MANILA, Philippines – Aspiring professional athletes have until May 23, 2025, to apply for the next PVL Rookie Draft, marking a pivotal moment for the Premier Volleyball League (PVL). With less than a week left, it is anticipated that a large number of applications would be submitted by aspirants hoping to gain a spot in the top women’s volleyball league in the nation.

This season, the draft system—which was intended to assist teams in acquiring young, talented players—will undergo a more organized selection procedure. Candidates must fill out the official draft form and send it in via the specified email channel, including any supporting documentation. All eligible local and Filipino-foreign players who fulfill the league’s eligibility requirements are eligible to participate in the PVL Draft.

Qualifications and Conditions for Eligibility

Candidates must be female at birth, as verified by a birth certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority, in order to be eligible. By December 31, 2025, they must be at least 21 years old. However, if they have earned a college degree, people under 21 are still eligible to apply.

Before the deadline, Filipino-foreign players must present a valid Philippine passport or official documentation of their release. Their eligibility to play under local status is guaranteed by this criterion. Players must provide a coach or athletic director’s endorsement if they have played in collegiate leagues other than the UAAP and NCAA in the past.

Additionally, applicants must provide a medical clearance attesting to their physical fitness for professional competition. To prevent conflicts of commitment, a notarized declaration confirming no current responsibilities with a club or collegiate team is also required.

Important Dates and Schedule

The league will start its draft process with the Draft Lottery on May 26 after the May 23 application deadline. For the four lowest-ranked teams from the last PVL All-Filipino Conference, this will establish the official draft order.

The dates of the Rookie Draft Combine are May 30–31. Coaches, scouts, and team managers will get an opportunity to evaluate the draft prospects’ abilities, conditioning, and potential at this event. On the first day, there will also be a media day to provide the public a preview of the new class.

The league will make the final list of eligible draftees public on June 4. On June 7, teams will make their formal selections at the highly anticipated Rookie Draft Event.

Probabilities of the Draft Lottery

Based on their rankings from the previous conference, the following four teams will be in the lottery:

The Nxled Chameleons have a 40% probability of being selected first overall.

30% of Capital1 Solar Spikers

20% of Farm Fresh Foxies

10% of Galeries Tower Highrisers

Nxled has the highest probability because of their bottom-tier finish, and these percentages represent their final ranks.

If necessary, ties will be broken by set ratios, match points, and points ratios. The remaining eight teams will be chosen according to how well they performed during the season.

Effect on Groups and Prospects

The draft this year is anticipated to be competitive and deep. It is expected that a number of collegiate league standouts, unaffiliated club players, and returning international athletes will submit applications. Given the league’s growing fan base and level of competition, the 2025 draft may be a crucial time in determining team lineups for the upcoming campaigns.

Teams looking to acquire players with a quick impact are those that had trouble in the previous conference, especially the four lottery participants. Particularly for teams with tight rotations, positions like setter, opposite hitter, and middle blocker are still in great demand.

In terms of prediction, analysts anticipate that UAAP and NCAA grads will perform well. Although names have not yet been finalized, preliminary conversations indicate that a number of well-known players would submit applications, which could have an impact on the league’s power dynamics.

It is anticipated that the top three selections would be widely monitored. Players that have demonstrated good leadership, defensive prowess, and all-around consistency—qualities necessary for an instant transfer to the professional level—will probably be given preference by teams that make early selections.