MOJI Launches 2026 University Volleyball League: 36 Teams, 3 Cities, 60 Matches

Jakarta, September 25, 2026 – MOJI, Indonesia's leading digital sports media platform, has officially announced the 2026 University Volleyball League (Liga Voli Mahasiswa - LVM). This is the first time a nationwide university volleyball tournament has been organized by a private media company, promising to create a new playground for young talents and opening a path for sustainable development of Indonesian volleyball. According to the organizers, LVM 2026 will take place from October 7 to 31, 2026 in three cities: Yogyakarta, Surabaya, and Jakarta. The tournament brings together 36 teams from 24 universities across the country, including 18 men's teams and 18 women's teams. The teams will be divided into three competition clusters based on geography, each with 6 men's teams and 6 women's teams. Competition format: In each city, teams are divided into two pools of three teams, playing a round-robin to determine rankings. A total of 60 matches will be played, with each city hosting 20 matches over 5 days, 4 matches per day. Venues include GOR UII Yogyakarta, GOR Unesa Surabaya, and GOR Pertamina Simprug Jakarta. Notably, the schedule in Jakarta differs, with matches starting at 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, and 17:00 (Western Indonesian Time), earlier than the 13:00-19:00 slot at other venues. Regarding prizes, the organizers stated that the total prize value for each gender is 25 million Rupiah, referred to as "coaching money" (uang pembinaan). Specifically, the champion receives 10 million Rupiah, the runner-up 7.5 million Rupiah, the third-place team 5 million Rupiah, and the fourth-place team 2.5 million Rupiah. This is a modest amount, intended as development support rather than commercial competition, consistent with the goal of developing campus volleyball. Speaking at the draw held the same day, Mr. Banardi Rachmad, Deputy Director of Programming at MOJI, emphasized: "We want to turn university courts into a new stage for Indonesian volleyball. This is an opportunity for young talents to shine and be seen at the national level. Through this tournament, we hope to help build a new generation of volleyball athletes, not only for domestic leagues but also for the national team." It is worth noting that LVM 2026 is not just a sports tournament but also a well-designed media product. With the participation of 24 universities, the event is expected to attract a large young audience, especially students – a demographic with high engagement on digital platforms. Live streaming on VIDIO, one of Indonesia's largest OTT platforms, helps the tournament reach millions of viewers nationwide, far beyond the limits of a typical school competition. The background to LVM 2026 is closely tied to the current state of Indonesian volleyball. At the 2026 Asian Games, the Indonesian women's team finished 6th, with a 3-0 win over Vietnam but losses to Japan and Chinese Taipei. This result shows that Indonesia remains a formidable force in Southeast Asia but still lags significantly behind Asian leaders such as Japan, China, South Korea, and Iran. The lack of a well-structured and stable youth development system is seen as one of the main reasons for this gap. In this context, LVM 2026 emerges as a breakthrough solution. Instead of relying solely on traditional training centers or federation-run tournaments, MOJI decided to tap into resources from universities – where thousands of students are passionate about volleyball but lack a professional platform. This model is considered to have significant expansion potential, as Indonesia has a large number of universities and a strong campus volleyball culture in many regions. The most notable aspect of LVM 2026 is its vertically integrated organizational model. MOJI is both the tournament organizer and the owner of the streaming platform VIDIO. This means the entire process from organization and operation to content distribution is in the hands of a single media company. This model is becoming popular worldwide but is still relatively new in Southeast Asia, especially in volleyball. Owning both the tournament and the broadcast channel allows MOJI to control product quality, optimize viewer experience, and maximize commercial value from the event. However, this model also poses several challenges. First, this is the inaugural edition, with no precedent to assess sustainability. The biggest question is whether LVM will be held annually or remain a one-off event. Without long-term financial and scheduling commitments, the tournament could face the risk of dissolution after the first season, causing disruption in the talent supply chain. Second, there is a gap between expectations and competitive incentives. The tournament is promoted with the mission of discovering and developing talent for the national team, but the maximum prize is only 10 million Rupiah (about USD 620) per gender. This amount is not enough to create strong financial motivation, especially compared to professional leagues like Proliga. This