zealand (Zonal Round → Final Round)
* Pakistan (Zonal Round)
* Qatar (Zonal Round → Final Round)
* South Korea (final round)
* Thailand (Zonal Round → Final Round)
* Tonga (Zonal Round)
* United Arab Emirates (Zonal Round)
* Vietnam (Zonal Round)

##### Withdrawal

* Afghanistan (Subzonal Round)
* Turkmenistan (Subzonal Round)

##### Suspension

* India (Zonal Round)

#### Final positions (final round)

The draw for the second round was held on 19 March 2017, at the Dusit Princess Srinakarin Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

### CAVB
#### Teams

* Algeria (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* Botswana (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* Cameroon (2017 African Championship → Qualified)
* Cape Verde (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* Chad (2017 African Championship)
* Congo (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* DR Congo (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* Egypt (2017 African Championship → Qualified)
* Ghana (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* Ivory Coast (first round)
* Kenya (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* Libya (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* Morocco (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* Mozambique (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* Niger (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* Nigeria (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* Rwanda (first round → 2017 African Championship)
* South Sudan (first round)
* Eswatini (first round)
* Tunisia (2017 African Championship → Qualified)
* Uganda (first round)

##### Withdrawal

* Burundi (First Round)
* Central African Republic (First Round)
* Gabon (First Round)
* Gambia (First Round)
* Lesotho (First Round)
* Madagascar (First Round)
* Malawi (First Round)
* Mauritius (First Round)
* Namibia (First Round)
* Senegal (First Round)
* Seychelles (First Round)
* Sudan (First Round)
* Tanzania (First Round)
* Zambia (2017 African Championship)
* Zimbabwe (First Round)

#### Final positions (2017 African Championship)
##### Play-offs semifinals

Winners qualified for Play-offs main round
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 26 Oct | 14:00 | Algeria | 3–0 | DR Congo | 25–19 | 25–13 | 25–19 | | | 75–51 |
| 26 Oct | 16:00 | Tunisia | 3–0 | Morocco | 25–21 | 25–17 | 25–22 | | | 75–60 |
| 26 Oct | 18:00 | Cameroon | 3–2 | Libya | 27–25 | 22–25 | 25–21 | 23–25 | 15–9 | 112–105 |
| 26 Oct | 20:00 | Egypt | 3–0 | Rwanda | 25–14 | 25–18 | 25–14 | | | 75–46 |

##### Play-offs main round

Winners qualified for 2018 World Championship Losers qualified for Play-offs second round
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 27 Oct | 19:00 | Algeria | 2–3 | Tunisia | 27–25 | 14–25 | 25–21 | 23–25 | 15–17 | 104–113 | |
| 27 Oct | 21:00 | Egypt | 3–0 | Cameroon | 26–24 | 25–22 | 25–23 | | | 76–69 | |

##### Play-offs second round

Winner qualified for 2018 World Championship
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 29 Oct | 18:00 | Cameroon | 3–1 | Algeria | 23–25 | 25–21 | 25–21 | 27–25 | | 100–92 | |

### CEV
#### Teams

* Andorra (first round)
* Austria (second round)
* Azerbaijan (second round)
* Belarus (second round → Third Round)
* Belgium (second round → Third Round → Qualified)
* Croatia (second round)
* Cyprus (first round → Second Round)
* Czech Republic (second round)
* Denmark (second round)
* Estonia (second round → Third Round)
* Faroe Islands (first round)
* Finland (second round → Qualified)
* France (second round → Qualified)
* Georgia (second round)
* Germany (second round → Third Round)
* Greece (second round)
* Hungary (second round)
* Iceland (first round → Second Round)
* Israel (second round)
* Kosovo (second round)
* Latvia (second round)
* Luxembourg (first round → Second Round)
* Moldova (second round)
* Montenegro (second round)
* Netherlands (second round → Qualified)
* Northern Ireland (first round → Second Round)
* Norway (second round)
* Portugal (second round)
* Romania (second round)
* Russia (second round → Qualified)
* Scotland (first round)
* Serbia (second round → Qualified)
* Slovakia (second round → Third Round)
* Slovenia (second round → Qualified)
* Spain (second round → Third Round)
* Sweden (second round)
* Switzerland (second round)
* Turkey (second round)
* Ukraine (second round)

