Scorer's Guide to Volleyball Australia Indoor Championships All Ages 2026

From the FIVB Rules 2025-2028 (Rule 27.2.1) and the 2026 VA Indoor Handbook (section 12).

Before the match you:

• register the data of the match and the teams, including the names and numbers of the Liberos, according to the procedures in force
• obtain the signatures of the captains and the coaches (the coach lists the names and numbers of the players on the scoresheet team roster, and then signs it)

Up to 14 players may be recorded on the scoresheet for each team, and only the players recorded on the scoresheet may enter the court. At the Junior, Youth and Club Championships a team is a minimum of six and a maximum of fourteen players.

At VA championships, the duty team must make sure both coaches have verified their team list before the match starts.

Before each set you record the starting line-up of each team from the line-up sheet (see the starting line-up question).

Equipment: the scoresheets and scoreboard, rotation slips and sanction cards are provided by the event. The duty team brings its own whistles (a scorer uses the buzzer or other sound device to signal irregularities to the referees).

Conduct for duty personnel: no hats, bandanas or similar headwear, and no mobile phones, music devices or headphones, while on duty.

From the FIVB Rules 2025-2028 (Rules 7.3, 7.4, 7.6 and 27.2.1.2) and the 2026 VA Indoor Handbook.

• Before each set: the coach presents the starting line-up on a line-up sheet (at VA championships, a rotation slip is provided), duly filled in and signed, to the 2nd referee or the scorer. You record each team's starting line-up from that sheet. If you do not receive a line-up sheet on time, tell the 2nd referee immediately.
• Rotational order: the starting line-up sets the rotational order, which must be kept for the whole set. Players are numbered by position: the three along the net are front row in positions 4 (front-left), 3 (front-centre) and 2 (front-right), and the other three are back row in positions 5 (back-left), 6 (back-centre) and 1 (back-right).
• Players not in the starting line-up are that set's substitutes (except Liberos).
• No changes after delivery: once the sheet has been delivered to the 2nd referee or scorer, the line-up can only change by a regular substitution.
• Position checks: the 2nd referee checks that the players' actual positions match the line-up sheets at the start of each set and at the change of courts in the deciding set. A mismatch found before the set starts is corrected with no sanction. If a coach wants to keep a player who is not on the line-up sheet, they must request a regular substitution, which is recorded on the scoresheet.
• Serving order: after each side-out the new serving team rotates one position clockwise, and you check the serving order throughout the set.

Between sets, line-up registrations on the scoresheet are made during the three-minute interval.

From the FIVB Rules 2025-2028 (Rules 6 and 7.6), with the scorer recording the points scored (Rule 27.2.2.1).

A team scores a point by landing the ball on the opponent's court, when the opponent commits a fault, or when the opponent receives a penalty.

Service: if the serving team wins the rally, it scores a point and continues to serve. If the receiving team wins the rally, it scores a point and must serve next, and its players rotate one position clockwise (the player in position 2 moves to position 1 to serve, the player in position 1 moves to position 6, and so on).

Faults: if two or more faults are committed one after another, only the first counts. If opponents commit faults simultaneously, it is a double fault and the rally is replayed.

Winning a set: a set (except the deciding fifth set) is won by the first team to score 25 points with a lead of at least two. At 24-24 play continues until a two-point lead is reached (26-24, 27-25 and so on).

Winning the match: the match is won by the team that wins three sets. At 2-2 the deciding fifth set is played to 15 points with a minimum two-point lead. The formats used at the championships can differ. In the 2026 VA Indoor Handbook, Youth Championships pool matches are a compulsory three sets (sets 1 and 2 to 25, set 3 to 15, no draws) and bracket matches are best of three sets. Junior Championships matches are best of five sets until a match is no longer in medal contention, then best of three.

Default and incomplete teams: a team that refuses to play, or does not appear on court on time without justifiable reason, is in default and loses the match 0-3 and 0-25 for each set. A team that is incomplete for a set or match loses it, and the opponent is given the points or sets needed, while the incomplete team keeps the points and sets it has.

From the FIVB Rules 2025-2028 (Rules 7.7, 12.2 and 27.2.2.2). You control the serving order of each team and must indicate any error to the referees immediately after the service hit.

A rotational fault is a service not made in the rotational order. The consequences, in order:

1. You stop play with the buzzer.
2. The opponent gains a point and the next service.
3. The faulty team's rotational order is rectified.

