The men's long jump was an event at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. The qualifying stage and the final both were held on the second day of the track and field competition, on Saturday November 24, 1956. Thirty-two athletes from 21 nations competed.
The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The event was won by Greg Bell of the United States, the nation's seventh consecutive and 12th overall victory in the event. Jorma Valkama's bronze medal was Finland's first medal in the men's long jump.