A volleyball match isn’t played against the clock but in sets: it ends when a team wins the sets it needs, however long that takes. That’s why match length varies so much. Here is the official format for indoor and beach volleyball, according to the FIVB rules 2025-2028, and how long a match usually lasts.
The quick answer
| Format | Indoor volleyball | Beach volleyball |
|---|---|---|
| Sets to win | 3 (5 sets maximum) | 2 (3 sets maximum) |
| Points per set | 25, with a 2-point lead | 21, with a 2-point lead |
| Deciding set | 5th set, to 15 points | 3rd set, to 15 points |
| Time-outs | 2 per team per set, 30 s each | 1 per team per set, 30 s |
| Break between sets | 3 minutes | 1 minute |
How a set is won
Indoors, the set goes to the first team to reach 25 points with at least a two-point lead. At 24-24, play continues until one team is two points ahead: 26-24, 27-25, 30-28… There’s no cap, so a close set can go on for a long time.
Every rally is worth a point, whoever wins it and whoever served: this is the rally-point system. The team that wins the rally also wins the right to serve.
The fifth set
If the match reaches 2-2 in sets, the fifth is played to 15 points, again with a two-point lead. A new coin toss is held before it starts, and when one team reaches 8 points both teams change courts straight away.
How long does a volleyball match last?
The rules don’t set a length, but it can be estimated. A 25-point set has 40 to 50 rallies and, with the breaks between points, usually lasts 20 to 30 minutes. Adding the 3-minute breaks between sets, these are the approximate durations:
| Result | Sets played | Approximate length |
|---|---|---|
| 3-0 | 3 | 1 h to 1 h 30 |
| 3-1 | 4 | 1 h 30 to 2 h |
| 3-2 | 5 | 1 h 45 to 2 h 30 |
These are estimates: what lengthens a match most are sets that go past 25 (26-24, 28-26…), long rallies with lots of digs, time-outs, substitutions and, at the top level, video challenges. The organiser may also extend the break between the second and third sets to up to 10 minutes.
Beach volleyball: best of 3 sets
In beach volleyball, the team that wins 2 sets to 21 points wins the match, and at one set all the third is played to 15. Teams switch sides every 7 points played (every 5 in the third set), each team has one time-out per set and the break between sets is one minute. In FIVB competitions, a technical time-out is added in the first two sets when the teams’ combined score reaches 21.
That’s why beach matches are shorter: a 2-0 usually takes around 40-50 minutes, and about an hour if there’s a third set.
Youth categories and local leagues
Grassroots competitions may use other formats. For example, at the 2025-2026 Valencia Municipal Games in Spain, mini-volleyball (under-10s and under-12s) is played as a single set to 25 points, while from under-14 to under-18 it’s played like adult volleyball: best of five sets to 25, with the fifth to 15. If you play in a local, school or corporate league, check its rules, as some shorten matches by playing fewer sets.