Creating a Tournament

Set up a professional tournament for your club in just a few minutes -- no spreadsheets, no paperwork.

Overview

The tournament creation wizard walks you through seven configuration steps. You do not need an account to start -- you can explore every step before signing in. An account is only required at the final step when you are ready to create.

Here is what you will configure:

Tournament type -- choose the competition format
Tournament details -- name, venue, and key dates
Organiser information -- contact details for the person running the event
Match settings -- sets, deuces, withdrawals, and plate competition
Draw categories -- which events to include (singles, doubles, veterans, juniors)
Payment and creation -- pricing model and account sign-in
Confirmation -- success screen with a link to your management dashboard

Free for organisers

Creating and managing tournaments on ClubChamps is completely free. Players pay a small service fee of £1.99 when they register -- you do not need to handle any payments yourself.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Let's walk through creating the Riverside Tennis Club Summer Championship 2026 as our example.

Choose your tournament type

The first screen asks you to pick a competition format. The available options are:

Single Elimination -- Standard knockout bracket. Lose once and you are out. Best for most club championships.
Handicap Single Elimination -- Knockout bracket where players receive handicap adjustments based on ability. Great for events with a wide range of skill levels.

Formats coming soon include Box League, Round Robin, and Group Stage.

For the Riverside Summer Championship, select Single Elimination and click Next.

Enter tournament details

Fill in the basics about your tournament:

Tournament name -- Choose something descriptive that players will recognise. For our example: "Riverside Tennis Club Summer Championship 2026".
Club / venue name -- The name of the club or location where matches will be played.
Registration deadline -- The date after which new sign-ups are automatically closed. Set this a few days before your start date to give yourself time to generate draws.
Draw publish date -- When players can see the brackets. Usually a day or two after the registration deadline.
Tournament start date -- The first day matches can be scheduled.
Finals date -- The date by which all finals should be completed.
Tournament information (optional) -- A brief overview for players browsing tournaments. Mention things like skill level expectations, venue details, or any special rules.

Choose your name carefully

Once created, the tournament name is visible to all players on the platform. You can edit it later, but early registrants will have already seen the original name.

Add organiser information

Provide the contact details for the person running the tournament:

Organising for yourself -- If you are the organiser, your profile details will be pre-filled when you sign in.
On behalf of someone else -- Enter the organiser's name, email address, and mobile number manually.

This information appears on the tournament page so players know who to contact with questions.

Configure match settings

Set the rules that apply to all matches in the tournament:

Number of sets -- Choose between 1 or 3 sets per match.
Set length -- Standard sets to 6 games, or short sets to 4 games.
Final set format -- Play a full final set or use a match tiebreak (first to 10 points).
Deuces -- Standard deuces (advantage scoring) or sudden-death deuce (next point wins).
Player withdrawals -- Whether withdrawn players can be replaced automatically.
Plate competition -- Enable a consolation draw for first-round losers, giving everyone at least two matches.

Handicap default

If you selected Handicap Single Elimination in step 1, the deuces setting defaults to sudden-death. You can change this if preferred.

Select draw categories

Choose which events your tournament will include. Each category creates a separate bracket. Draws are grouped into expandable sections:

Singles -- Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Mixed Singles
Doubles -- Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles, Mixed Doubles
Veterans -- Age categories from 35+ through to 70+ for both singles and doubles
Juniors -- Age groups at U18, U16, U14, U12, and U10

For the Riverside Summer Championship, you might select Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles, and Veterans 45+ Singles -- giving your members plenty of options without overcomplicating the schedule.

45+ draw types available

You do not need to use them all. Pick the categories that make sense for your club's membership. You can always run a separate tournament for less common categories.

Set pricing and create your tournament

Choose how players will pay to enter:

Free -- No entry fee. Players register at no cost.
Flat fee -- A single entry fee that covers all draws a player enters.
Per draw -- Players pay separately for each draw they register for.

Set the amount for flat-fee or per-draw pricing.

Sign-in required

When you click Create Tournament, you will be asked to sign in or create an account if you have not already done so. Your tournament and all the details from the previous steps are saved -- nothing is lost.

After signing in, your tournament is created instantly. Draws are generated and you are taken to the confirmation screen.

Confirmation

You will see a success screen confirming your tournament has been created. From here you can:

Go to your tournament dashboard -- Manage registrations, generate draws, and schedule matches.

The page automatically redirects to your tournament management dashboard after a few seconds.

Tips for a Smooth Setup

Plan your dates carefully. Allow at least a few days between the registration deadline and the tournament start date. This gives you time to generate draws, handle any late changes, and communicate the schedule to players.
Write a clear description. Players use the tournament information to decide whether to enter. Mention the venue, surface type, expected level, and any special rules or prizes.
Start small. If this is your first tournament on ClubChamps, try running a single-draw event (for example, just Men's Singles) to get comfortable with the platform before scaling up.
Enable plate competition. First-round losers get a consolation bracket, ensuring everyone plays at least two matches. This makes the tournament feel more worthwhile for all participants.

What's Next

Now that your tournament is set up, learn how to handle player payments. Head over to Payment Handling to learn how to connect Stripe, choose a pricing model, and track revenue.

Curious about what players see when they find your tournament? Check out the Finding Tournaments player guide.