The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) is taking elite volleyball action to the provinces with the kickoff of the PVL on Tour this Sunday, June 22, in Vigan, Ilocos Sur — a pre-season spectacle set to rival the intensity and drama of the regular season.
PVL president Ricky Palou emphasized that the two-month tour is not only aimed at expanding the sport’s reach but also serves a crucial purpose in helping the national team gear up for upcoming international duties, including the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December.
“This tour is about connecting with our regional fans and helping the national team gear up for bigger battles,” said Palou. “It’s also a stage for clubs to evaluate their new recruits and recalibrate strategies before the main season.”
Aside from a few matches at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan — the lone Metro Manila stop — the rest of the games will unfold in Batangas City, Ilagan City (Isabela), and Passi City (Iloilo). This reflects the Sports Vision-organized league’s commitment to bringing the PVL experience to a wider audience across the country.
A total of 12 teams, split into two pools, are set to compete in this grueling yet thrilling campaign. Pool A is led by All-Filipino Conference champion Petro Gazz, along with Choco Mucho, PLDT, Galeries Tower, Farm Fresh, and Nxled. Pool B features perennial powerhouse Creamline, Chery Tiggo, Cignal, Akari, ZUS Coffee, and Capital1.
The tournament format adds another layer of unpredictability. After a single round-robin elimination round from June 22 to July 29, the top two teams from each pool will advance directly to the quarterfinals.
Teams ranked third to sixth will engage in a knockout play-in round, with the winners moving on to the next do-or-die stage.
The semifinals and medal matches will also be single-elimination, culminating in a high-stakes battle for the PVL on Tour crown and coveted berths in the PVL Invitational Conference from August 19 to 29, where the top finishers will clash with two guest squads.
The action begins Sunday in Vigan with a pair of marquee matchups: Akari takes on Cignal at 4:00 PM, followed by a showdown between Creamline and Capital1 at 6:30 PM.
On Monday, June 23, the teams swap opponents as Cignal faces the Solar Spikers and the Cool Smashers meet the Chargers in a pair of early litmus tests.
The tour then heads to Batangas City on June 28, featuring Choco Mucho vs. Galeries Tower and a primetime clash between Nxled and defending champion Petro Gazz. The following day, the Angels return to face the Highrisers, while the Flying Titans go up against the Chameleons.
The PVL on Tour promises to deliver no shortage of drama. Each game brings shifting dynamics, with new leaders poised to rise, rookies gaining valuable experience, and teams determined to prove themselves in unfamiliar environments — all pointing to a tour filled with surprises and unrelenting competition.
