Volleyball basics
Volleyball rules: scoring, sets, touches and rotation
A practical guide to FIVB indoor volleyball: six players per team on court, rally-point scoring, the best-of-five set format, three team hits and the basic service-and-rotation flow. Beach volleyball follows a separate rulebook.
How a rally and point work
The aim is to send the ball over the net so it lands in the opponent’s court while preventing the same on your side. Every rally produces a point. If the receiving team wins the rally, it also gains the right to serve.
Sets and winning a match
Under FIVB rules, a match is best of five sets. Sets one to four are played to 25 points and a deciding fifth set to 15. A set must be won by at least two points, so play continues beyond 25 or 15 when needed.
Six players and three team hits
Six players from each team are on court. A team may use up to three hits to return the ball; in indoor volleyball, a block contact does not count as one of those three team hits. The ball may not be caught or held.
Service, rotation and the indoor boundary
Play starts with a service. When the receiving team wins the rally, it scores, takes the serve and rotates one position clockwise. This guide covers indoor volleyball under FIVB rules; Beach Volleyball uses a separate FIVB rulebook and different team and match rules.