Registration will be managed via an expression of interest and a draw of all interested teams to determine those who will be invited to attend. The number of teams drawn will be based on the capacity of the event. 

Volleyball Canada will post a list of teams who have submitted an expression of interest and for those who will receive an invitation. Teams selected will be notified by email to inform them of their future invitation. Any teams who are not selected will be indicated on the wait list.

Invitations will expire two (2) days after being sent, at Midnight EST. The invitation will include the date and time of expiration. REMINDER: Invitations are sometimes filtered to junk mail folders.

**Pre-registration not applicable at 14U.

 Email notification of invites sent to Teams — January 14th

Teams are encouraged to reach out to nationals@volleyball.ca if they are having any issues with their registration.

Questions about Nationals Registration? Read our Frequently Asked Questions.  

Expression of Interest

All teams interested in attending Nationals must submit an expression of interest (except for teams who have pre-registered). Teams may only submit one (1) expression of interest per team per age/gender category 
  
14U teams will have the opportunity to list a 2nd event in their Expression of Interest should they be interested in attending an alternate 14U event. Teams will be automatically invited to the alternate event should they be waitlisted for their preferred event, and there is space in their alternate event. 
 
14U teams may express interest in competing in both 15U and 14U events.  
These teams should submit one 14U (listing 2nd event) and one 15U expression of interest.  In the event they are drawn for a 14U event, they will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist for 15U Nationals.
  
NEW FOR 2026!  Playing Up teams can submit their expression of interest during the general submission period. There is no longer a playing up registration window. Teams will be required to indicate on the expression of interest form that they are playing up.
  
A $500 deposit will be required with each expression of interest; this amount will be removed from the overall amount owing on the registration fee.  
  
Teams who submit a late expression of interest may not be included in the first group of potential invitees. Late teams may be invited if there is space, otherwise they will be added to the wait list in the order they express interest. 
  
Expressions of interest must be submitted between December 18th - January 11th by midnight EST to be included in the first group of invites. Click here to submit. 
  
To express interest after January 11th, please click here.

Please review the following support guides for information on completing the expression of interest process on SportLoMo: 

Volleyball Canada Portal (ON, QC, SK, and NWT)

Volleyball Canada Portal Expression of Interest Guide

Club Portal (AB, NB, MB, NS, BC, NL, PEI, YK)

Club Administrator

Club Administrator Portal Expression of Interest Guide

Rostered Coach/Official (Team Manager) *appropriate membership required   

Coach/Official (Team Manager) for Club Portal Expression of Interest Guide 

Draw & Waitlist

14U: 

• NEW FOR 2026! In an effort to increase accessibility to 14U events, each club can have a maximum of 3 teams invited to register during the initial invitation window. A large club is defined as more than 3 teams who have expressed interest in one event (of age and playing up are not combined). 

How the draw works: 

• All OF AGE teams that express interest between December 18 – January 11 will be entered into the draw.
  • NEW FOR 2026! Once a club reaches three invited teams, the additional teams will be moved to the bottom of the OF AGE teams list, while keeping their original draw order. 
• All Playing UP teams that express interest between December 18 – January 11 will be entered into a second draw and listed after the of age teams. 
  • Clubs with more than three teams will have the additional teams moved to the bottom of the playing up list, while keeping their original draw order. 
• Teams will be invited in draw order until the event is full. 
• Once full, any remaining teams will be placed on a waitlist based on their draw position. 

Important note: OF AGE teams from a large club (4 or more) will be prioritized over both “playing up” teams and teams that express interest after the deadline. 

Late expression of interest teams are added to the list after all drawn teams; in the order they express interest.

Volleyball Canada may invite a team(s) off of the waitlist:   

• If a team does not accept an invitation   
• If a team withdraws from the event   
• If there is sufficient space in the facility to expand the event (minimum of 4 to 8 teams required) 
• Please note that teams who have pending invites may not be listed on the Registered Team List nor will they be on the Waitlist. Teams will be noted on the updated list once the registration is complete or the invitation expires. 

