The Volleyball WA Premier League is the highest level of club volleyball competition in Western Australia, showcasing talent and bringing together the best players, coaches and clubs in a competitive showcase for the sport.

The League is comprised of selected licensed clubs who will compete against each other across both men’s and women’s divisions at a Premier Level for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Additionally, as part of the League, competitions for Reserves and Under 19s are also held. The purpose of this structure is to ensure a strong pipeline of emerging talent and provide development opportunities in a competitive environment.

The League runs during the winter season in a round-robin format, culminating in a Finals Series where the Premier League Champions are crowned. Premier League Volleyball is a separate competition from the State League and there is no promotion or relegation between the two competitions.

The Premier League is governed by a Club Licensing System, which outlines the standards and expectations for those participating at this level. This ensures consistency, professionalism, and alignment with Volleyball WA’s long-term vision for the sport. See below for more information on the Licensing System and the application process

Following a consultation process with clubs during 2026, Volleyball WA set out to reshape the way competitive volleyball works across the state. The consultation process sought feedback from across the Volleyball WA community through a member survey, followed up by several workshops including club representatives.  

The result? A three-tier system that gives everyone a place to grow, compete and thrive:

·        Tier 1– Premier League Volleyball (PLV)
The elite platform for top-performing athletes, coaches, and officials—driven by high standards, competition and visibility of the sport.

·        Tier 2 – State League Volleyball (SLV) 
A development-focused competition that helps nurture clubs, players, coaches and officials in a competitive yet accessible environment.

·        Tier 3 - Open Volleyball League (OVL)
Entry-level and social competitions run by VWA, supporting community engagement and providing opportunities for all.

To support the vision of the Premier League, a Club Licensing System was introduced to ensure only the most prepared and committed clubs take part in the Tier 1—setting a new benchmark for excellence in the sport.

This Licensing System outlines how the system is administered, who and how they can apply and the criteria that must be met during the Licensing Cycle in order to obtain and maintain a license.

View the Club Licensing System Regulations Here

VWA Terms of Reference Competition Licensing Committee_FINAL September 2026

Terms of Reference of the Competition Appeals Committee

Applications for Licences are currently being taken for those looking to compete in Premier League Volleyball for the 2027 and 2028 seasons.

View the Application Form Here (currently open until 14th October 2026 for 2027 & 2028)

View the Licensing Fees and Payment Schedule Here

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. What is the Club Licensing System?

The Club Licensing System (CLS) is a framework designed to support the ongoing development of clubs participating in Volleyball WA competitions. It establishes minimum standards across competition, development, governance, facilities, personnel, finance and participation, with the objective of strengthening clubs and improving the standard of volleyball in Western Australia.

2. What are PLV, SLV and OLV?

• PLV = Premier League Volleyball
• SLV = State League Volleyball
• OLV = Open League Volleyball

Each competition is subject to a different licensing framework.

3. Who can apply for a licence?

Any Volleyball WA platinum affiliated club may apply for a licence, provided it can satisfy the applicable mandatory requirements and licensing criteria.

Applicants should generally be incorporated entities and must be the legal entity responsible for the teams participating in the relevant competition.

4. Are joint applications permitted?

No.

Applications are assessed on a one applicant = one licence basis. A licence application must be submitted by a single legal entity, and all licensing criteria must be satisfied by that entity.

Clubs cannot combine multiple entities for the purpose of meeting different licensing criteria.

5. When will licence applications open?

Applications for the 2027 Licensing Cycle are now open and will close on 14^th October 2026.

Volleyball WA has intentionally brought the process forward to provide certainty to clubs before the Christmas period and allow sufficient time for planning prior to the 2027 season.

APPLICATIONS AND ASSESSMENT

6. What makes a strong licence application?

Applicants should provide clear, accurate and comprehensive responses.

In addition to demonstrating compliance with mandatory requirements, strong applications provide evidence of:

• Sustainable club governance
• Junior and youth development pathways
• Coach and referee development initiatives
• Access to quality facilities
• Long-term planning and growth strategies
• Marketing and participation initiatives

7. How will licence applications be assessed?

Applications will be assessed by the Competition Licensing Committee (CLC).

The Committee will evaluate each application against the licensing criteria and determine whether the applicant has met the required standards.

The Committee may request additional information or supporting documentation as part of the assessment process.

8. Who sits on the Competition Licensing Committee and Competition Appeals Committee?

Volleyball WA will not publicly disclose the membership of the decision-making committees.

This approach helps protect committee members from undue influence during the application, audit, sanctioning and appeals processes.

The qualifications and composition requirements for each committee are outlined in the relevant Terms of Reference.

9. If my application is unsuccessful, can I appeal?

Yes.

Applicants have the right to appeal a licensing decision in accordance with the Club Licensing System Regulations.

Appeals may only be made on specific grounds, including procedural fairness, bias, material error in the application of the Regulations, or where the decision was not reasonably open on the information provided.

An appeal fee of $1,000 applies. A partial refund of $700 will be provided if the appeal is successful.  The remaining $300 will be retained by VWA to cover associated administrative costs.

AUDITS, COMPLIANCE AND GOVERNANCE

10. How will compliance audits work?

Licensing criteria will generally fall into one of three categories:

1. Criteria assessed during the application process;
2. Criteria that must be satisfied by a specified date before the season commences; or
3. Criteria subject to compliance audits during the licensing cycle.

Volleyball WA intends to publish an audit schedule and provide reasonable notice of audit requirements wherever possible.

11. How much notice will clubs receive before an audit?

Volleyball WA is currently developing its audit processes.

