How many substitutions are allowed in sitting volleyball?
I · Intermediate · Match management · 4 of 4Each team may take two 60-second time-outs a set. Up to six substitutions a set are made in the substitution zone; a starter may leave and return once, to the same position. A player hurt in a rally stops play for a replay, and an injured player gets 3 minutes to recover, once a match.
How it works
- Time-outs: two per set.
- Length: 60 seconds since 2025.
- Substitutions: six per set.
- Starter: out and back once.
- Substitute: in once, replaced only by the starter.
- Zone: the substitution zone.
- Injury in a rally: replayed.
- Recovery: 3 minutes, once per player.
The glossary has the time-out (sitting volleyball), the substitution limits, the injury recovery time, the substitution zone (sitting volleyball), the coach (sitting volleyball) and the bench area.
Tricky cases
Can a substitute come off for another substitute?
No. Only the starter can replace them.
Is a Libero swap a substitution?
No.
Were time-outs always 60 seconds?
No. They were 30 before 2025.
An injured player does not recover in 3 minutes. Result?
The team is declared incomplete.
Why the rule exists
Substitution limits stop endless changes. Longer time-outs from 2025 give teams more time to talk and rest.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Time-outs | 60 seconds | 15.4 |
| Substitutions | Six a set | 15.6 |
| Injury | 3 minutes | 17.1 |
From the rule book
World ParaVolley, Official Sitting Volleyball Rules 2025-2028, rules 15 and 17, with World ParaVolley, Approved Rule Changes 2025-2028, item 9. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World ParaVolley Official Sitting Volleyball Rules 2025-2028.