Registration How-To   

All expressions of interest and registrations for Nationals are completed via SportLoMo.  

For assistance with registering a team, please consult the Nationals Registration Guides.  

Volleyball Canada Portal (ON, QC, SK, and NWT)  

Volleyball Canada Portal Registration Guide

Club Portal (AB, NB, MB, NS, BC, NL, PEI, YK)  

Club Administrator  

Club Administrator Portal Registration Guide 
  
Rostered Coach/Official (Team Manager) *appropriate membership required   
Rostered Coach/Official (Team Manager) Login for Club Portal Registration Guide Coaches or Team Managers (parents) added to their Team's Roster on the Club Portal 
  
*Membership varies by province/territory for adding Parents to Team Staff, please contact your local organization for more details. If you are unsure which registration process (Club vs Volleyball Canada Portal) please reach out to your Provincial membership coordinator.  

The 2026 registration fee for Ottawa is $1400.

A team “playing up” is defined as a team who is registering to play in an age group that is older than the age group they declared for with their province/territory during the club season. For example, a team who declares and plays primarily as a 15UB team with their province who wants to play in the 16UB Nationals. 

If a team plays in an older age category all season and at provincials, they are not considered as playing up for Nationals. For example, a 13U team plays 14U during the season and at provincials.

NEW FOR 2026! Playing Up teams can submit their expression of interest during the general submission period. There is no longer a playing up registration window. 

Teams will be required to indicate on the expression of interest form that they are playing up.

Please note that OF AGE teams will be given priority over playing up teams. 

Teams who wish to withdraw from Nationals must complete the Team Withdrawal Form and will be eligible for a refund as per the following timelines:

NEW FOR 2026! Withdrawals need to be approved by the head coach, club president/director, and team contact (as indicated during EOI process).

This year we are asking all teams who wish to Withdraw from Nationals, withdraw their EOI or withdraw from a waitlist, to fill out a Withdrawal Form

*Registered teams who do not submit a withdrawal form and who do not attend Nationals may be subject to the following penalties:    

• No refund for registration fees     
• A fine in the amount of $1500    
• A not in good standing status for the head coach and/or club should the penalties not be completed in the specified timeline.

Click here to view the list of teams who have completed their Expression of Interest (cut off for post was December 19th, 12pm EST).

Rosters

All players participating at Nationals MUST be the same as those listed on the roster for their Provincial or Territorial Championship. Team staff participating at Nationals are not required to be on the Provincial or Territorial Championship roster. However, they must meet all roster requirements and/or exemption requirements to be added to the official roster.

Pre Event

Teams must submit their Nationals roster directly to Volleyball Canada via Sportlomo. All rosters must be submitted by March 25th, 2026.  

All submitted rosters will be posted online in early April.

Teams are required to review their National’s roster following their provincial/territorial championships. Any roster changes made to a team’s roster for their championships do not automatically transfer to Nationals following the roster lock date. It is each team’s responsibility to confirm their Nationals roster is accurate. Please note that no changes can be requested during Coach Check-in, only updates based on changes made before the provincial/territorial championship.

Important Reminder! Teams from NB are permitted to adjust their provincial championship roster between the VNB and Nationals roster lock date. Please note that restrictions may apply.

Teams who submit a roster that does not match their provincial/territorial Championship roster will be subject to the following penalties: 

• The team will receive a fine of $1500 
• The Head Coach and/or club may be placed on the National not in good standing list, 
• The team and/or club may be ineligible to participate in the following year’s Nationals 

On-Site

Teams are permitted to make the following updates at coach check-in: 

• Adding/changing jersey numbers  
• Scratching players/team personnel  
• Adding players who are on the provincial roster but not included in the posted Nationals rosters. 

**Teams must provide a copy of the approved provincial/territorial toster, or approved communication from your PTA.   

Coaches will be required to present their official roster for verification by the referee for the reason that rosters will not be listed on the scoresheet. Lost official rosters can be replaced at the competition HQ at a cost of $20.  

