The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference is starting on Saturday, and it promises to be an exciting opening for the country’s preeminent volleyball league for women. That being said, the Chery Tiggo Crossovers leaving the league and the Petro Gazz Angels taking a leave of absence seem to hit that not everything is as smooth-sailing as it seems and that there’s still room for improvement.
On that note, here are some ways the PVL can further elevate the league:
1. Have a Permanent Tournament Format
One thing many fans have noticed with the PVL is the lack of a stable tournament and playoff format.
For example, the 2025 Reinforced Conference featured a different structure compared to the 2025 PVL Invitational and the inaugural 2025 PVL On Tour.
Even the reported format for the upcoming conference differs from last season’s 2024–25 All-Filipino Conference. While changing formats might be a way to keep things fresh, it kind of leads to confusion, too, as fans always have to learn how the competition format goes.
In this case, a single round-robin elimination phase followed by an eight-team playoffs could be a good starting point. These top eight teams in the standings could then compete in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. The top two or four things could get incentives for the quarters, while the semis and finals could be best-of-three affairs.
If league officials could agree on one consistent tournament and playoff structure, fans—and even casual viewers—would have a clearer understanding of what the PVL truly represents.
2. Have More Teams
A field of 12 teams is okay, but the departures of Chery Tiggo and Petro Gazz have reduced it back to 10, which seems to be on the low side given how the country’s most talented volleyball players have to compete for limited roster spots. Others, meanwhile, can’t seem to find substantial playing time. And that’s mostly because the number of teams is simply isn’t enough anymore to accommodate the depth of Filipina volleyball talent.
Needless to say, reduction isn’t exactly what’s needed but rather expansion. A sweet spot could be 14 teams just to give more players a better chance to be signed up and to actually play meaningful minutes. For sure, interest in joining the country’s top volleyball league is at an all-time high, so why not go the expansion route already?
Getting the Philippines’ top conglomerates such as San Miguel Corporation could be a way to expand in this case. San Miguel is already known for its sports participation, having teams in the PBA and sponsoring the country’s top collegiate programs. It might want to join the PVL just for the fun of it. If not San Miguel, other conglomerates might want to step up.
3. Have More International Coaches
The PVL already has some foreign coaches, but it wouldn’t hurt to have more. In fact, every team should be open to the idea of having an international coach in its squad, whether as a head coach, as an assistant, or as a development lead. The reason for this is simple: Foreign coaches bring a level of volleyball know-how that could help in developing the country’s players.
In other words, having a top-tier foreign coach can help improve players individually and teams collectively. For example, former Farm Fresh Foxies coach Alessandro Lodi steered the Foxies to their best PVL showing in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference despite being with the team for less than a year. Such improvement shows how a good coach can change a team’s culture and elevate its players. The entire league could benefit from that for sure.
Of course, this isn’t to say the PVL is in trouble or losing relevance. It is still far and away the yardstick in Philippine volleyball. But it can be better, and it should strive to be better. The above-recommendations can help in that regard.