You should also determine the exact moment the fault was committed. All points the faulty team scored since that moment are cancelled, and the opponent's points remain valid. If that moment cannot be determined, no points are cancelled, and a point and service to the opponent is the only sanction.

If the fault is only discovered after the rally that started with the rotational fault, the opponent is awarded a single point regardless of how the rally ended.

A scorer's mistake on the rotational order is one of the cases the 2026 VA Indoor Handbook lists as a valid ground for a coach's formal protest, so check each service against the line-up.

Related line-up errors found by the 2nd referee: a discrepancy between a player's position on court and the line-up sheet found before the set starts is simply corrected with no sanction. If it is found later, the team reverts to the correct positions, its points from the exact moment of the fault are cancelled, and the opponent gains a point and the next service.

From the FIVB Rules 2025-2028 (Rule 15) and the 2026 VA Indoor Handbook (section 27 and Appendix 5).

Standard rule (6 per set):

• A team may request up to six substitutions per set. You acknowledge and announce the request with the buzzer, control the number, record the substitutions and inform the 2nd referee, who authorises the substitution.
• A starting player may leave once per set and re-enter once per set, and only to their previous position in the line-up. A substitute may enter for a starting player once per set, and can only be replaced by that same starting player.
• A substitution lasts only as long as needed to record it on the scoresheet and for the players to exchange.
• If a team intends several substitutions at once, all substitutes must enter the substitution zone together, and the substitutions are made in succession, one pair after another.
• A substitution before the start of a set is allowed and is recorded as a regular substitution in that set.
• An exceptional substitution (for injury, illness, expulsion or disqualification when no legal substitution is possible) is recorded as part of the total substitutions in the set and the match, but does not count as a regular substitution.
• An illegal substitution (over the limits or involving an unregistered player) costs the team a point and service, and the points it scored since the fault are cancelled.

12 substitution rule (non-medal-contention games in the Junior Championships, per the handbook):

• Up to twelve substitutions per set.
• A player may enter the court a maximum of three times per set. The starting line-up counts as the first entry.
• A player re-entering must take their original position in the service order.
• On the scoresheet, use the left column first for each position, then the right-side column once the left is full. There is no requirement to record the score at the time of each substitution.
• You report the 11th and 12th substitutions of the team and a player's third court entry to the 2nd referee, who tells the coach and then the 1st referee.

From the FIVB Rules 2025-2028 (Rules 15.1, 15.3, 15.4 and 27.2.2.3).

• Limit: each team may request a maximum of two time-outs per set.
• Length: all requested time-outs last 30 seconds.
• Who can request: only the coach, or in the coach's absence the assistant coach or the game captain.
• When: the request is made with the time-out hand signal while the ball is out of play and before the whistle for service. During the time-out the players in play go to the free zone near their bench.
• Your job: you record each time-out and inform the 2nd referee. The 2nd referee controls the number used and reports the 2nd time-out to the 1st referee and the coach concerned.
• Order of requests: one or two time-outs and one substitution request by either team may follow one another within the same interruption, but a team may not make consecutive substitution requests in the same interruption.

A request made at the wrong time (during a rally, at or after the whistle to serve, by an unauthorised person, or after the two time-outs are used up) is an improper request. You notify the referees. The first one in the match that does not delay the game is rejected and recorded with no other consequence.

From the FIVB Rules 2025-2028 (Rules 19, 27.2.1.1 and 28.2) and the 2026 VA Indoor Handbook.

Registering Liberos: a team may designate up to two Liberos from the players on the scoresheet. Liberos are recorded in the special lines reserved for them, and you record their names and numbers before the match. At the Junior, Youth and Club Championships, Liberos designated at the start of the match stay Liberos for the entire match, and the coach can change them only between matches. At the Schools Cup, up to two Liberos are nominated per set on the rotation slip, and teams may play without a Libero in any set.

Recording replacements: Libero replacements are not substitutions, so they do not count towards the substitution limit. They are unlimited, but there must be a completed rally between two Libero replacements. Replacements are recorded on the Libero control sheet (or the electronic scoresheet). The FIVB rules give this to the assistant scorer, who prepares the Libero control sheet before the match, records the details of Libero replacements and re-designations, and notifies the referees of any fault in a Libero replacement by using the buzzer. At the Junior Championships the assistant scorer is optional for the duty team.

