Major League Volleyball Announces Conference Realignment

Major League Volleyball is entering a new era with the introduction of Eastern and Western Conferences for the 2027 season.

The MLV has expanded into two conferences. / Indy Ignite

With Major League Volleyball (MLV) expanding to 12 teams in 2027, the league has decided to split into two conferences. 

MLV will now be grouped into Eastern and Western Conferences. Atlanta, Columbus, DC, Grand Rapids, Indy and Orlando will make up the Eastern Conference, while the Western Conference will hold Dallas, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Northern California, Omaha and Vegas.

EAST 🆚 WEST

Which conference are you backing for 2027? pic.twitter.com/Qk4QCTVJ9z

— Major League Volleyball (@mlvolley) August 19, 2026

With more teams comes a better schedule. The regular season will feature 26 matches, with each team playing the 11 other league opponents, once at home and once on the road, for 22 matches. The remaining four matches will be scheduled against teams in the same conference, with each squad missing one of the other five on an annual rotating basis.

“Adding four teams and shifting to a conference structure changes everything for us,” MLV commissioner Jaime Weston said in a press release. “Expanding into these incredible sports markets allows us to create genuine rivalries, energize an exciting postseason race and provide fans with the best volleyball in the country. Our players thrive on high-stakes competition, and this 26-match format delivers the world-class stage both our athletes and supporters deserve.”

According to MLV’s press release, the league considered several options on the number of regular-season matches. The teams came to the conclusion that 26 matches was the perfect amount to maintain a full professional schedule, which is consistent with other U.S. professional sports leagues. This number of matches also fits right into the standard volleyball season of January through May. 

A full round-robin schedule was no longer possible, as the 2026 season featured eight teams that played 28 regular-season matchups. With the growth to 12 teams, team schedules would have gone up to 44 matches total if teams were to play everyone the same number of times. 

“Major League Volleyball teams needed to determine one conference, two conferences or some other format. Several different formats were considered – including one division, two divisions and other types of formats (such as quads) strictly for scheduling,” the press release stated. “The two-conference format was agreed to be the best for putting together the 2027 schedule.”

A schedule for the 2027 season, plus a postseason format, is still being finalized by the league.  

MLV Teams Debuting in 2027 

• Los Angeles 
• Northern California 
• Minnesota Forge 
• Washington, D.C.

Additionally, the Vegas Thrill return to the league after a year-long hiatus. The league officially announced that the team is undergoing a strategic reboot, which features a long-term vision focused on elite standards, community legacy, and a world-class fan experience.