What counts as a legal touch, and how strictly are sets and tips judged this season?
Rule- England
- Volleyball England
- Junior Grand Prix
- Under 14-Under 18
- Under 14
- Under 16
- Under 18
- FIVB rules
- 2026/27
- Players
FIVB basics
- A team has a maximum of three hits to return the ball (a block doesn't count as one).
- A player can't hit the ball twice in a row, and the ball must rebound, not be caught or thrown.
- On the team's first hit, the ball may touch different parts of the body one after another, as long as it's one action.
- You can play the ball with any part of the body.
Volleyball England's adopted rules for 2026/27
- Setting: on a pass between team-mates on the second contact, consecutive contacts in the hands with an overhand finger action are not a fault if they happen in one action.
- Catch, push, carry, throw: applied strictly. No push, lift or carry is allowed. A tip must be made with one hand, with a short contact, and directed in a straight line.
- Whistle: referees don't always need to whistle the end of a clear and obvious rally.
In Tier 2, referees set a level of ball handling that lets the game flow while keeping the key rules.
Added 21 Oct 2026