Please complete an exemption form if you wish to make a change to your provincial championship roster for VC Nationals. Please note that exemptions will only be granted under exceptional circumstances. All team personnel changes must fall within the guidelines listed in the Coach Certification Policy. Player changes should fall within the following guidelines: 

• Teams must have seven (7) or fewer players remaining for their Nationals roster 
• Incoming player(s) must have played the current season with the same club 
• Incoming player(s) could not have played on a team who was declared at an older age category during the current season (16U player who played on a 17U team during the same season). 

Team Staff Exemption Form (Any staff roster changes)

$50 for team personnel change 

Please note: All Persons in Authority are required to complete the EPIC, Screening Disclosure form and Safe Sport Training prior to being an active member with Volleyball Canada.

All head* and assistant coaches must meet PIA requirements as well as mandatory requirements below before being added to a roster including Foundations of Volleyball, Making Ethical Decisions Evaluation, Making Headway.

*Head Coaches must all meet head coach requirements unless an exemption has been approved.
For questions regarding team staff exemptions, contact: coaching@volleyball.ca  

Athlete Exemption Form

$100 for player change 

Please note: Submitting an athlete exemption form does not guarantee approval. You will receive an email notification with the decision after your exemption request has been reviewed. 
For questions regarding athlete roster exemptions, contact averge@volleyball.ca. 

Volleyball Canada’s Stay to Play policy is in effect for the 2026 Nationals. All participating travelling teams must book their accommodation through the event’s Accommodation Management Provider (AMP) to be eligible to play in the tournament.

For more information on the Stay to Play policy, please review the Volleyball Canada Stay to Play Policy and the Frequently Asked Questions.
 
Volleyball Canada is excited to continue working with HTG Sports Services, the official AMP for 2026 Nationals. Please refer to the chart below for the tournament accommodation opening dates.

Nationals Accommodations Contact Information

For questions regarding Volleyball Canada’s Stay to Play Policy, please contact: nationals@volleyball.ca  

For questions regarding the HTG portal or booking support, please contact HTG at vc@htgsports.com 

HTG Registration:

Each team must designate a Team Accommodations Manager and have them register with Hudson Travel Group (HTG) by 11:59 PM EST on February 1st.

The registration link and your Unique Team Code will be included in your team’s Nationals Registration Confirmation Email. The Team Code is required to access the HTG portal.

Once registered:

• All hotel-related communication, including the booking portal launch link, will be sent to the Accommodations Manager.

• Teams may update their Accommodations Manager information any time before the deadline directly through the HTG portal.

For step-by-step instructions, please refer to the HTG Booking Guide.

TIP: Review the Accommodations Manager Cheat Sheet to help you prepare for hotel booking.

Hotel Preview Links:

• Ottawa 2026 Hotel Preview Link

Hotel Booking Links:

The hotel booking links will be emailed directly to Team Accommodation Managers from HTG.

Important: Team Accommodation Managers must register their contact information with HTG to receive booking links. Please refer to the ‘Team Accommodation Manager’ section for full details.

Team Room Minimum and Cap:

Room Minimum = 5 Rooms

Room Cap = 12 Rooms

Each team can reserve up to 12 rooms during the initial booking period. This cap is in place to ensure all travelling teams have fair access to accommodation. This cap applies to the initial request made through HTG. A minimum of five rooms per team must be booked to ensure Stay to Play compliance.
 
Please book only the confirmed or necessary number of rooms during this period.
 
If additional rooms are needed, they may be requested with HTG after your initial block has been filled, based on availability.

Please refer to the guides below for an overview of the hotel booking process for HTG. Volleyball Canada strongly recommends Team Accommodation Managers review this prior to the booking portal opening.

