24 teams competed in the 2002 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship, with two places allocated for the hosts, Germany and the titleholder, Cuba.
(South Africa and Ghana later withdrew) The teams were distributed according to their position in the FIVB Senior Women's Rankings.
Namibia South Africa Tunisia Cameroon Kenya 1st Sub Pool A Egypt Nigeria Morocco Ghana 9 national teams entered qualification.
Azerbaijan Israel Netherlands Turkey France 1st Sub Pool C Poland Latvia Yugoslavia Slovenia Portugal Czech Republic Spain Norway Russia Ukraine Austria Denmark Italy Romania Hungary Switzerland Croatia Bulgaria Greece Finland 10 national teams entered qualification.
Aruba Jamaica Netherlands Antilles Dominican Republic Canada Barbados 1st Sub Pool D Puerto Rico United States Mexico Costa Rica 6 national teams entered qualification.