#### Final positions (third round)
### CSV
#### Teams

* Argentina (2017 South American Championship → Qualification Tournament → Qualified)
* Brazil (2017 South American Championship → Qualified)
* Chile (2017 South American Championship → Qualification Tournament)
* Colombia (2017 South American Championship)
* Paraguay (2017 South American Championship)
* Peru (2017 South American Championship)
* Uruguay (2017 South American Championship)
* Venezuela (2017 South American Championship → Qualification Tournament)

#### Final positions (2017 South American Championship)
##### Play-offs semifinals

Winners qualified for Play-offs final
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 10 Aug | 18:30 | Brazil | 3–0 | Chile | 25–20 | 25–12 | 25–14 | | | 75–46 | Result |
| 10 Aug | 20:30 | Argentina | 2–3 | Venezuela | 24–26 | 25–15 | 26–24 | 24–26 | 13–15 | 112–106 | Result |

##### Play-offs final

Winners qualified for 2018 World Championship
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 11 Aug | 20:30 | Venezuela | 0–3 | Brazil | 21–25 | 6–25 | 18–25 | | | 45–75 | Result |

#### Final positions (qualification tournament)
### NORCECA
#### Teams

* Anguilla (first round → Second Round)
* Antigua and Barbuda (first round → Second Round)
* Aruba (first round)
* Bahamas (first round → Second Round)
* Barbados (second round)
* Belize (first round)
* Bermuda (first round)
* British Virgin Islands (first round)
* Canada (2017 NORCECA Championship → Qualified)
* Cayman Islands (first round)
* Costa Rica (2017 NORCECA Championship)
* Cuba (final Four → Qualified)
* Curaçao (first round → Second Round)
* Dominica (second round)
* Dominican Republic (first round → 2017 NORCECA Championship → Qualified)
* El Salvador (first round)
* Grenada (first round)
* Guadeloupe (first round)
* Guatemala (first round → 2017 NORCECA Championship → Final Four)
* Haiti (first round → Second Round)
* Honduras (first round)
* Jamaica (first round → Second Round)
* Martinique (first round → Second Round → 2017 NORCECA Championship)
* Mexico (2017 NORCECA Championship → Final Four)
* Montserrat (first round)
* Nicaragua (first round)
* Panama (first round)
* Puerto Rico (final Four → Qualified)
* Saint Kitts and Nevis (first round → Second Round)
* Saint Lucia (second round → 2017 NORCECA Championship)
* Saint Martin (first round → Second Round)
* Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (first round → Second Round → 2017 NORCECA Championship)
* Sint Eustatius (first round)
* Sint Maarten (first round → Second Round)
* Suriname (first round → Second Round)
* Trinidad and Tobago (second round → 2017 NORCECA Championship)
* Turks and Caicos Islands (first round)
* U.S. Virgin Islands (first round)
* United States (2017 NORCECA Championship → Qualified)

##### Withdrawal

* Bonaire (First Round)
* Saba (First Round)

#### Final positions (2017 NORCECA Championship)
##### Play-offs semifinals

Winners qualified for Play-offs main round
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 29 Sep | 17:00 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0–3 | Dominican Republic | 18–25 | 22–25 | 21–25 | | | 61–75 | P2 P3 |
| 29 Sep | 19:00 | United States | 3–0 | Costa Rica | 25–11 | 25–7 | 25–8 | | | 75–26 | P2 P3 |

##### Play-offs main round

Winners qualified for 2018 World Championship Losers qualified for Play-offs second round
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 30 Sep | 17:48 | Mexico | 0–3 | Dominican Republic | 20–25 | 23–25 | 23–25 | | | 66–75 | P2 P3 |
| 30 Sep | 19:25 | Canada | 0–3 | United States | 20–25 | 22–25 | 21–25 | | | 63–75 | P2 P3 |

##### Play-offs second round

Winners qualified for 2018 World Championship
| Date | Time | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 1 Oct | 15:00 | Mexico | 1–3 | Canada | 25–21 | 13–25 | 25–27 | 18–25 | | 81–98 | P2 P3 |