Further information regarding audit scope, notice periods and audit procedures will be provided prior to the commencement of the licensing cycle.

COMPETITION AND FACILITIES

12. Will Premier League matches be played on Saturdays?

The current intention is for Premier League competition to be primarily conducted on Saturdays.

Volleyball WA's preference is to minimise Sunday fixtures wherever possible, with Sundays generally being treated as a contingency option when required.

Final competition formats and schedules will be released separately.

13. Will game times be adjusted under the new competition structure?

Competition scheduling and match timing arrangements remain under development.

Further detail will be released through the Competition Handbook and Regulations ahead of the season.

14. Will all clubs be required to have home and away playing uniforms?

Yes.

Home and away uniforms are a mandatory requirement for Premier League teams. The home and away uniforms must have distinctly different primary colours. A uniform that shares the same primary colour as the home uniform cannot be nominated or approved as an away uniform.

The objective is to elevate the presentation and professionalism of the competition and align it with accepted sporting practice at an elite competition level.

15. Does a club need to own its venue?

No.

Clubs do not need to own a venue. However, applicants must be able to demonstrate reliable access to suitable facilities.

Examples may include:

• A venue hire agreement;
• A long-term booking arrangement; or
• Evidence of an established relationship with a venue provider.

The purpose of this requirement is to ensure clubs have secure access to facilities rather than relying on ad hoc arrangements.

16. What if our school or venue provider cannot provide guaranteed venue access?

The Competition Licensing Committee will assess each application on its merits.

The intent of the requirement is to demonstrate reliable access to facilities, recognising that some venue providers, particularly schools, may not provide formal long-term guarantees.

Evidence of an established and ongoing relationship with the venue provider may be considered.

17. What happens if we meet all licensing requirements except venue requirements?

The Competition Licensing Committee will assess the overall strength of each application.

Applicants should note that venue requirements form part of the mandatory licensing criteria and will be considered accordingly.

Volleyball WA also retains access to additional venues to support competition delivery where required.

PARTICIPATION PROGRAMS AND MEMBERSHIP

18. How are Kids & Junior Volley, PlayVolley and other participation programs treated?

Volleyball WA recognises that many clubs already operate successful participation programs.

PlayVolley is Volleyball Australia's national introductory participation program and is an important part of the national participation strategy.

At present:

• PlayVolley and Kids Volley programs may coexist;
• Clubs are not currently required to replace existing programs;
• PlayVolley points seek to incentivise clubs to transition to the new national program rather than mandate.

19. What is a "term" for participation program purposes?

For licensing purposes, a term is generally considered to be approximately 10 to 12 weeks, consistent with a standard school term.

20. Can clubs continue running social volleyball programs?

Yes.

Volleyball WA intends to introduce a club-sanctioning framework for participation programs, including social volleyball.

The objective is not to dictate how clubs operate programs, but rather to establish minimum standards that must be met for programs to be recognised within the licensing framework.

Further details will be released separately.

21. How will points be awarded for Premier League teams if applications occur before teams are confirmed?

The licensing process is intended to assess a club's reasonable forecast and planning rather than require certainty about every team entry.

Applicants should provide realistic and evidence-based estimates of the teams they expect to enter.

Where a club falls short in one criterion, opportunities may exist to obtain points through other areas of the licensing framework.

22. Can separate programs, academies or development groups be counted towards licensing criteria?

Only where the activity forms part of, and is operated under, the licence applicant's legal entity.

Where a separate organisation operates independently, its activities generally cannot be claimed by the licence applicant for licensing purposes.

Clubs operating multiple brands, programs or partnerships are encouraged to seek clarification from Volleyball WA before lodging their application.

23. Is Volleyball WA looking to simplify memberships and registrations?

Yes.

Volleyball WA is currently exploring a transition to a new national CRM platform to improve member registration, program administration and reporting processes.

While no implementation date has been confirmed, this remains a key organisational priority.

24. Can a club claim licensing points for a Kids & Junior Volley Program that is run independently of Volleyball WA?

A program must comply with the requirements of the relevant criterion, including adherence to VWA junior development guidelines and the submission of participation data to VWA. In addition, the licensing framework requires that all Licence Applicant players are registered with Volleyball WA and a VWA-affiliated club.

The Competition Licensing Committee (CLC) will assess the evidence provided by each club when determining whether a criterion has been satisfied. Where a program is delivered independently of the VWA participation framework, there is a risk that the CLC may determine that the program does not satisfy the relevant licensing requirements, particularly if it does not follow VWA junior development guidelines or players are not registered with Volleyball WA.

Accordingly, while the CLC can only make a determination once a licence application is assessed, clubs should be aware that operating an independent program may create a risk that the program is not recognised for licensing purposes and, therefore, does not attract points under the licensing framework or attracts penalties if included in an application but deemed ineligible by the CLC.

PLAYERS, CONTRACTS AND TRANSFERS

25. How will athlete offers and contracts work?

Volleyball WA will provide standard athlete offer and contract templates for clubs in due course.

Clubs must use the prescribed templates when making formal offers to athletes in accordance with the licensing requirements.

Further guidance regarding implementation will be provided before the commencement of player contracting periods.

26. How will player transfers work?

Player transfer arrangements are currently being reviewed and finalised.

Transfer rules are not part of the licensing framework itself.

Further information regarding transfer processes will be released before the end of the year.

FURTHER QUESTIONS

If you have a question regarding the Club Licensing System, Premier League Volleyball or the application process, please contact:

[email protected]

This FAQ will continue to be updated as additional questions are received from clubs.