Leagues & Organizations

Volleyball is governed worldwide by the FIVB and five continental confederations, which run the sport's major international competitions. The strongest club volleyball is played in national professional leagues such as Italy's SuperLega and Poland's PlusLiga.

World governing body

FIVB (founded 1947)

Confederations

CEV, NORCECA, CSV, AVC, CAVB

Top national-team events

Olympics, World Championship, VNL

Strong domestic leagues

Italy, Poland, Turkey, Brazil, Japan

Governing bodies & confederations

The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), founded in 1947 and based in Lausanne, Switzerland, is the world governing body for indoor and beach volleyball. It writes the official rules, organises the world championships, publishes the world rankings, and oversees five continental confederations, each responsible for the sport in its region:

• CEV — Confédération Européenne de Volleyball: governs volleyball in Europe.
• NORCECA — North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
• CSV — Confederación Sudamericana de Voleibol: South America.
• AVC — Asian Volleyball Confederation: Asia and Oceania.
• CAVB — African Volleyball Confederation: Africa.

Major international competitions

At international level, countries compete as national teams and clubs compete against other clubs. The headline events are:

• Olympic Games: volleyball's biggest stage, contested by national teams (indoor and beach) every four years.
• FIVB World Championship: the FIVB's flagship world title for national teams. It has long been a marquee event held every few years; the FIVB has recently expanded and reformatted it, so check the FIVB for the current schedule.
• Volleyball Nations League (VNL): an annual national-team competition launched in 2018, replacing the former World League (men) and World Grand Prix (women).
• CEV Champions League: Europe's top annual club competition, run by the CEV.
• FIVB Club World Championship: an annual event bringing together leading club champions from around the world.

To see how national teams stack up, browse the men's and women's FIVB world rankings.

Top domestic professional leagues

Most of the world's best club players compete in a handful of strong national leagues. Among the most prominent:

• Italy — SuperLega (men) and Serie A1 (women): widely regarded as among the strongest leagues in the world.
• Poland — PlusLiga (men): one of the best-attended and most competitive men's leagues.
• Turkey — Efeler Ligi (men) and Sultanlar Ligi (women): the women's league in particular is a global powerhouse.
• Brazil — Superliga (men and women): the leading league in the Americas.
• Japan — SV.League: launched for the 2024–25 season as Japan's new top professional league.
• United States: a new and fast-growing women's professional scene, led by League One Volleyball (LOVB) alongside other recently launched pro leagues. The landscape is still evolving, so check official sources for the current lineup.

Deep dive: how the game is organised

National teams vs clubs

Volleyball runs on two tracks. National teams represent their country at the Olympics, the World Championship and the VNL, qualifying through their confederation. Clubs employ professional players and compete in their domestic league and in continental or world club competitions. Many top players do both — club volleyball for most of the year, national-team duty in the international windows.

Names and formats change

League titles often carry a sponsor's name, newer professional leagues are still being established, and the FIVB periodically reformats its calendar. For the current schedule, team eligibility and official league names, always check the relevant governing body or league website rather than relying on a fixed figure.

Where volleyball came from

This global structure grew from a single YMCA invention in 1895 — see the history of volleyball for how the sport and its federation developed.

Frequently asked questions