2026 HTG Booking Guide

In certain cases, Volleyball Canada allows a travelling team to book below the minimum room requirement, if specific criteria are met:

• Small Roster — Team roster (athletes + coaches) falls below 13
  • Request will be verified against the submitted roster.
• Athletes on the Roster are Local — The Club is not considered local, but a portion of participants live within the designated proximity distance, reducing the travelling roster below 13
  • Application must include a letter from the club administrator confirming the number of local athletes, as per club records.
  • Request will be verified against the submitted roster
• Club/Team is Local — The club is based within the specified proximity distance from the competition venue.

If approved, VC will use the following formula for determining a team’s new minimum booking requirement:

(# of athletes / 4) + coaches’ rooms = team’s min. rooms required

Note: Proximity distances differ by city.

Exemption Request Process:

Local Club (Pre-Approved)

• Volleyball Canada, in consultation with Provincial and Territorial Associations, has created a list of pre-approved locally exempt clubs.
• Any team affiliated with the identified clubs are automatically exempt and do not need to apply for a local exemption.

2026 Pre-Approved Local Club List 

All Other Requests

• Exemption requests must be submitted by the Team Accommodations Manager listed on file. Requests from athletes, parents, or other individuals will not be reviewed.
• Requests will only be reviewed and accepted after the accommodation booking window opens.
• Teams must first book the full minimum number of rooms at hotel booking launch. Teams will be permitted to reduce their block, only once an exemption is approved.
• Requests must be submitted via the online Exemption Form found within the HTG Hotel Booking Confirmation email.
• If approved, Volleyball Canada will issue a letter confirming the exemption, and the adjusted minimum booking requirement, which can be shared with HTG as proof.

Stay to Play Exemption Application Form

Teams that meet the above criteria can submit a Stay to Play Exemption Form which will be made available within each team’s HTG Hotel Booking Confirmation email.

Request Deadline: February 26th, 2026

Who is eligible:

Clubs who meet both of the following criteria are eligible:

• Minimum Number of Teams:
  • 3+ teams if the event has a single gender/age-group.
  • 4+ teams if the event has multiple genders/age-groups
• Hotel Requirement: Club is looking to have all teams stay in the same hotel.

Eligible clubs will have the opportunity to book their teams into one of Volleyball Canada’s designated ‘large club’ properties.

How It Works:

Check out the Large Club Overview for full details on the program.

*Please note: Clubs are not required to participate and may choose to have teams book individually during the regular accommodation booking window.

Early Bird Tournament passes will be available for purchase at a discounted rate on Thursday, February 19th at 12 pm (noon). Tournament passes will increase to full price on Thursday, April 16th at 12 pm (noon) EST. Online Tournament pass sales will be deactivated on Monday, April 27th, 2026, at 12 pm (noon) EST. 

Refunds: Refunds will only be provided for event passes which have not been picked up from Will Call. To request a refund, please contact nationals@volleyball.ca. 

Purchase Link: Coming soon in February 2026

Tournament passes purchased online will be available for pick up at Will Call. You will need to present your confirmation email when picking up your pass. 

If you are picking up a pass under another name, please have the confirmation email from their purchase to receive these passes. 

Further information regarding ticketing hours and locations will be available in the Spring. 

Ottawa Event Pass Purchase Link: Coming February 2026

Nationals are played over three (3) days: 

• Day 1: Pool Play 
• Day 2: Power Pools 
• Day 3: Playoffs 

Day 1 and Day 2 Waves 

• AM Wave: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM 
• PM Wave: 2:50 PM – 9:45 PM 

On Day 3, all teams start in the morning for single-elimination playoffs. The final matches on Day 3 are scheduled for 4:50 PM. 

During the first two days, teams play all other teams within their pool. After Day 1, teams are re-pooled for Day 2 based on performance, to ensure teams of similar caliber are grouped together. 

Important Note on Tier-Based Schedules: Some teams, known as 'bubble teams,' may switch waves from Day 1 to Day 2 based on performance. 

Below is a draft template on the Tier schedule. It is to help demonstrate the movement between days, the wave change and the formation of playoffs on Day 3. It is not to be used as an official schedule; all schedule information is available on AES. 