raises the question of whether teams and athletes will truly take the tournament seriously or simply view it as a friendly, learning experience. Third, the relationship between MOJI and the Indonesian Volleyball Federation (PBVSI) has not been clarified. A private media company organizing a nationwide tournament could create certain conflicts of power and interest with the federation. Without close coordination, the tournament may face difficulties in mobilizing universities to participate or in ensuring fairness and transparency. Additionally, infrastructure conditions need attention. The difference in the Jakarta schedule reveals limitations in venue and operational staffing. Organizing a 15-day tournament across three different cities requires careful logistical preparation, from travel and accommodation to medical and security arrangements. With a short preparation time (the draw took place on September 25, only 12 days before the start), operational risks are significant. Nevertheless, the positive signals from LVM 2026 cannot be denied. The participation of 24 universities shows the appeal of the tournament and the vast potential of Indonesian campus volleyball. The involvement of universities from various provinces also helps spread the volleyball movement to areas outside Jakarta, creating opportunities for local talents to be discovered and developed. Although the official list has not been fully released, according to the organizers, participating universities come from many provinces such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, Makassar, and others. This regional diversity not only creates a rich picture of competitive levels but also promotes cultural exchange among students. In terms of expertise, although there is no specific information on the achievements or rankings of the universities, it can be predicted that universities with strong sports traditions such as UNESA (Surabaya) or UNY-group institutions in Yogyakarta will be strong contenders. The diversity in skill levels among schools is also an exciting factor, creating competitiveness and surprises for the tournament. With the three-team pool format, each team plays a minimum of 2 matches and a maximum of 4 matches in the group stage before moving to placement matches. This means teams have few opportunities to correct mistakes, requiring careful preparation and quick adaptability. This is typical of university tournaments, where unpredictability is always present and every team has a chance to shine. For women's volleyball, LVM 2026 opens a valuable opportunity for female students to showcase their talents. In a context where women's sports in general and women's volleyball in particular still face difficulties in playing opportunities and investment, having a separate tournament with 18 participating teams and equal prize money to men's is a noteworthy step forward. This not only encourages young women to pursue their passion but also helps change societal perceptions of women's roles in sports. More broadly, LVM 2026 reflects a shift in the Southeast Asian sports industry: media platforms are increasingly taking an active role in creating sports content instead of just buying rights and broadcasting. MOJI organizing the tournament itself allows it to build an exclusive product, attract viewers, and create long-term commercial value. If successful, this model could be replicated for other sports and countries in the region. Compared to other countries in the region, the model of a media-run university league is still fairly new. In Thailand or the Philippines, university tournaments are usually managed by university sports associations or national federations. MOJI's decision to organize and broadcast the tournament itself demonstrates the platform's confidence and ambition to reshape the Indonesian sports market. The biggest risk for LVM 2026 lies in its sustainability. Many university sports tournaments worldwide have failed to survive after their first season due to lack of funding or insufficient appeal. For LVM to become an annual event, MOJI needs a long-term strategy, including securing stable sponsorship, building the tournament brand, and maintaining good relationships with universities and the federation. In the long run, if LVM develops sustainably, it could become an important talent pipeline for the Indonesian national team. Young athletes discovered through this tournament could receive proper training and progress to higher levels. However, the path from university courts to the national team is still very long and requires serious investment from many parties, not just MOJI. In the immediate future, Indonesian volleyball fans will have another exciting playground to follow in October 2026. With the participation of 36 teams from 24 universities, LVM 2026 promises to deliver thrilling matches, impressive performances, and more importantly, an opportunity for young talents to write their own stories. As Mr. Banardi Rachmad said: "Campus is the new stage." And perhaps, from that stage, the future stars of Indonesian volleyball will shine.