Olympic Women's Volleyball Uniforms Rules

There are two types of women's volleyball in the Olympics: indoor and beach. Indoor volleyball consists of six players on the court at one time. There are several players sitting, ready for substitutions. Beach volleyball consists of two players on the court at a time. Unlike indoor volleyball, there are no substitutions in the game. The governing body for the Olympics, the International Volleyball Federation has specifications on uniforms including colors and number size.

  1. Indoor

    • Uniforms must consist of socks, sport shoes, shorts and the jersey. These uniforms must be clean and must all be the same color, except for the libero's jersey. The libero is a player specialized in defensive skills.

      Shoes have to be light in color and must consist of non-marking rubber. These shoes may not be black in competition games.

      Jerseys are numbered 1 through 18 and in official competition are numbered 1 through 20. Objects that may cause harm are not allowed to be worn.

    Indoor Number Specifications

    • The jerseys' numbers have to at least measure 7.87 inches in height on the back and 5.9 inches in height on the front. The color block that makes up each number has to be at least 0.79 inches wide.

      In official competitions players have to have numbers on their shorts at least 1.57 to 2.36 inches in height and 0.39 inches wide.

      The team captain has to have a stripe underlining the number on the front of the jersey. This stripe measures 3.15 by 0.79 inches.

    Beach Volleyball

    • Players must have uniform jerseys and if both teams show up in the same uniforms, they will participate in a coin toss to see who will change.

      Players wear a bathing suit and may wear a tank top as well. During official play, teams must wear uniforms that are the same color and style.

      Players may not wear objects that may cause harm like jewelry, casts or pins. Players may also wear a hat and must be barefoot. Uniforms have to be clean as well.

    Beach Number Specifications

    • The numbers 1 and 2 must be placed on each chest of the jersey. These numbers must be of a contrasting color to the team's uniforms and each number must be at least 3.94 inches in height. The number's stripe should be at least 0.59 inches wide. Players must have uniforms with official numbers.