The men's long jump event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

[2] It was the United States' fifth consecutive and tenth overall gold medal in the men's long jump.

Theo Bruce won Australia's first long jump medal with his silver.

[1] Ceylon, Guyana, Iceland, South Korea, and Portugal each made their first appearance in the event.

The qualifying round gave each competitor three jumps to achieve a distance of 7.20 metres; if fewer than 12 men did so, the top 12 (including all those tied) would advance.