Prime Volleyball League Season 5 to Begin in Ahmedabad on November 30, Bengaluru Torpedoes Return as Defending Champions

The Prime Volleyball League (PVL) will move to Ahmedabad for its fifth season, with the competition scheduled to begin on November 30, 2026, at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Naranpura. 

The move marks an important geographical expansion for India's professional volleyball competition, which has travelled to a new host city in every season since its inception to build audiences across the country.

Season 5 will feature 10 franchises competing for the title, with Bengaluru Torpedoes returning as defending champions. The tournament will bring together teams from different regions of India, with Ahmedabad Defenders, Bengaluru Torpedoes, Calicut Heroes, Chennai Blitz, Delhi Toofans, Goa Guardians, Kochi Blue Spikers, Kolkata Thunderbolts, Mumbai Meteors and Telugu Black Hawks set to compete.

The announcement places Ahmedabad at the centre of India's domestic volleyball calendar for the upcoming season. The city, which has also hosted the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup, will become the first venue outside the southern states of Kerala, Telangana and Tamil Nadu to host the Prime Volleyball League.

Since the league's launch, PVL has adopted a travelling-host model, taking each season to a different city in an effort to introduce professional volleyball to new audiences. Bringing the fifth season to Ahmedabad represents the next stage of that strategy.

The decision is significant because the league's previous host locations were concentrated in southern India. Expanding to Gujarat gives the competition an opportunity to reach a different sporting audience and build a stronger national footprint for volleyball.

Joy Bhattacharjya, CEO of Prime Volleyball League, described the move as an important milestone in the competition's development. “Taking Season 5 to Ahmedabad is another important step in our journey to grow professional volleyball across India,” Bhattacharjya said.

The choice of Ahmedabad also comes in a year when the league received recognition from the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) as India's first division professional volleyball league. The recognition is an important development for the competition and reflects its position within the country's professional volleyball structure.

With the fifth season scheduled to begin on November 30, the league will look to build on that recognition by taking its product to a new market and strengthening its connection with supporters.

Ten teams competing for the Season 5 title

The 10-team format brings together franchises representing several major Indian cities and regions. The competing teams are:

• Ahmedabad Defenders

• Bengaluru Torpedoes

• Calicut Heroes

• Chennai Blitz

• Delhi Toofans

• Goa Guardians

• Kochi Blue Spikers

• Kolkata Thunderbolts

• Mumbai Meteors

• Telugu Black Hawks

Bengaluru Torpedoes will enter the competition with the responsibility of defending their title. Their campaign will be closely followed as the other nine franchises attempt to challenge the reigning champions.

For Ahmedabad Defenders, the home venue offers an opportunity to play in front of local supporters. The presence of the franchise alongside nine other teams gives the city a direct stake in the competition, rather than simply serving as a neutral host. The wider geographical spread of the participating teams also supports the league's ambition of developing volleyball's following beyond its traditional strongholds.

Ahmedabad prepares for a new volleyball season

The Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Naranpura will host the tournament, with the opening date set for November 30. The venue will provide the setting for a season featuring 10 teams and a fresh opportunity to attract spectators in Gujarat.

The organisers have also announced that matches will be available live on Sony and YouTube, giving supporters the option to follow the competition through television and digital platforms.

The availability of both broadcast and online viewing is important for a league seeking to expand its reach across different regions. While the Ahmedabad venue will be the focal point of the season, the broadcast platforms will allow fans outside the host city to follow their teams throughout the competition.

The move to Ahmedabad is particularly noteworthy because it takes the Prime Volleyball League into a new geographical market at a time when the competition has secured recognition from the sport's international governing body.

With Bengaluru Torpedoes aiming to retain their crown and nine other franchises preparing to challenge them, Season 5 will offer another test of the league's competitive depth and growing national appeal. For Ahmedabad, November 30 will mark the beginning of a new chapter in hosting professional volleyball. 

For the PVL, the fifth season represents a further step in its effort to establish the league as a competition with a genuinely pan-Indian footprint.