The Elite level is the highest level on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour.
In each gender, the 24 participating teams are split into six pools of four for the first stage of the tournament. The modified pool format involves four matches in each pool – two pool semifinals, a winners’ match and a losers’ match – to determine the final standings in the pool.
The fourth-placed teams are eliminated from further participation in the tournament.
The pool runners-up advance to the round of 18, where they play against third-placed teams from other pools.
The pool winners advance directly to the round of 12, where they play against the round of 18 winners.
The round of 12 winners and two of the round of 12 losers advance to the quarterfinals. The first criterion to determine which two of the losers advance is the combined rally point ratio from the pool matches and the round of 12 match. The combined set ratio from the same three matches is the second criterion. The tournament seeding is the third criterion.
The quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinals. The semifinal losers advance to the bronze medal match. The semifinal winners advance to the gold medal final.