Beach volleyball is a team sport played on sand, typically featuring two players on each side. The objective is to score points by hitting a ball over a net and into the opponent's court. Players can use any part of their body to hit the ball, and matches are usually played in sets, with the first team to reach 21 points winning a set. The game originated in California in the 1920s and has since grown in popularity worldwide. FIVB governs international competitions, including the Olympics, where beach volleyball has been a featured sport since 1996.