Following the Invitational Conference, the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) opened its landmark 10th season with the 2026 All-Filipino Conference on October 10, featuring a revamped format and a nine-team field vying for the championship.
The league underwent major changes ahead of the season, with the Chery Tiggo Crossovers disbanding and the Petro Gazz Angels and Cignal HD Super Spikers taking leaves of absence. Cignal’s withdrawal comes after its runner-up finish in the previous All-Filipino Conference.
Nine teams, one title race
The Akari Chargers strengthened their lineup with former Rookie of the Conference Sharya Ancheta and former Second-Best Blocker Risa Sato, joining outside spiker Gretchel Soltones.
The Capital1 Solar Spikers will rely on a roster featuring former Rookie of the Year Bella Belen as they pursue a stronger campaign. Meanwhile, the Choco Mucho Flying Titans aim to improve on their fourth-place finish in the 2024–25 All-Filipino Conference, with former MVP Sisi Rondina leading the charge.
Defending champions Creamline Cool Smashers will lean on their championship experience, with former MVPs Bernadeth Pons, Jia De Guzman, and Tots Carlos anchoring the squad.
The Farm Fresh Foxies, who also finished fourth in the previous All-Filipino Conference, added Kamille Cal, Ethan Arce, and Bea Bonafe to strengthen their title bid. The Galeries Tower Highrisers, meanwhile, welcomed former NCAA Finals MVP Jade Gentapa, while Alyssa Bertolano shifted from spiker to libero.
Fresh from a runner-up finish in the Invitational Conference, the Nxled Chameleons will bank on Brooke Van Sickle, Jonah Sabete-Escamillan, and Gel Cayuna. The PLDT High Speed Hitters, who placed third in the Invitational Conference, added opposite hitter Leila Cruz, reuniting her with former La Salle teammates.
The Zus Coffee Thunderbelles also added outside hitter Jolina Dela Cruz following their runner-up finish in the 2025–26 Reinforced Conference.
Three series, one Grand Champion
The biggest change this season is the introduction of three series: Siklab, Sigla, and Sinag. Each series will crown its own champion, while the final series will determine the Philippine Grand Champion.
Siklab opens with a single round-robin preliminary round, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals. The top two seeds earn a twice-to-beat advantage, while the semifinal winners advance to a best-of-three final.
Its defining feature is the all-to-play rule, which requires teams to give every player declared on their roster an opportunity to compete, putting their depth to the test.
Sigla follows the same format but removes the all-to-play requirement, allowing coaches to field their strongest lineups. Points accumulated across Siklab and Sigla will determine each team’s seeding for the final series.
Sinag adopts a stepladder format, rewarding teams for their performances in the first two series. The two teams with the highest cumulative points earn direct berths in the best-of-three semifinals, while the remaining seven teams compete in two groups for the other two semifinal spots.
The semifinal winners will then battle in a best-of-three final for the Philippine Grand Champion title.
With three series titles and the overall crown at stake, the PVL’s 10th season will test the nine teams’ depth, consistency, and ability to deliver when it matters most.