NOC is allowed to enter 1 men's and 1 women's qualified team in volleyball tournaments and 2 men's and 2 women's qualified teams in beach volleyball tournaments.
Contents
Men
* The Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament is combined with the World Olympic Qualification Tournament 3. The winner of the tournament will qualify as the champion of the World Olympic Qualification Tournament 3 while the best Asian team except the winner will qualify as the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament champion.
European Qualification Tournament
Elimination Round
Pre-Qualification Tournaments
Tournament 1
Tournament 2
Tournament 3
Qualification Tournament
World Qualification Tournaments
Tournament 1
Tournament 2
Tournament 3
* Japan is counted as The Asian Continental Qualification Tournament Champion since it is the best Asian team except the winner.
Women
* The Asian Olympic qualification tournament and the World Olympic Qualification Tournament are combined into one event. The top 3 teams at the tournament will qualify as the medallists of the World Olympic Qualification Tournament while the best Asian team outside the top 3 will qualify as the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament champion.
European Qualification Tournament
Pre-Qualification Tournaments
Tournament 1
Tournament 2
Tournament 3
Qualification Tournament
World Qualification Tournament
* Kazakhstan is counted as The Asian Continental Qualification Tournament Champion since it is the best Asian team outside the top 3.
Qualifying criteria
The main qualifying criteria were the FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking lists as of July 21, 2008. It provided a total of 24 pairs in each event. Each NOC was allowed to enter 2 men's and 2 women's qualified teams in beach volleyball tournaments. Each continent and Host nation is guaranteed one entry in each event. If this is not satisfied by the entry selection method, the highest ranking player/pair will be qualified.
Men
* Matteo Varnier is replaced by Eugenio Amore on the Italian team, because of an injury to Varnier.
H = Host Country Quota
C = Continental Quota
Women
* Austrian team Montagnolli - Swoboda is replaced by the Swiss team Kuhn - Schwer, because of medical reasons.
H = Host Country Quota
C = Continental Quota