Volleyball
Official Playing Rules & Technical Regulations
FIVB Rules
All volleyball matches are played under the FIVB Official Rules 2025–2028, with the following tournament-specific provisions:
Teams & Rotation
- 6 players on court at all times per team. Teams rotate clockwise each time they win the serve.
- Players must be in their correct rotational order at the moment of serve. After the serve, players may move freely.
- One libero may be designated per set. The libero wears a contrasting jersey and may only play in the back row. The libero cannot serve, block or attack from above net height.
- Each team is allowed 6 substitutions per set. A substituted player may only re-enter for the player who replaced them. Libero replacements are unlimited and do not count as substitutions.
Scoring
Rally scoring applies: a point is awarded on every rally regardless of which team served.
- Regular sets are played to 25 points with a minimum 2-point lead.
- The deciding set (3rd set in best-of-3) is played to 15 points with a minimum 2-point lead.
- There is no cap; sets continue until the 2-point lead is achieved.
Net Play
- Players may reach over the net to block but may not interfere with the opponent's play before/during attack.
- Touching the net during play is a fault (except incidental contact away from the action).
- Players may not cross under the net into the opponent's court if it interferes with their play.
Attack Line
Back-row players may only attack (hit the ball above net height) from behind the attack line (3 m from the centre line). The libero may not attack from anywhere above net height.
Service
- The server must serve from behind the end line within the service zone.
- The ball may touch the net on serve (let serve) and is still in play if it crosses into the opponent's court.
- The team winning the rally wins the right to serve.
Court Dimensions
Standard court: 18 m × 9 m. Net height: 2.43 m (men), 2.24 m (women). Free zone: minimum 3 m on all sides.
Match Format
Matches are played as best of 3 sets (first team to win 2 sets wins the match).
Set Scoring
| Set | Points to Win | Minimum Lead |
|---|---|---|
| Sets 1 & 2 | 25 | 2 points |
| Deciding Set (Set 3) | 15 | 2 points |
There is no point cap — play continues until one team leads by 2.
Points System (Group Stage)
| Result | Winner Pts | Loser Pts |
|---|---|---|
| Win 2–0 | 3 | 0 |
| Win 2–1 | 2 | 1 |
This graduated system (from FIVB) rewards competitive losses — a team that pushes a match to 3 sets earns 1 point even in defeat.
Timeouts
- Each team is entitled to 2 timeouts per set, each lasting 30 seconds.
- Timeouts may be requested by the coach or captain during a dead ball.
- Technical timeouts (at the 8th and 16th points of sets 1 and 2) may be used at the OC's discretion but are not standard for the Mayor's Cup.
Intervals Between Sets
The interval between sets is 3 minutes. Teams change ends after every set. In the deciding set (set 3), teams change ends when one team reaches 8 points.
Forfeit Score
A volleyball match declared a forfeit is recorded as 2–0 (25–0, 25–0) in favour of the non-offending team.
Minimum Players
A match cannot start or continue if a team has fewer than 6 players on court. There is no provision for playing with fewer than 6. If a team is reduced below 6 due to injury or expulsion, the set (and match) is forfeit.
Walkover Conditions
- Team fails to appear within 15 minutes of the scheduled first serve
- Team cannot present at least 6 eligible players
- Team refuses to continue playing
Incomplete Match
If a match cannot be completed due to circumstances beyond the teams' control (e.g., power failure, court damage), the result at the time of stoppage stands if at least one full set has been completed. Otherwise, the match is replayed.