New Delhi, 02 November (H.S.): The fifth season of the Prime Volleyball League (PVL) will commence in Ahmedabad on November 30, with the month-long tournament set to take place at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Naranpura. The competition will bring together some of India’s leading volleyball players alongside international talent, offering fans an opportunity to witness top-level professional volleyball.

The tournament arrives at a significant time for Ahmedabad, as the city prepares to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and is also pursuing its ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games. Developed as part of Ahmedabad’s international-standard sporting infrastructure, the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex will provide the venue for the country’s premier professional volleyball league.

Since its inception, the PVL has adopted a strategy of taking each season to a different city, with the objective of expanding the sport’s national footprint and attracting new audiences. The fifth edition comes amid growing international recognition for Indian volleyball. Earlier this year, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) recognised the PVL as India’s first-division professional volleyball league.

The Indian men’s national volleyball team has also made significant progress in the FIVB world rankings, climbing from 60th to 42nd position. The improvement has followed encouraging performances in international competitions, including the 2026 Asian Games, the AVC Continental Cup and the Japan and AVC Men’s Cup events held in Ahmedabad.

Prime Volleyball League Chief Executive Officer Joy Bhattacharjya said, “Taking Season 5 to Ahmedabad is another important step in our journey to grow professional volleyball across India. We have consciously taken the league to different cities each season to reach new audiences and strengthen the sport’s footprint. With Ahmedabad’s growing sporting ambitions and the progress of the Indian men’s national team, we believe this is an exciting time to bring PVL to this city.”

Pravin Chaudhari, owner of Ahmedabad Defenders, said the franchise was immensely proud to welcome the Prime Volleyball League to the city. He noted that Ahmedabad was preparing to host major international sporting events while continuing to develop world-class infrastructure. Hosting the PVL at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, he said, would provide another opportunity to showcase the city’s sporting capabilities. He added that the franchise looked forward to welcoming teams and fans from across the country.

Tuhin Mishra, Managing Director and Co-founder of Baseline Ventures and Director of the Prime Volleyball League, said the FIVB’s recognition and the Indian men’s national team’s progress on the international stage had generated considerable momentum for volleyball in the country. He said the league remained focused on strengthening the professional ecosystem, creating opportunities for Indian talent and expanding the sport’s reach, adding that Ahmedabad marked an important step in that journey.

A total of 10 teams will compete for the title in the fifth season. The participating franchises are Ahmedabad Defenders, Bengaluru Torpedoes, Calicut Heroes, Chennai Blitz, Delhi Toofans, Goa Guardians, Kochi Blue Spikers, Kolkata Thunderbolts, Mumbai Meteors and Telugu Black Hawks.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar