Cuba are officially returning to the Olympics after beating Canada in four sets, 25-21, 25-23, 23-25, 25-22, to win the 2026 NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship.
Cuba’s return trip to Los Angeles in 2028 will serve as their 8th Olympic appearance. The men’s team last competed during the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Marlon Yant led his squad in their fight for an Olympic spot, scoring 25 points during the championship match. Cuban team captain Miguel Angel Lopez also produced 22 points to help secure the win.
Canadian outside hitter Stephen Maar also registered 22 points during the match, but it was not enough to bring his team to the 2028 Summer Games.
Olympic hosts United States are the winners of the 2026 Men’s NORCECA Volleyball Championship but a separate tournament was organised to determine the continental qualifier for the region.
Canada, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico all competed for the continental slot for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, with the Cuban team emerging as the victors of the tournament.
Cuba’s NORCECA Qualifier win also assured them a spot for the 2027 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Cup.
Brazil join Cuba for LA28
Brazil will be joining Cuba for the upcoming Los Angeles Olympics after winning the 2026 CSV Men’s South American Continental Volleyball Championship last Sunday.
The Brazilian men’s team defeated their Argentine rivals in straight sets, 25-20, 25-23, 25-20, during the championship match held at the Maracanãzinho arena in Rio de Janeiro.
The win marked Brazil’s 34th South American continental title, further cementing their dominance in the region.
Brazilian opposite hitter Darlan de Souza led the scoring with 23 points, while team captain Ricardo Lucarelli and middle blocker Flavio Gualberto registered eight points each.
“Winning the title and securing the Olympic spot is a relief for us. Not many people believed in us right now, and we showed a lot of resilience and determination. All the hard work paid off,” de Souza said, according to Volleyball World.
Aside from securing their LA28 ticket, Brazil also qualified for the 2027 World Cup, alongside Argentina and third-place Chile.
FIVB support
The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) also recognised the wins of both Cuba and Brazil in their respective continental championships, stressing that its Volleyball Empowerment programme continues to benefit many nations.
Cuba was able to hire performance analyst Rusber Anser Campos for the 2024-2025 volleyball season with the help of FIVB’s support.
The high-level assistance helped the country secure a return ticket to the Summer Games.
Meanwhile, FIVB assisted Argentina and Chile, with both nations receiving funding for their respective sports development programmes.
Brazil also received equipment support from the governing body to help maintain the quality of the country’s volleyball initiatives and ensure the continuous growth of the sport.
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Levi Mora 
Wendellyn Mateo 
Geoffrey H. Latayan