How high is a volleyball net?

The top of the net is at 2.43 m for men and 2.24 m for women, according to the FIVB rules.

Is the beach volleyball net the same height?

For adults, yes: 2.43 m for men and 2.24 m for women. In youth categories it varies: in Spain, under-17 beach volleyball is played at 2.37 m for boys and 2.18 m for girls, the same as indoors.

How high is the net at under-16 level?

The usual heights in Spain are 2.37 m for under-16 boys and 2.18 m for under-16 girls, although some competitions differ: at the 2025-2026 Valencia Municipal Games, for example, the girls’ net is at 2.24 m.

Where is the net height measured from?

From the floor to the top edge of the net, in the middle of the court. Above the sidelines it must be the same and no more than 2 cm above the official height.

How far do the antennae stick out above the net?

The antennae are 1.80 m long and stick out 80 cm above the net. They mark the side limits within which the ball must cross.

Volleyball net height by age group and in beach volleyball

The official volleyball net height is 2.43 m for men and 2.24 m for women, both indoors and in beach volleyball. In youth categories the net is lowered to suit the players’ age, and those heights are set by each federation or competition.

Official net height

Category	Indoor	Beach
Men	2.43 m	2.43 m
Women	2.24 m	2.24 m

These are the adult heights in the FIVB rules 2025-2028 and the ones used in any senior competition. The difference between the two categories is 19 cm.

Net height in youth categories

In youth categories, heights are set by each competition. These are the usual heights in Spain, used for example at the Madrid Municipal Games:

Category	Men / boys	Women / girls
Under-10 (mini-volleyball, mixed)	2.00 m
Under-12 (mini-volleyball, mixed)	2.10 m
Under-14	2.24 m	2.10 m
Under-16	2.37 m	2.18 m
Under-18	2.43 m	2.24 m

There can be variations: at the 2025-2026 Valencia Municipal Games, for example, the net for under-16 girls is set at 2.24 m. Always check your league’s rules. Age-group names and cut-offs also vary from country to country.

Girls’ youth volleyball team celebrating a point at the net — In youth categories the net is lowered by age: for under-16 girls it is usually set at 2.18 m in Spain. · Photo: Vince Fleming / Unsplash

Beach volleyball: heights by age

Internationally, the FIVB beach volleyball rules allow the net to be lowered for age groups, with the same height for boys and girls:

Age	Height
16 and under	2.24 m
14 and under	2.12 m
12 and under	2.00 m

In Spain, however, youth beach volleyball uses the same heights as indoor volleyball. This is what the Royal Spanish Volleyball Federation sets for its national school-age championship for regional teams:

Category	Men / boys	Women / girls
Under-15	2.24 m	2.10 m
Under-17	2.37 m	2.18 m

How the net height is measured

It’s measured in the middle of the court, from the floor to the top edge of the net, with a measuring rod.
Above the two sidelines the height must be exactly the same, and never more than 2 cm above the official height.
The net is 1 m deep; indoors it is 9.5 to 10 m long, and 8.5 m in beach volleyball.
The 1.80 m antennae stick out 80 cm above the net and mark the limits within which the ball must cross.

Why is the net lower for women and young players?

Net height balances attack and defence. With a lower net for women, the spike and the block carry similar weight in the game as they do for men. The same reason applies to youth categories: with a net that’s too high, young players can’t attack over it and the game becomes slow and less appealing.