The format for the Olympic volleyball tournament is the same for men and women. For decades, each 12-team field was previously split into two pools of six, with each team playing five matches total in the pool phase. Starting this year for Paris, each 12-team field will be split into three pools of four, with each team playing only three matches total in the pool phase.

The competition begins with a preliminary round, in which each team plays the other three in its group once. This is also known as "round-robin" play. Teams receive three points for a 3-0 or 3-1 victory, two points for a 3-2 victory, or one point for a match lost 2-3. No points are awarded for games lost 0-3, 1-3 or by forfeit.

Upon conclusion of the preliminary round, the top-two teams from each pool and two best third-place teams qualify for the quarterfinals; the bottom four teams are out of medal contention. 

If at the end of the preliminary round two or more teams have the same number of points, their rankings are decided as follows:

• Number of victories: If two or more teams have an equal number of ranking points, they will be classified by number of total matches won
• Number of sets won: If the tie still is not broken, the teams will be classified by the score resulting from the number of sets won divided by the number of sets lost
• Number of points scored: If the tie is still not broken, the teams will be classified by the score resulting from the number of points scored divided by the number of total points lost during all sets
• Priority: If a tie exists between two teams, priority will be given to the team that won the last match between them
• Three-way tie: If a tie exists between three or more teams, a classification will be decided based on matches they played against each other

The top-two teams from each pool and two best third-place teams qualify for the quarterfinals. The quarterfinals are played using a single-elimination format. 

The four quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinals. 

The losing semifinalists face each other; the winner takes bronze, the loser is fourth.

The semifinal winners meet in the final, with gold to the winner and silver to the loser.