What are the official volleyball court dimensions and net height?

A regulation volleyball court measures 18 m long by 9 m wide, forming a rectangle divided into two 9 × 9 m halves by the centre line beneath the net. A free zone of at least 3 m surrounds the playing court on every side.

At FIVB World and Official Competitions, the free zone widens to 5 m from the sidelines and 6.5 m from the end lines, giving players room to chase balls. The free playing space above the court must be obstruction-free to at least 7 m, or 12.5 m for top FIVB events.

The playing surface must be flat, horizontal and uniform, with a light colour. Every line is 5 cm wide and counts as part of the area it bounds.

Element	Measurement
Court length	18 m
Court width	9 m
Each half	9 × 9 m
Attack line from centre	3 m
Free zone (minimum)	3 m
Free zone (FIVB events)	5 m sides / 6.5 m ends
Net height (men)	2.43 m
Net height (women)	2.24 m
Line width	5 cm

Knowing these figures matters before you track a match on a live scoreboard. If you want the scoring side too, see how volleyball scoring works.

Every volleyball court carries five key markings: two sidelines, two end lines, the centre line, and two attack lines set 3 m from the centre line. These lines define the front zone, back zone and service zone on each side.

The attack line, often called the 3-metre line or 10-foot line, sits 3 m from the centre line on each side and marks the boundary of the front zone. Back-row players may only attack from behind it.

At FIVB events the attack line extends with five 15 cm dashes, spaced 20 cm apart, reaching 1.75 m beyond the sideline. The front zone stretches from the centre line to the attack line and outward to the free zone.

The service zone is the full 9 m width behind each end line, where the server must stay until contact. The back zone covers the rest of each half. Where players stand at service is governed by rotation and position rules, covered in volleyball positions explained.

Line width is a uniform 5 cm, and each line belongs to the zone it borders. Understanding these zones is essential for judging back-row attacks and foot faults.

A volleyball net stands 2.43 m high for men and 2.24 m high for women, measured at the centre of the court. The height is set from the playing surface to the top of the net band, and both ends must match within 2 cm.

The net height is measured at the centre of the court with a measuring rod. The two ends over the sidelines may rise slightly but must never exceed the official height by more than 2 cm, keeping the net level.

Category heights vary by age and federation. Common standards include 2.35 m for some junior boys' divisions and 2.24 m for many women's and youth categories, though exact figures differ between governing bodies — always check the age-group rulebook.

The net posts stand 0.5-1 m outside the sidelines to hold the tension without obstructing play. For men's international play the net sits at 2.43 m; for women's it is 2.24 m — a difference of 19 cm. These heights have been fixed in the FIVB rules for decades, so men clear a distinctly higher barrier at the net.

The net is 1 m tall and 9.5-10 m long, topped by a white horizontal band. Two antennae, flexible rods 1.8 m long, are fixed at the outer edges over each sideline and extend 80 cm above the net.

The net measures 1 m from top to bottom and 9.5 to 10 m wide, made of 10 cm square black mesh. A 7 cm white band folds over the top, and vertical side bands mark where the net meets each sideline.

The antennae are flexible fibreglass rods 1.8 m long and 10 mm in diameter, striped in 10 cm red and white sections. Fixed at the outer edge of each side band, they rise 80 cm above the net and mark the lateral limits of the crossing space.

The ball must cross the net entirely within the crossing space — the area between the two antennae, below the ceiling and above the net. A ball passing outside an antenna is out. Only the part of each antenna above the net is in play; the lower section anchors it to the side band, and the antennae are regarded as part of the net.

A regulation indoor volleyball has a circumference of 65-67 cm, weighs 260-280 g, and holds an internal pressure of 0.300-0.325 kg/cm². It is spherical, made of leather or synthetic leather over a bladder.

The internal pressure sits between 0.300 and 0.325 kg/cm² (about 294-318 mbar). At major events all balls in a match must be identical in circumference, weight, pressure, type and colour.

Ball property	Specification
Circumference	65-67 cm
Weight	260-280 g
Internal pressure	0.300-0.325 kg/cm²
Colour	uniform light or FIVB colour combination

The ball's bladder is made of rubber or a similar material. A slight loss of pressure during play is corrected between rallies at officiated matches, and match balls are approved and stamped by the governing body before use.

FIVB World Competitions use a three-ball system with six ball retrievers to keep play flowing. The ball may be a uniform light colour or a combination of colours approved by the FIVB.

A beach volleyball court is 16 m long by 8 m wide, smaller than the 18 × 9 m indoor court, and has no attack line — back-row rules do not apply. Net heights stay the same: 2.43 m for men and 2.24 m for women.

The court is surrounded by a free zone of at least 3 m (5-6 m at FIVB events) and free space of 7 m overhead. The sand must be level and at least 40 cm deep.

Unlike indoor, the beach court has only sidelines and end lines — there is no centre line and no attack line, so any player may attack from anywhere. Two teams of two share the reduced space.

The beach ball is slightly different: circumference 66-68 cm, weight 260-280 g, and a lower internal pressure of 0.175-0.225 kg/cm² — softer, so it moves well outdoors. The same free-zone and crossing-space rules apply, so a single scoreboard like JudgeMate tracks a beach set exactly as it does indoors.