The men's eight competition at the 1976 Summer Olympics took place at the rowing basin on Notre Dame Island in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The defending champions, New Zealand, switched places with the East Germans, taking bronze in 1976.

[3] Whilst their dominance had since waned, they were still considered possible medal contenders, as they had won the 1974 World Rowing Championships.

The New Zealand team had won the event at the previous Summer Olympics, had won bronze at the last two World Rowing Championships, and four of their 1972 Olympic rowers plus their cox returned to Montreal.

[2] Other medalists at these major rowing events were Czechoslovakia, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain.

[9] After Malcolm Shaw as stroke injured his back in the elimination race,[11] Australia replaced him with Peter Shakespear for the final.