VFI to have a new official volleyball league in India

The Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) has announced its plans to launch a new franchise-based annual domestic league that is tentatively scheduled to start in June-July 2022.

The Indian Volleyball League, which the sport’s governing body for India is launching in association with Eurosport India Discovery Network’s premier sports channel, is recognised both by the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).

The IVL seems a direct response to the ongoing Prime Volleyball League (PVL), which was launched this year after its earlier avatar, Pro Volleyball League, was discontinued after one season in 2019. The six-team Pro Volleyball League was organised by Baseline Ventures under the supervision of the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) and was approved by FIVB.

The IVL, now the official league in India, will have six to eight franchises representing various cities across the country, the VFI said in a release on Monday.

In the IVL, the teams will have a mix of top players from the Indian national team along with talented players from various states as well as a host of top international players in its roster for the inaugural season, the release said.

Sharing his thoughts on the occasion, Prof. (Dr.) Achyuta Samanta, Member of Parliament & President, Volleyball Federation of India said, “It is a momentous occasion for Indian Volleyball, and we are thrilled to have a globally respected brand like Discovery on board with us. We are sure they will help us take the league to places and together we aim to uplift the sport’s standard in the near future as one of the top international volleyball leagues globally.”

Ramavtar Singh Jakhar, Zonal Executive Vice-President, Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), and Chairman, Indian Volleyball League said, “I am happy that Eurosport India – Discovery Network’s premium sports channel has come forward to partner with Indian Volleyball League which will go a long way in developing the game of Volleyball in India.”

He also said that the young Volleyball players in India will benefit a lot and surely this league will become a rousing hit in India and abroad.