↑ 1.01.1South 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, Spain, as the highest-ranked team from the 2014–15 Hockey World League Semifinals not already qualified, participated instead.[3][4]
Each of the continental champions received a berth alongside the host Brazil, while another six spots were decided in the 2014–2015 FIH Hockey World League. As the host nation, Brazil had a guaranteed quota place if it satisfiesdthe following performance criteria set by FIH: the women's team should either obtain a world ranking equal to or better than fortieth place by the end of 2014, or not finish lower than seventh at the 2015 Pan American Games. They did not however meet any requirements and thuis did not qualify.
Brazil did not meet any requirements, so the team did not qualify.