GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) and Major League Volleyball have announced plans for a single, united league posed to elevate professional women's volleyball in the U.S.
Officials say the unified league will be branded as MLV.
"This is a major step in the evolution of pro women's volleyball here in the United States," said CEO/Owner of Grand Rapids Rise, Dan Devos. "Our love and dedication for this sport has been our foundation, and this next phase will be represented by a unified, professionally governed league with the scale and operational strength to match the ambitions of the sport. We're delighted for what's to come."
Play is scheduled to begin in January 2026.
The 2026 season will feature eight teams, with franchises in Atlanta, Columbus, Dallas, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Omaha, Orlando and San Diego.
MLV plans to expand to 10 franchises in 2027 with the additions of teams in Washington, D.C. and Northern California.
This will be recorded as the third season of MLV, which aims to be the longest-running professional women's volleyball league.
The first two seasons received an impressive amount of digital engagement, with more than 80 million social impressions, nearly one million total engagements and over 250,000 social media followers.
Attendance has also been strong, with more than 750,000 fans in attendance over the first two campaigns, along with 45 nationally-televised matches — including an inaugural All-Star Match that drew a peak viewership of 445,000 on CBS network television.
The 2026 season officially kicks off on Thursday, August 7, at 5:00 p.m. with the opening of the free agency signing period.
On December 5, 2022, the Grand Rapids Rise was announced as the first city to get a PVF franchise for the league's inaugural season.
The team played their first game on January 25, 2024 at Van Andel Arena. Over 7,000 people attended the inaugural match. They played against the Columbus Fury and won the match.
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