Volleyball | Live Scores

Volleyball is one of the most widely played sports on Earth, with an estimated 900 million fans and over 800 million players across 220 countries — making it one of the most inclusive sports in human history. From the beach volleyball arenas of the Olympics to the indoor courts of the FIVB World Championship, from school gymnasiums in Southeast Asia to professional leagues across Europe and Brazil, volleyball combines athleticism, teamwork, and split-second reflexes in a sport that anyone can begin playing within minutes.

Volleyball was invented on February 9, 1895, by William G. Morgan at the YMCA gymnasium in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Morgan, the YMCA's Director of Physical Education, wanted to create a game that combined elements of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball. Crucially, he designed it to be less physically intense than basketball — suitable for older businessmen who wanted exercise without the contact. He originally called the game "Mintonette." A spectator named Alfred Halstead noticed the volleying nature of play and suggested "volleyball" — the name that stuck.

The first volleyball net was 6 feet 6 inches high — a height set simply because that was the average height of a man at the time. The rules were significantly different from modern volleyball: the ball could be hit any number of times per side, the net was smaller, and the court was larger. The YMCA rapidly spread volleyball across the United States and internationally through its global network. By 1900, Canada had volleyball. By 1906, Cuba had it. By 1910, it was being played in Japan and China.

Indoor volleyball became an Olympic sport at the 1964 Tokyo Games, with the Soviet Union winning both the men's and women's gold medals. The Soviet and Eastern European dominance of volleyball through the Cold War era produced extraordinary technically sophisticated players. Brazil then emerged as the sport's most successful nation, winning multiple Olympic and World Championship titles with players celebrated for their explosive athleticism and improvisational creativity.

Beach volleyball — played two-on-two on sand — was introduced at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and has since become one of the Games' most popular events. Brazil and the United States have historically dominated beach volleyball, with players like Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor winning three consecutive Olympic gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012). Beach volleyball's summer atmosphere, athleticism, and accessibility have made it a global television and tourism phenomenon.

As of June 8, 2026, volleyball is 131 years old. The sport is enormously popular throughout Asia, particularly in Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, and China. Volleyball is one of the most-played sports in Cambodian schools and communities. The FIVB Volleyball Nations League runs annually from May to July, creating a world-class calendar of matches featuring the globe's best national teams. ZakGT covers volleyball's major international competitions live.