Volleyball has a new look at the 2024 Paris Olympics as the format has been modified to allow athletes more rest between matches. For decades, 12 teams have been split into two pools of six with each team playing five matches before the knockout stages. Now in 2024, the field has been divided into three pools of four teams, meaning each side will play only three games before the elimination rounds begin. 

The top two teams in each pool automatically advance, along with the two highest-ranked third-place teams. Ranking is determined by a points system, with each team earning points based on the results of their matches. Teams that win a match 3-0 sets or 3-1 will earn three points; teams that win 3-2 will earn two points; and teams that lose 2-3 will earn one point. No points are awarded for losing a match 0-3 or 1-3.

With loaded fields on both sides of the tournament, it is anybody's guess which teams will be standing atop the podium by the end of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Here is a look at the field, starting with Team USA.

Coming off its first gold medal on the women's side, Team USA finds itself in the unfamiliar position of being the hunted at these Olympic Games. 

The Americans have now won medals in four straight Games and will tie the Soviet Union for the most all-time medals if they bring home their seventh this summer. They will not be short on experience, as eight of the 12 members from the gold-medal winning team in Tokyo are returning for these Olympics. 

They are led once again by outside hitter Jordan Larson, who reversed her decision to retire following Tokyo for one last run at Olympic gold. Larson won the most valuable player award in Tokyo and at age 37 shows no signs of slowing down. 

The Americans were dominant in Tokyo, winning all but one of their eight matches and not dropping a single set in three knockout-phase games. 

A mediocre 7-5 showing at this year's Volleyball Nations League dropped Team USA to fifth in the world rankings, but they are still one of the favorites to medal and even take home a repeat gold. They would become the first women's team to repeat at the Olympics since Brazil did the double in Beijing 2008 and London 2012. 

Team USA finds itself in Pool A along with France, China and Serbia, a group it should be able to top and earn itself an easier path in the knockout rounds. 

While the women struck Olympic gold for the first time, the U.S. men crashed out in pool play for the first time since Sydney 2000. 

Not only does Paris 2024 present the American men with the opportunity for redemption, they can make some history along the way as well. A medal of any color would tie Brazil and Italy for the most all-time in men's volleyball, barring those countries do not medal themselves. If the Americans take home gold, they could become the first nation in men's history to win four gold medals. 

However, a medal will be far from easy to come by at these Olympics. Team USA looked ready to bounce back after winning all seven of its matches at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament last year, but has since struggled for form. They went just 5-7 at this year's Volleyball Nations League, once again failing to make it out of pool play.

Form aside, all of the top 10 teams in the world rankings are in these Olympics, including No. 2-ranked Japan and No. 8-ranked Argentina, who join the Americans in Pool C along with 11th-ranked Germany.

Just like the women, the men bring a wealth of experience to Paris. Nine of the team's 12 members are returners -- including two four-time Olympians, 37-year-old Matt Anderson and 39-year-old, David Smith -- and just two of them are under the age of 30.

Anderson and Smith know what it takes to bring home an Olympic medal, having done so on the 2016 Rio team that won the bronze. They will be leading the charge as the Americans look to get back onto the Olympic podium and vie for their first gold since Beijing 2008.

If the Americans fail to medal again, they will face the harsh reality of coming away empty-handed from three of the last five Olympic Games. 

The short answer: a lot of teams. 

Nine of the world's top 10 women's teams are in Paris, creating a wide-open field that should lend itself to chaos. Add in the format changes and we could be in for an absolutely wild tournament on both sides. Here is a detailed look at how each pool could shake out, starting with the women. 

Pool A

As mentioned earlier, Team USA finds itself in Group A alongside France, China and Serbia. The French women are making their first-ever Olympic appearance as the host nation and enter the Games ranked 19th in the world, so a trip to the knockout phase would come as quite a shock. 

No. 6-ranked China and No. 9-ranked Serbia will pose stiff tests for the Americans in pool play and could easily cause them some early trouble. China is a three-time Olympic champion and will be looking for redemption after crashing out of pool play in Tokyo, while Serbia has medaled in the last two Olympics and is the two-time defending world champion. 

Team USA should top its group, but will have to be careful. With two teams as good as China and Serbia in their group, they could easily find themselves crashing out in pool play if they are not up for the task right from the jump. 

The Americans face China in their first match on Monday, July 29, with France and Serbia getting their games started against each other a few hours thereafter. 

Pool B

Pool B features three of the top seven teams in the world, including five-time medalist Brazil, who looks a real threat to secure its third-ever Olympic gold. The Brazilians will certainly have their eyes on the Americans after falling to them in the gold-medal match in Tokyo. They have medaled in five of their last seven Olympic appearances and have advanced out of their pool in every appearance they have made since 1980. 

Poland is making its second Olympic appearance (Beijing 2008) since winning bronze in the first two women's volleyball tournaments, in 1964 and '68. They took out Brazil in the third-place match of the Volleyball Nations League and at No. 4 in the world are contenders for a medal, though they will have some tough competition in their way. They will likely be battling Japan for the second automatic qualifying spot in Pool B, and the match between the two countries will be absolutely critical. 

