Los Angeles 2028: Six Names Confirmed, But the Full Picture Remains Incomplete

Poland are the world No.1, defending European champions and Paris 2026 silver medallists — and already qualified for LA 2028 while also hosting the 2027 FIVB Men's World Cup. That structural quirk frames a qualification race that is far from settled. Six berths are confirmed: hosts USA plus continental champions Brazil, Cuba, Japan, Tunisia and Poland. Four of the six sit inside the world top six; Cuba and Tunisia reached via guaranteed continental slots, exposing the wide internal spread of the field. The real picture remains incomplete because Italy, France, Slovenia and Argentina are yet to qualify through the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 VNL ranking route. The final three ranking-based berths will be decided at the close of the 2028 VNL preliminary phase, making every set count and turning the schedule into a workload-management problem for teams still searching for tickets. Cuba's return after 12 years should be tested against VNL form, not the label of a former power. The six names are not yet the six strongest teams in the world; they are simply the first six to book their place.