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The debate over volleyball’s international calendar is becoming one of the most significant disputes in the sport’s European landscape.
On November 2, the Polska Liga Siatkówki (PLS), the organisation overseeing Poland’s professional leagues, officially presented its position to the FIVB, calling for urgent changes to the current structure of the global calendar.
The statement, issued following discussions with the presidents of all clubs involved in PLS competitions more than two months earlier, sends a clear message: the existing separation between the club season and the national-team season is no longer sustainable.
For the Polish league, the problem is not simply the prospect of a new calendar. It is the way the current system affects the entire volleyball ecosystem.
Club competitions are increasingly compressed, forcing teams to play too many matches within limited timeframes. According to the PLS, this congestion also restricts the development of other domestic tournaments, including the Polish Cup, which struggles to find sufficient space in an already crowded schedule.
Player welfare is another central concern. International athletes are often required to reach peak form twice during the summer, first for the Volleyball Nations League and then for a World Championship or the Olympic Games. They subsequently return to their clubs and face a demanding championship campaign, often without adequate preparation or recovery time.
The Olympic year represents the most extreme example. The combination of the VNL, the Olympic Games and the European Championship within a short period can create an exceptionally demanding sequence of competitions for national-team players.
At the same time, those who are not selected for their national teams face a very different problem. Their club seasons may end as early as April or May, leaving them without official competition until October. The PLS argues that such long periods of inactivity prevent many talented players from developing and reaching their full potential.
The Polish position stands in sharp contrast to the growing opposition in Italy, where Perugia president Gino Sirci launched the #NoClubsNoVolley campaign against the FIVB’s proposed calendar reform for the 2028–2032 cycle.
The proposal under discussion would move major national-team competitions into the winter period, potentially interrupting club championships for approximately seven weeks between December and January. Italian clubs including Perugia, Modena, Piacenza, Milano and Verona have expressed concern over the impact such a break could have on their financial sustainability, competitive rhythm and players’ physical condition.
For the Italian clubs, the winter interruption risks undermining the very competitions that sustain professional volleyball throughout the year. For the Polish league, however, the current structure is already creating serious problems—and a reform is urgently needed.
The PLS is therefore advocating a different approach, suggesting that volleyball could draw inspiration from sports such as football, where club and national-team competitions are organised within a more integrated calendar framework.
Importantly, the Polish league has not closed the door to dialogue. It has confirmed its willingness to continue discussions with both the FIVB and the CEV, seeking a solution capable of addressing the long-standing issues affecting the sport.
The debate is now moving beyond a simple question of scheduling. It touches on the balance between clubs and national teams, the protection of athletes, the economic sustainability of professional leagues and the future appeal of volleyball worldwide.
With Italy calling for the proposed reform to be stopped and Poland demanding an urgent transformation of the current system, European volleyball is facing a clear divide. The challenge for the FIVB will be to find a calendar that does not force clubs, players and national federations to choose sides.
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