Who may replace whom: the regular replacement player may replace and be replaced by either Libero, and the Acting Libero can only be replaced by the regular replacement player for that position or by the second Libero. Replacements must happen through the Libero Replacement Zone, while the ball is out of play and before the whistle for service. At the start of a set, the Libero cannot enter until the 2nd referee has checked the line-up.

Illegal replacement: noticed before the next rally, it is corrected and the team is sanctioned for delay. Noticed after the service hit, the consequences are the same as an illegal substitution.

Re-designation: if the only Libero becomes unable to play, the coach may re-designate another player (not the replacement player and not on court) as Libero for the rest of the match. The number of the re-designated Libero must be recorded in the remarks section of the scoresheet and on the Libero control sheet.

From the FIVB Rules 2025-2028 (Rules 27.2.2.6, 15.11, 16 and 21). You record misconduct warnings, sanctions and improper requests on the scoresheet.

• Misconduct: all misconduct sanctions are individual, remain in force for the whole match and are recorded on the scoresheet. A yellow card to a team member (minor misconduct, Stage 2) is also recorded, although it has no immediate consequence. Misconduct before or between sets is sanctioned the same way and applies in the following set.
• Penalty (first rude conduct, red card): the opponent receives a point and service, so you add the point to the opponent and record the service change.
• Expulsion and disqualification: record them against the person. The sanctioned player must be replaced immediately by a legal or exceptional substitution if on court.
• Delay warning and delay penalty: these are team sanctions, they remain in force for the entire match and are recorded on the scoresheet. The first delay is a warning. The second and later delays by anyone in that team are a penalty: a point and service to the opponent. Delay sanctions imposed before or between sets are applied in the following set.
• Improper requests: the first improper request by a team in the match that does not affect or delay the game is rejected and recorded with no other consequence. A further improper request by the same team is a delay. You notify the referees of a request for a regular interruption that is out of order.

Improper requests include a request during a rally or at or after the whistle to serve, one made by a non-authorised team member, a second substitution by the same team in the same interruption (except for injury, illness, expulsion or disqualification), and one made after the authorised time-outs and substitutions are used up.

From the FIVB Rules 2025-2028 (Rule 18) and the scorer's duties (Rule 27.2.2.5 and 27.2.2.8).

• Intervals: every interval between sets lasts three minutes. The change of courts and the registration of line-ups on the scoresheet happen in this time. The scorer controls the interval. The interval between the second and third set can be extended up to 10 minutes by the competent body at the organiser's request.
• Change of courts: teams change courts after each set, except in the deciding set.
• Deciding set: once the leading team reaches 8 points, the teams change courts without delay and player positions stay the same. You announce the scoring of the 8th point in the deciding set to the referees. If the change is missed, it happens as soon as the error is noticed and the score at that moment stays the same.
• End of set: you announce the end of each set to the referees.

A new toss is held before a deciding set.

If a set is played to 25, it is won by the first team to 25 points with a lead of at least two. In a 24-24 tie play continues until a two-point lead is reached (26-24, 27-25 and so on). A deciding fifth set is played to 15 points with a minimum two-point lead.

If the VA Heat Mitigation Policy is in use, the handbook adds two technical time-outs at 8 and 16 points in a regular set and at the end change in the deciding set, and the Tournament Control Committee may introduce reduced scoring before the first point of the match.

From the FIVB Rules 2025-2028 (Rules 27.2.3, 5.1.3, 23.3.3, 24.3.3) and the 2026 VA Indoor Handbook.

1. Record the final result.
2. If a captain protests, the 1st referee must first authorise it. You then write, or let the captain write, a statement on the scoresheet about the incident being protested.
3. Sign the scoresheet yourself first, then obtain the signatures of the team captains, and then the referees. The assistant scorer also signs the scoresheet and signs the Libero control sheet.

The captains thank the referees and sign the scoresheet to ratify the result. The 1st and 2nd referees check and sign it.

VA championship requirements for the duty team:

• the scoresheet must be fully completed
• the duty team must confirm the score with both team coaches before submitting it to the competition office (to the court supervisor at the Schools Cup)
• both team captains must verify the result on the scoresheet before the teams leave the competition court

A formal protest under the handbook can only be lodged by the head coach to the 2nd referee, and a scorer's mistake on the rotational order or the score is one of the things that can be protested.