The new season of Japan’s revamped men’s SV.League begins on October 17. This 1xBet review explains what will change and who is in contention for the title.
New season – new rules
In 2026/27, the men’s SV.League will expand to 12 teams: Hokkaido Yellow Stars and Fragolad Kagoshima will join the existing ten participants. Each club will still play 44 regular-season matches, but will now face every opponent four times. As before, the top six will advance to the playoffs: the first two in the standings will qualify directly for the semifinals, while those finishing third through sixth will start in the quarterfinals.
The limit on foreign players will be relaxed for the new season. Teams will be allowed to have three on the court at once instead of two, plus one additional player under the Asian quota. More than half the players on each club’s roster must have professional contracts.
There will still be no relegation to a lower division. Instead, the SV.League will continue to expand by admitting sides that obtain the necessary license. The V.League ended after the 2025/26 season, and the newly established SV.League Growth will form the tier below the top flight. It will allow clubs to develop and prepare to meet the requirements for joining the top division.
Title contenders
As of a year ago, the two main favorites are Osaka Bluteon and Suntory Sunbirds Osaka. Last spring, they met in the final series, where Bluteon recovered from an opening loss, won the next two matches, and claimed their first league title in seven years.
Bluteon have retained the core of last season’s squad. Their main attacking weapons remain Cuba’s Miguel López and Yuji Nishida, the playoff MVP. French setter Antoine Brizard will continue to run the offense.
The situation is different for Suntory. Following their defeat in the final, they have significantly revamped their roster and will begin another title bid with a rebuilt attack. Wassim Ben Tara, who joined from Perugia, and Argentine outside hitter Luciano Palonsky are expected to strengthen it. Whether Suntory can return to the final and win will largely depend on how quickly the newcomers settle in.
But the race is unlikely to be limited to the two Osaka clubs. JTEKT Stings Aichi showed last season that they can challenge for the crown: the team finished third in the regular campaign and reached the semifinals, losing to eventual winners Bluteon.
Wolfdogs Nagoya deserve special attention, having strengthened an already impressive roster this summer. Anton Brehme, Donovan Džavoronok, and Jenia Grebennikov, one of the most decorated liberos playing today, have joined Kento Miyaura and Norbert Huber. With them, Nagoya has a real chance to contend for the title.
Follow the new SV.League season and support your favorite teams with 1xBet!
