Italian club volleyball will start the new season under the rules we already saw in action this summer in the Volleyball Nations League and subsequently at EuroVolley 2026.
The Italian Federation (FIPAV) officially confirmed that as of September 28, the rules from "FIVB Rule Tests 2026" come into force throughout the country. The decision covers all federal championships and categories, including the SuperLega, where Alex and Simeon Nikolov, Jasmin Velichkov, Iliya Petkov, and Georgi Tatarov will play in the new season.
Among the most visible changes is the possibility for teams to make up to eight substitutions within a single set. New regulations and interpretations for two-handed play and double contact are also applied, as well as the rule that, under certain conditions, allows the rally to continue after the ball touches the ceiling.
These are not unfamiliar rules for volleyball players. FIVB tested them during the 2026 international season, including in the VNL, and they were also used during the European Championship.
Following a decision by the CEV Administrative Board on September 23, the test rules were adopted for application during the 2026/27 season. Five days later, they officially came into force in Italy as well.
FIPAV specifies that individual provisions requiring specific technology or certain characteristics of the sports facility will only be applied where the necessary conditions are met. The Federation's Refereeing Commission must provide additional technical guidelines so that the new rules are interpreted uniformly across all Italian championships.

photo: Nikolay Varadinov