Entering the games, Japan is ranked seventh in the world and poses a stiff challenge. They defeated the Brazilians in the semifinals of the Volleyball Nations League this year, setting up a repeat match on the second matchday of the tournament. Still, their second-place finish at the VNL was a surprise, and they will likely need to be one of the two-best third-place teams to advance. 

Kenya got a brutal draw by filling out the group, as the country has only won two of 47 sets in its Olympic history. 

With revenge on its mind against Japan and looking to take back Olympic gold later in the tournament, it is hard to pick against Brazil to come out of this group. The fight for second place between Poland and Japan will be a good one, with both teams having to keep one eye on the rest of the tournament in hopes of advancing. 

Pool C

Top-ranked Italy is seeking its first-ever medal in women's volleyball at an Olympic Games. The Italians did not take the easy way into the tournament despite being the world No. 1, failing to qualify at last year's Olympic Qualification tournament and getting in off their world ranking. At this year's Volleyball Nations League, they took out the United States, Poland and Japan in route to a first-place finish. 

The Italians are joined in Pool C by third-ranked Turkiye, who won the 2023 Volleyball Nations League and won all seven of its qualifying matches, including taking out the reigning Olympic silver medalist, Brazil, in straight sets. This is only Turkiye's third Olympic appearance but it looks to be a real threat not just to take home its first medal, but to have that medal be gold. 

The eighth-ranked Netherlands is no slouch, though it will likely need to grab one of the two third-place spots to find its way through to the knockout rounds. Even then, it could take some chaos for the Dutch to find themselves as one of the two-best third-place teams.  

The Dominican Republic topped its pool in the Olympic Qualification Tournament to find its way into the 2024 Paris Olympics and finds itself ranked No. 11 in the world. An advancement would be very surprising, but there will be no easy matches in Pool C.

Italy and Turiyke should find its way through in this group comfortably, but they cannot take any match lightly.

France is vying to become the first country to repeat in men's Olympic volleyball since the United States went back-to-back in 1984 and '88. 

However, the hosts will have to navigate an extremely difficult group before they can even think about what should be a wild knockout phase. With all of the top 10 teams in the world in this tournament, nothing will come easy for anyone. Here is a look at each pool for the men's Olympic volleyball tournament. 

Pool A

Pool A is the only pool on either side of the tournament that features four top-10 teams in the world rankings. Fifth-ranked Slovenia joins fourth-ranked France in the group, and is the only country in the tournament making its Olympic debut. Slovenia will be no easy out, though, after a fourth-place finish at both the 2022 World Championships and 2024 Volleyball Nationals League. The Slovenians are in impressive form and should join France in the knockout rounds. A medal in their first Olympic appearance, however, could be a long shot. 

Ninth-ranked Canada and 10th-ranked Serbia round out Pool A and it could be a great battle between the two for the third-place spot in this group. However, both could find it tough to reach the knockout stages. Canada has been knocked out in the quarterfinals in each of its last two Olympic trips and has never won a medal, while Serbia will have to reverse some weak form coming in to find its way through. 

Still, with four top teams in the group, no match will be easy and every point will be crucial to find a way through under the new format. 

Pool B

Poland enters the tournament as the top-ranked team in the world and how they fare will be one of the biggest volleyball storylines of the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Poland has been eliminated at the quarterfinals stage in the last five Olympics and has not won a medal since it took home gold in 1976. Poland is in exceptional form too, winning all seven of its matches at the Olympic Qualification Tournament, winning the 2023 Volleyball Nations League and placing third at the 2024 VNL. They have all the ingredients to finally make this year the year they climb back atop the podium. 

Italy could become the first nation to win seven men's volleyball Olympic medals, but has never won gold. As the third-ranked team in the world, the Italians will have their eyes set on that elusive gold and they are certainly a contender to bring it home. 

Brazil could also become the first nation to win seven Olympic medals in volleyball, and will be looking to capture gold for a record fourth time. Brazil failed to medal in Tokyo, the first time it did not come home with a medal since Sydney 2000. This is a brutal draw for the seventh-ranked Brazilians, but they should be able to find themselves as one of the two-best third-place teams and make a run at a medal in the knockout rounds. 

Egypt rounds out the group, and will find it hard to win a match in this pool filled with some of the titans of international volleyball. 

Pool C

The Americans will have some tough competition in Pool C, with second-ranked Japan joining them alongside eighth-ranked Argentina and 11th-ranked Germany. 

Japan has not won a medal since it took home gold in 1972 and advanced out of pool play in Tokyo for the first time since 1976, showing a return to form that saw them win medals in each of the first three Olympic volleyball tournaments. Now, they are serious contenders and enter in great form. Just like the women, the Japanese men took out Brazil in the semifinals of the 2024 Volleyball Nations League and finished second. The matchup between Japan and Team USA should determine who goes through atop the pool. 

Fighting for the third position will be Argentina and Germany. The Argentinians are coming off a bronze-medal win in Tokyo, their first medal since they also took bronze in 1988. They will have to surprise a lot of people again to take home a medal this time, and could even find it difficult to get through pool play with the new format. They will need some chaos to take place elsewhere in the tournament to get through. 

Germany won all seven of its matches at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament and is making its first appearance in men's volleyball since London 2012. It will be difficult for them to find a way through to the elimination rounds.