Published: September 9, 2026 at 2:22 pm
The Steering Committee of the Volleyball Federation of India has announced a new policy to regulate professional volleyball leagues across India for both men and women.
The policy aims to promote the structured growth of volleyball while protecting the interests of players, league organisers and other stakeholders. Under the new framework, leagues will be classified into three categories — Division I, Division II and Division III — based on their scale, structure and level of competition.
Prime Volleyball League has been placed in Division I, while the Volleyball Champions League and Women Volleyball League are in Division II.
The notification was issued by Rohit Rajpal, chairman, Steering Committee, Volleyball Federation of India, on September 3, 2026.
A key feature of the policy is the principle of “One Athlete – One League – One Season,” under which a player can participate in only one licensed league during a particular Indian volleyball season.
An Athlete registered with a Division I, II, or III league shall not register, contract, appear on a match sheet, or otherwise participate in any other licensed league during the same season. It is further clarified that release or termination from one league shall not be construed as automatic permission to join another league during that season. Any exception in this regard shall be limited in scope and shall require the prior written approval of the Committee, covering only national-team duties, authorised international club competitions, or legally justified exceptional circumstances.
Prime Volleyball League is in Division 1
The policy also outlines separate league calendars for men’s and women’s competitions for the 2026–27 season. The volleyball season will start from October with the women’s events from October 2, 2026 to May 2, 2027. The men’s events will be from October 16, 2026 to May 16, 2027.
The Steering Committee stated that all permissions for organising leagues will remain subject to the submission and approval of proposals as per the prescribed guidelines.
The leagues have been divided into three categories. They are:
Division I: National League The top-level league, with teams from 6 or more States/Union Territories. It features leading Indian players and, where approved, foreign players as well. Matches are broadcast on national television or streaming platforms. These leagues carry strong commercial backing – sponsorships, franchise ownership, and the like – and players are engaged under full-time professional contracts.
Division II: Regional League A league spread across several States, for senior-level players. It involves structured sponsorship arrangements and paid player contracts, with matches broadcast at the regional or State level. Such leagues carry significance beyond a single district.
Division III: Grassroots/Developmental League A smaller league confined to a single State but covering multiple districts, intended for developmental, grassroots, college, university, or age-group players. Commercial activity is limited, participation is largely local, and players are generally amateurs or engaged on a stipend basis.
