The International Volleyball Federation, the sport's worldwide governing body, makes the rules for the game, including volleyball court dimensions. In the United States, the rules are administered by USA Volleyball. Indoor volleyball, typically played by teams of six players each, and beach volleyball, played by two-person teams, are played on different-size courts.
Court Dimensions
A regulation volleyball court is a rectangle, 18 meters long by 9 meters wide -- roughly 60 feet by 30 feet. A centerline splits the rectangle into two halves, each of which is a square measuring 9 meters on a side. Set back 3 meters from the centerline on each half of the court is an "attack line" running the width of the court. On each half of the court, the area between the centerline and the attack line is the frontcourt; the area between the attack line and the end line is the backcourt.
Net
The net is strung directly above the centerline. When hung, the net is 1 meter tall and 10 meters wide. Regulation height for the top of the net is 2.43 m above the floor for men's play and 2.24 meters for women -- that is, just under 8 feet for men, and just over 7 feet, 4 inches for women. This measurement is taken at the midpoint of the centerline. Because the net is strung from posts on either side of the court, it sags a bit at the center, so the top of the net is going to be a little higher at the sidelines than at the middle. By rule, though, the net top at the sidelines cannot be more than 2 cm -- about 3/4 of an inch -- higher than at the center. And the height must be equal at both sidelines.
Other Specifications
All lines on the court are 5 cm wide, about 2 inches. The ceiling must be at least 7 meters from the floor, or about 23 feet. There must be at least 2 meters, or about 6.5 feet, of open space around all sides of the court. This reduces the chances of a player crashing into a wall or other obstruction while diving out of bounds to hit a ball.
Beach Volleyball
Beach volleyball modifies the court dimensions somewhat. A regulation beach volleyball court is a rectangle, 16 meters by 8 meters, or about 52.5 feet by 26.25 feet. The net splits the court into two square halves, each 8 meters on a side. The regulation height for the net top at the center of the court is the same as for regulation volleyball; when measuring, the sand must be raked flat under the net. The court has neither a centerline nor attack lines; the sidelines and endlines are made of rope or a ribbon-like flexible material. There must be at least 3 meters of open space on all sides of the court, or about 10 feet.
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