Brazil’s men’s national volleyball team have confirmed their place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after completing an unbeaten South American Championship campaign with a 3-0 victory over Argentina in the final on Sunday, 20 September 2026. The decisive match, played in front of nearly 12,000 supporters at the Maracanãzinho stadium in Rio de Janeiro, ended 25-20, 25-23, 25-20 and handed Brazil their 34th South American title.
The tournament, which served as the continental Olympic qualifier, saw Brazil win all five of their matches without dropping a single set. The final victory completed both objectives for the hosts: the continental title and an Olympic place.
Darlan leads the final, Lucarelli takes MVP honours
Opposite Darlan de Souza was the standout individual in the final, finishing as the clear top scorer with 23 points, every one of them converted from kills, according to Volleyball World. Captain Ricardo Lucarelli and middle blocker Flávio Gualberto each contributed eight points, while Argentina’s most productive player was outside hitter Luciano Vicentín, who finished with 11 points.
Despite Darlan’s output in the decisive fixture, it was Lucarelli who received the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award. Darlan told Volleyball World after the match that securing the title and the Olympic spot had come as a relief, adding that the squad had faced a period of scepticism and responded with resilience and unity throughout the tournament.
Brazil were coached throughout the campaign by Bernardo ‘Bernardinho’ Rezende. The team’s unbeaten run without dropping a set represented a return to the top of South American volleyball, having suffered their first and only South American Championship defeat in 2023, when Argentina upset them on that occasion.
South American Championship Dream Team
Players from three nations were recognised in the tournament’s official Dream Team. Brazil contributed five members alongside two Argentines and one Chilean:
| Player | Country | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Ricardo Lucarelli (MVP) | Brazil | Outside hitter / Captain |
| Fernando ‘Cachopa’ Kreling | Brazil | Setter |
| Darlan de Souza | Brazil | Opposite |
| Adriano Xavier | Brazil | Outside hitter |
| Flávio Gualberto | Brazil | Middle blocker |
| Agustín Loser | Argentina | Middle blocker |
| Franco Massimino | Argentina | Libero |
| Noé Aravena | Chile | Outside hitter |
Brazil’s Olympic record and recent continental history
Volleyball World reported that Brazil have been present in every edition of the Olympic volleyball tournament since the sport joined the programme at the Tokyo 1964 Games. Sunday’s qualification ensures that run will extend to Los Angeles. The 34th South American title is also notable given recent continental form: of the 36 editions of the South American Championship staged to date, Brazil have won 34, according to Volleyball World — a record that makes the 2023 defeat by Argentina all the more striking in context. Darlan credited the squad’s unity and welcomed the chance to play in front of family and friends.
Chile take bronze and a World Cup berth
Chile secured third place by defeating Bolivia 3-0 — by sets of 25-11, 25-15 and 25-17 — on Sunday, and in doing so also earned a place at the 2027 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup. Volleyball World noted that this will be only the third time Chile have featured in that event. Ibarra led the Chilean scoring effort against Bolivia with 16 points, according to WorldofVolley. Colombia completed the top four after beating Venezuela 3-1, with Amaranto contributing 24 points in that fixture.
Four men’s teams now confirmed for LA 2028
Brazil’s confirmation means four men’s national teams are now guaranteed places at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Alongside Brazil, Volleyball World confirmed that hosts the United States, Asian champions Japan, and Cuba — who secured the NORCECA continental qualification spot — have all also booked their berths.
Volleyball World reported that the African and European qualification tournaments were due to finish the following week, with six further places to be allocated through the 2027 World Cup and the FIVB World Rankings. Brazil have secured their place through the continental route, alongside the three other teams already confirmed in the reporting.