Season 5 of the Prime Volleyball League (PVL) starts on 30 November 2026, and it is the first since the sport’s world body, the FIVB, recognised the PVL as India’s first-division professional league, Telangana Today reported in July. Clubs can now qualify for Asian and FIVB club competitions. The player auction was held in Goa on 17 August. Match venues had not been announced in the reports we could find.
Chennai’s team in the league is the Chennai Blitz. It has played every season since 2022 but has yet to reach a final. Here is the team’s record, the one season Chennai hosted, and how the city’s volleyball pathway fits around it.
Who the Blitz are
The franchise represents Tamil Nadu in the PVL. Its co-owners are Vikranth Reddy and Hanimi Reddy, The News Minute reported in 2023. In the first season the team was led by former India captain Mohan Ukkrapandian and coached by Chander Singh, according to Volleyball World. After that season the club released both, kept middle blocker GS Akhin, attacker Naveen Raja Jacob and setter Pinamma Prashant, and said it would build a younger squad, DT Next reported in July 2022.
Season by season
| Season | Host | Champion | Blitz notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Feb 2022) | Hyderabad | Kolkata Thunderbolts | Sixth, two wins from six |
| 2 (Feb 2023) | Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi | Ahmedabad Defenders | Captain Naveen Raja Jacob |
| 3 (Feb-Mar 2024) | Chennai | Calicut Heroes | Home team, opened the season |
| 4 (Oct 2025) | Hyderabad | Bengaluru Torpedoes | Pool A, missed semi-finals |
Season 1 and 2 champions are as named in the Season 3 preview. In Season 4, a 3-1 loss to Mumbai Meteors in Hyderabad on 20 October 2025 put Mumbai into the semi-finals, DT Next reported; Bengaluru Torpedoes beat Mumbai in straight sets in the final six days later, The Bridge reported.
When Chennai hosted the league
Season 3 was played entirely in Chennai. It opened on 15 February 2024 with the Blitz against defending champions Ahmedabad Defenders, with a league stage followed by a Super 5s round and an eliminator. The state’s 2024-25 sports policy note records the season at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Periamet. Calicut Heroes won the final there on 21 March 2024, beating Delhi Toofans 3-1, The Bridge reported.
Season 4 grew to ten teams with the addition of Goa Guardians, 38 matches in all. The Blitz were placed in Pool A with Goa, Kochi, Bengaluru and Kolkata, the league’s schedule showed.
The pathway for Chennai players
Most Blitz squad members come up through state volleyball. The state runs several routes, according to the 2024-25 policy note:
- Sports hostels. Volleyball is offered at the women’s sports hostel at Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, and at the Sports Hostels of Excellence for men at Nehru Stadium and for women at the indoor stadium.
- Khelo India. Tamil Nadu won one gold and one bronze in volleyball at the Khelo India Youth Games 2023, which were played at Nehru Indoor Stadium.
- Chief Minister’s Trophy. Volleyball is a team event for school, college and general categories.
- Courts. SDAT lists volleyball courts at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium complex and multipurpose indoor stadiums.
Why FIVB recognition matters
Until 2026 the PVL was a private franchise league with no route into international club volleyball. Recognition as the national first division means the top Indian clubs can now be entered for continental competitions run by the Asian Volleyball Confederation and its Central Asian zone, and ultimately for FIVB club events, subject to those bodies’ qualification rules. For a franchise like the Blitz, a strong Season 5 is now worth more than a trophy: it could mean an Asian club fixture for Chennai players and, perhaps, a home tie for Chennai fans in future seasons.
What to watch for in Season 5
- Venue and schedule: the league usually announces these a few weeks before the start.
- Squad: check the Blitz’s official channels for the post-auction roster.
- Broadcast and tickets: announced by the league closer to 30 November.
Quick answers
When does PVL Season 5 start?
On 30 November 2026, according to the league’s July announcement.
Has Chennai Blitz won the PVL?
No. The champions so far have been Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Calicut and Bengaluru.
Where were PVL matches played in Chennai?
All of Season 3 in 2024 was played at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium.
Will Season 5 games be held in Chennai?
Venues had not been announced in the reports available in mid-October 2026.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Chennai Blitz to represent Tamil Nadu in Prime Volleyball League (The News Minute)
- Introducing the Chennai Blitz (Volleyball World)
- Blitz makes tough decisions (DT Next)
- Chennai to host Season 3 of Prime Volleyball League (DT Next)
- Calicut Heroes win PVL 2024 (The Bridge)
- Prime Volleyball League Season 4 schedule (The Bridge)
- Mumbai Meteors qualify with win over Chennai Blitz (DT Next)
- Bengaluru Torpedoes win PVL 2025 (The Bridge)
- PVL Season 5 to begin on November 30 (Telangana Today)
- Policy Note 2024-25, Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department (Government of Tamil Nadu)
