USA are participating in the FIVB Men’s World Grand Champions Cup for the 4th time in the history of the competition. They hold a silver medal from 2005, having finished 5th in their other two appearances, in 1993 and 2013.

In 2015 USA won the FIVB World Cup (their second after 1985), earning a direct ticket to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where they scored a comeback five-set win over Russia to take the bronze medal. It was USA's fifth Olympic medal, after golds in Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988 and Beijing 2008, as well as a bronze in Barcelona 1992.

Currently ranked No. 2 in the FIVB World Rankings, USA have won the FIVB World Championship in 1986 in Paris, as well as four golds at the Pan American Games and eight at the NORCECA Championships. USA were part of the inaugural World League in 1990 and have been continuously present in the competition since 2006, earning a total of two gold, one silver and three bronze medals in their 20 appearances.