Clubs, teams and officials must be aware of the current FIVB rules under which we operate and the separate rules of the HVA.
The current 2026 HVA Rules were amended at the June 2026 AGM. Please ensure all team managers and players read the rules. Ignorance is no excuse.
Changes for the 2026/27 Season
There were several changes, but the main highlights are:
- Player transfers within the club teams
- Players must be registered into HVA roster by the match date
- The Mixed League removes of the Player Restriction rules.
- Phantom player and rules added
- Updated NVL restrictions for players within HVA leagues
- Ensuring inter-club matches are played before 1st of February
- Changes to warm-up times
- Revised officials requirements for Women divisions
See the "History of Amendments" towards the end of the rules for a full list.
Rule Tweaks
Both teams can agree to tweak a rule before the match starts. This may be necessary if one team would otherwise be unable to play an agreed fixture. Please try to communicate any request in advance to allow the opposition to tweak the rule in the same way to avoid any disadvantage. A team does not have to accept the request, especially a last minute request and the full rules will be applied to the game as usual.
Any rule tweak must be recorded on the scoresheet for the HVA’s and wider visibility. If it is not recorded then the HVA will apply the full rules. This rule does not appear in our core rules, but is adopted casually to try and avoid matches being canceled. If it is abused or used to knowingly disadvantage a third team, then the HVA may overrule a decision or mediate as required. If you continue to play under an agreed rule tweak, you can’t complain after the match!
Scorers
The scorers have certain responsibilities that go beyond simply recording the score that when not undertaken correctly can have a major impact on a match result. See our section on Info for scorers.