Tier Schedule Template  

All Youth Nationals are seeded using a point-based system. Points will be based on results from the current competition season. The following results will be collected by Volleyball Canada from each provincial/territorial association. 

• Seeding heading into provincial/territorial championships 
• Final rankings from provincial/territorial championships 

For all submitted results, teams will collect points and will be provided with a total score. Teams will be seeded based on the total score listed in decreasing order with the highest point total being ranked 1st. 

The National Seeding Process — Coming Soon.

Draft seeding will be shared with coaches following the last provincials for each age/gender category. Changes will only be made to the seeding should there be an issue with provincial rankings used to calculate final points. Final seeding will be posted in AES. 

Volleyball Canada will attempt to finalize seeding one week prior to the start of the event, however this may not be possible based on the timing of Provincials and Nationals. 

Situated on unceded Algonquin territory beside the historic Rideau Canal, an official UNESCO World Heritage Site, Carleton University was founded by the community in 1942 to meet the needs of veterans returning from the Second World War.  

Since those days, it has grown to become a leading university recognized for its leadership in teaching, research, community engagement and interdisciplinary study. 

Address

1125 Colonel By Dr. Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6  

Campus Map

Parking 

Coming Soon 

Transportation 

Coming soon 

View all National events' past results here.

Medals 

• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place: Awarded to teams in the Championship Tier. 
• 1st and 2nd Place: Awarded to teams in all other tiers. 

National Champions Awards 

All 14U National Champions will receive: 

• Medals 
• Banner 
• Hats 
• Sponsor prizes (if available) 

Championship Tier Awards Ceremony 

Teams in the Championship Tier (formerly Div 1, Tier 1) will receive their medals, prizes, and any additional awards during a formal awards ceremony held on the final day of competition, following the completion of their last match.  

Medal Distribution for Other Tiers

Teams outside the Championship Tier will collect their medals from a designated pick-up area.  Teams will have access to several photo areas.  where coaches can present medals to their athletes . Please note that no formal medal ceremony will be provided.   

Fair Play Award 

The Fair Play Award will be presented to one (1) male and one (1) female 14U team at youth indoor nationals. This award recognizes teams that embody Volleyball Canada’s Fair Play Rule, demonstrating support and consideration for both teammates and other participants. Fair Play awards will be presented to the selected teams on Day 3 of the competition. 

All coaches participating in Volleyball Canada’s National Championships are required to meet a minimum level of training and certification to ensure that every athlete is provided with a safe, inclusive, and responsible sport experience.

Please review the coach eligibility requirements for further details. 

To access Volleyball Connect, log in through Sportlomo here.

Need help logging in:

• Already have a Sportlomo Account? Click here for instructions.
• Don't have a Sportlomo Account? Click here for instructions. 

Ottawa: April 30, 2026 (2pm - 8pm)

Late Check-In

If coaches will not be able to make the listed coach check-in time they may request late check-in. Late check-in requests will be charged $50.

Late Check-In form (Coming Soon)

Volleyball Canada maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of abuse. If you witness or suspect abuse, it is your responsibility to report it promptly to the appropriate organization so that action can be taken. To file a safe sport complaint, please visit the Reporting Super Highway. This platform is designed to assist athletes, coaches, parents, officials, and others in the volleyball community by helping them identify the correct organization to report concerns related to maltreatment or inappropriate conduct in sport. Based on your location and the nature of the concern, the Super Highway will guide you to the appropriate organization with jurisdiction to handle your complaint.

Visit the Safe Sport website for further details.

As Canada’s capital, Ottawa offers the perfect blend of high-energy competition and unforgettable experiences for athletes and their families. After the final serve, explore the city’s vibrant neighborhoods: from the historic ByWard Market to the lively murals and museums of Centretown. Whether you're skating the Rideau Canal, discovering local eats, or relaxing in one of Ottawa’s many parks, the city invites you to make memories beyond the court. 

Come to compete, stay to play—Ottawa is ready to welcome you. Learn more about Ottawa.