^South Africa won the continental qualifier however the team did not participate in the 2016 Olympics. South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and South African Hockey Association (SAHA) made an agreement on the Rio 2016 Olympics qualification criteria that the Continental Qualification route would not be considered.[1][2] As a result, New Zealand, as the highest-ranked team from the 2014-15 Hockey World League Semifinals not already qualified, participated instead.[3][4]
Host country
Each of the continental champions receives a berth alongside the host Brazil, while another six spots will be decided in the 2014–2015 FIH Hockey World League. As the host nation, Brazil has guaranteed a quota places if it satisfies the following performance criteria set by FIH: the men's team should either obtain a world ranking equal to or better than thirtieth place by the end of 2014, or not finish lower than sixth at the 2015 Pan American Games.
Brazil qualified by finishing the fourth in the 2015 Pan American Games
