How Long Is A Volleyball Game?

Unlike sports like football and basketball, volleyball is not played with a running game clock but instead in sets, with a designated amount of points to win a set and a certain amount of sets to win the game. Generally, volleyball games are played in a best 2-of-3 or best 3-of-5 set style. The format in which the game is played depends on the competition level, along with the style of play and individual match or tournament.

How Long Do Volleyball Games Last?

• Average Volleyball Game: 60-90 minutes
• Average Set: 25 minutes
• Five-Set Game: 90 minutes-2.5 hours

Winning a Set

Depending on the level of play and specific competition, the amount of points needed to win a volleyball set varies. When it comes to indoor volleyball, a team needs to score 25 points to win a set. If the match goes to a tie-breaker set (third set in best 2-of-3 or fifth set in best 3-of-5), a team only needs to score 15 points to win the set.

For beach volleyball, teams need to score 21 points to win a set, and, in the case of a tie-breaker set, only 15 points are needed to win. In both types of volleyball, teams need to win a set by at least two points. For example, if a team is the first to reach 25 points in an indoor volleyball set, but the opposing team has 24 points, the set will continue until one team leads by two points.

Best 2-of-3

In a best 2-of-3 volleyball match, the team that wins two sets first wins the competition. Since the match can last for either two or three sets, there is no set time limit for this particular type of game. Generally, a single volleyball set will last anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes, so a best 2-of-3 match can be expected to last from 60 to 90 minutes. While these types of sets can be played at any skill level, they are most often found at the middle school, junior varsity, and international beach volleyball levels.

Best 3-of-5

Similar to a best 2-of-3 volleyball game, a particular time limit does not constrain a best 3-of-5 game. The match can last anywhere from three to five sets, and the first team to win three sets wins the game. These games will last anywhere from 90 minutes to around two and a half hours, including breaks. Best 3-of-5 sets are often played at the varsity, college, and international indoor volleyball levels.

Best of 2

While less common, best of two matches are sometimes played at volleyball tournaments where there is a specific schedule and games are needed to be played within a certain time window. Unlike the other two types, these matches are timed, and two sets are always played. Within each set, teams try to score as many points as possible. At the conclusion of the two sets, the team’s points from both sets are tallied together, and the team with the higher score wins the game.

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