What to Buy for a Volleyball Tournament

A volleyball tournament needs more than balls and nets. Plan food and drinks around the number of players, officials, and spectators, then add serving supplies, rubbish bins, and charging equipment for a full day in the sports hall. This checklist covers the items most often missed, including spare ball needles, scoreboard markers, extension leads, reusable cups, and enough tables for teams and catering.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Foldable tablesqty 10
Folding chairsqty 40
Team tablesqty 8
Buffet tablesqty 4
Waste binsqty 8

Sports equipment

Volleyball netsqty 4
Volleyball postsqty 8
Competition volleyballsqty 12
Training volleyballsqty 12
Field marking tapeqty 8
Referee whistlesqty 8
Scoreboardsqty 4
Scoreboard markersqty 12
Team bibsqty 32
Conesqty 24
Ball bagsqty 4
Pumpsqty 4
Ball needlesqty 12

Equipment

Laptopsqty 2
Tabletsqty 2
Portable speakersqty 2
Microphone
Extension cordsqty 6
Power stripsqty 6
Charging cablesqty 8
Power banksqty 4

Tableware

Reusable drinking cupsqty 100
Platesqty 80
Cutlery setsqty 80
Coffee cupsqty 50
Serving plattersqty 12
Serving tongsqty 8

Kitchen

Coolersqty 8
Thermos flasksqty 6
Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef's knifeqty 4
Bread knivesqty 4
Pliersqty 6
Measuring cupsqty 4
Aluminum foilqty 2
Cling filmqty 2

Decorations

Team table signsqty 8
Race schedule holdersqty 6
Direction signsqty 12
Prize tablecloth

Lighting

LED lampsqty 4

Cleaning

Mopsqty 4
Bucketsqty 4
Dustpan and brushqty 4
Microfiber clothsqty 12
Glovesqty 24
Trash grabbersqty 4

Catering

Groceries
- Whole wheat bread - 12 loaves
- White buns - 80 pieces
- Multigrain buns - 40 pieces
- Tortilla wraps - 60 pieces
- Herb cream cheese - 2 kilos
- Young cheese - 3 kilos
- Aged cheese - 2 kilo
- Ham - 2 kilos
- Chicken breast slices - 2 kilos
- Smoked chicken breast - 1,5 kilo
- Hummus - 2 kilos
- Egg salad - 1.5 kilos
- Tuna salad - 1,5 kilo
- Peanut butter - 2 jars
- Jam - 3 jars
- Butter - 1 kilo
- Lettuce - 12 heads
- Tomatoes - 4 kilos
- Cucumbers - 12 pieces
- Bell peppers - 3 kilos
- Red onions - 1 kilo
- Carrots - 3 kilos
- Corn - 12 cans
- Pickles - 3 jars
- Apples - 80 pieces
- Bananas - 60 pieces
- Grapes - 6 kilos
- Mandarins - 60 pieces
- Yogurt - 6 liter
- Muesli - 3 kilos
- Oat bars - 80 pieces
- Currant buns - 60 pieces
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Tortilla chips - 6 bags
- Salted peanuts - 3 kilos
- Rice cakes - 6 packs
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 3 bottles
- Mustard - 2 bottles
- Garlic sauce - 3 bottles
- Sambal - 2 jars
- Salt - 1 pack
- Pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Coffee cream - 4 bottles
- Sugar - 2 kilos
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Iced tea - 8 bottles
- Spa Blue - 12 crates
- Spa Rood - 4 crates
- Sports drink - 8 trays
- Apple juice - 6 liters
- Orange juice - 6 liters
- Lemonade syrup - 3 bottles
- Lemons - 2 kilos
- Ice cubes - 20 kilo
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 6 liters
- Sugar-free sweeteners - 2 boxes
- Paper napkins - 1000 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 60 pieces
- Small trash bags - 40 pieces
- Dish soap - 3 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 3 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 2 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 6 packs
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 6 bottles
- Freezer bags - 2 boxes
- Storage containers - 30 pieces
- Aluminium trays - 30 pieces
- Coffee filters - 2 packs
- Teaspoons - 50 pieces
- Skewers - 2 boxes

Tips

Plan 2–3 drinks per person for the first hour, then 1–2 drinks per person for each additional hour. Bring extra water because players may drink more between matches.
Allow at least 2 pieces of fruit or snacks per participant, plus a lunch portion for a full-day tournament. Wash and cut fruit before the first teams arrive.
Pack one spare ball needle and a pump for every active competition area, then add a ball bag so match and training balls do not get mixed up.
Bring one scoreboard marker and one printed score sheet per court for each round, with extras in the tournament table supply box.
Calculate one reusable cup per person plus 10% spare cups. Take at least one extension lead and one power bank for each registration or scoring station.

Frequently asked questions

How much food do I need for a volleyball tournament?: For a full-day tournament, plan one lunch portion and at least 2 snacks or pieces of fruit per participant. Add 10% extra for officials, volunteers, and unexpected guests.
How many drinks should I buy for a volleyball tournament?: Buy 2–3 drinks per person for the first hour and 1–2 drinks per person for every additional hour. Add at least 10% extra if the venue is warm or matches run all day.
What volleyball equipment should I bring as a backup?: Bring at least one spare match ball, one pump, and one spare ball needle for every 2 courts. Pack extra scoreboard markers, whistles, tape, and team bibs before the sports hall opens.
How many cups and plates do I need for the tournament buffet?: Provide one reusable cup, plate, and cutlery set per attendee, then add 10% spare supplies. For a 50-person tournament, that means at least 55 of each item.

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