The most obvious difference is team size – beach volleyball is played in pairs, also called “doubles.” In the beach discipline, matches are typically played to 21 points, with players switching sides every 7 points to allow for equal playing conditions on both sides of court (often influenced by outdoor conditions like wind, sun, etc.). There are some specific and unique rules in place for beach volleyball.

In the United States, competitive volleyball rules vary at the collegiate level driven by the NCAA, at the high school level for interscholastic play determined by the NFHS, and for club play which are determined by USA Volleyball. Internationally, there is a set of rules promoted by the FIVB which determines and oversees the rules for play between countries and at events such as the Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cup. The specific rules for volleyball competition vary in the United States. Currently in domestic rules, up to 12 substitutions are permitted per set for each team, and there is no limit on the replacement of players from the starting lineup. Substitutes can replace players of the starting lineup only once per set. In international rules, substitutions are limited to 6 per set for each team. The primary differences in rules internationally concern substitutions.

Visit our Rulebooks and Interpretation page. Players can legally contact the ball with any part of the body.

Most rallies consist of the first two touches used to set up an attack, where the team tries to put the ball in the most advantageous position possible to score a point against the other team by sending the ball over the net in a way that their opponents are unable to keep the ball from hitting the ground. Players rotate clockwise around the court in a set order depending on who has possession of the ball. The team that wins the rally is awarded a point and serves the ball to start the next rally. The rally continues, with each team allowed as many as three consecutive touches, until either a team makes a kill, grounding the ball on the opponent’s court and winning the rally or (2): a team commits a fault and loses the rally. Once the serve has been received ( serve receive) the receiving team has up to three contacts before they must send the ball back over the net to continue the rally. To begin play, one team serves the ball over the net to the opposing team.

Each team attempts to score points by sending the ball over the net to their opponent, with the goal of having the ball hit the ground to end each rally. Play is typically organized with two teams organized in a formation on either side of a net. The basic rules of volleyball are the same across all variations of the sport. The sport has evolved further to be played in various disciplines and formats across different surfaces based on the same set of core rules. The game, originally called Mintonette when it was invented in Holyoke, Massachusetts, in 1895, has developed into what we now know as indoor volleyball. Volleyball is one of the most fun, exciting and popular sports in the world.

Volleyball referee signals pdf