Federation Internationale de Volleyball is the official international governing body of indoor and beach volleyball. USA Volleyball is the official governing body of both sports in the United States. Indoor volleyball is played by two six-player teams on an indoor court divided by a net. Beach volleyball is played by two teams of 2-players each on a sand court divided by a net. USAV and FIVB rules require same-sized courts for both indoor and beach volleyball.
Indoor Volleyball
Official indoor volleyball is played with two 6-player teams on a flat, horizontal and uniformly surfaced court divided by a net. A player "serves," or hits the ball over the net to an opposing team which tries to keep the ball from touching the ground. Players "volley" the ball by keeping it in the air with their hands, sending the ball back and forth over the net. Points are scored against teams that allow the ball to touch the ground, volley the ball outside boundary lines or fail to return the ball within rules of play. Each team's starting lineup determines where players are located on the court. Players rotate when their team wins the serve.
Indoor Volleyball Dimensions
According to official volleyball rules approved by the 32nd FIVB Congress 2010, indoor volleyball is played on a symmetrical and rectangular court measuring 59 feet long by 29 feet, 6 inches wide, divided by a net. The distance from the net to the end zone is 29 feet, 6 inches. Sidelines and end lines mark the perimeter of the court. Both sidelines and end lines lay within the dimensions of the court. The net divides the court into two equal playing areas that extend from sideline to sideline. The center line under the net belongs to both teams equally.
Beach Volleyball
Official beach volleyball teams consist of two 2-player teams playing on a sand court divided by a net. As in indoor volleyball, a player "serves," hitting the ball over the net to the opposing team, while the other players "volley" the ball, sending it back and forth across the net. Points are scored against teams that allow the ball to touch the ground, volley the ball outside of the boundary lines, or fail to return the ball within the rules of play. There are no set positions on the court other than the service area.
Beach Volleyball Dimensions
Beach volleyball uses a rectangular playing court that measures 52 feet, 6 inches long by 26 feet, 3 inches wide, divided by the net. The distance from the net to the end zone is 26 feet, 3 inches. Players serving the ball can move within the service zone, but cannot leave it to touch the court, the end line or outside the court's boundary lines. After the ball is hit, the server may step onto the court.
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