| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host nation |  Japan |
| Dates | 1–15 November |
| Teams | 12 |
| Venue(s) | (in 7 host cities) |
| Champions |  China (3rd title) |
| Tournament awards | |
| MVP |  Małgorzata Glinka |
The 2003 FIVB Women's World Cup was held from 1 to 15 November 2003 in Japan. Twelve women's national teams played in cities all over Japan for the right to a fast lane ticket into the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Teams were made up as follows: hosts Japan, continental champions and vice-champions from Europe, Asia, NORCECA and South America, continental champion from Africa, and two wild-card teams nominated jointly by the FIVB and the Japan Volleyball Association. Teams played a single-round robin format (66 games overall), in two parallel groups (site A and site B). The women played in Tokyo, Kagoshima, Nagoya, Toyama, Sapporo, Sendai, and Osaka.