Entering a tournament
This page is for players rather than organisers. It covers everything from finding a tournament to your last match. Read it through if it is your first time; if you have one question, jump to the subject it belongs to. If you are running a tournament yourself, go to help with organising instead: that page covers creating your club, setting up categories, drawing, scheduling and finishing.
How entering works
Four steps. The first time you still fill in your details; after that it goes much faster.
- 1
Create an account
Free, with an email address and a password. The same account works for every tournament on PlayTour, at any sports club.
- 2
Pick your category
A tournament is made of categories: men’s doubles 35+, the 10 kilometres, the recreational group. Each has its own entry fee, its own number of places and its own closing date. You can enter until that date, and sometimes less if it fills up first. Every tournament card shows how long you have; after that you can still join the waiting list if the organisers use one.
- 3
Say who is playing
For doubles or a team you add your partner or teammates. They get an invitation and confirm themselves, so everybody fills in their own details.
- 4
Finish your entry
Paying online is coming soon. You will then pay the club’s entry fee and nothing on top of it: PlayTour charges no transaction costs.
Where to find your own tournament
The two screens you use most as a player: your overview on the playing day, and your entry when something changes.
Your match sits at the top, with the court and the score
The moment you are playing, it is at the top of your overview: who you are up against, which court you are on, and how it stands while the match is still running. Your entries stay below it, including the ones at other clubs.
- The match in progress, with the court and the running score
- Your opponent beside it, so you know who to look for
- All your entries in one list, whichever club you are playing at
Transferring or withdrawing happens on the entry itself
Open your entry and you see its status, the entry fee, and the buttons to hand your place to somebody else or withdraw. Whether any money comes back depends on the club’s own terms.
- The status of your entry and what you have paid
- Hand your place to somebody else, if the club allows it
- Withdraw without having to email anybody
Everything by subject
The four subjects it usually comes down to. Find the one your question fits.
Searching and choosing
How do I find a tournament near me?+
Open the events list and put your town in the filter. You can also filter by sport and by a date range, for instance to see only a padel tournament this spring. By default you see what is still to come or being played; past tournaments are behind the "also show past events" checkbox.
I was given an invitation code. Where do I enter it?+
In the app, under Events → Enter with an invitation. Type the eight characters there, for example K7M4-P2XQ; case does not matter and the hyphen is optional. You land on the ordinary page of the event, where you enter as you would for any other tournament. A code like that belongs to an event the organisers deliberately kept out of the event list: it cannot be found by searching, but everything else works the same.
What does "entry open" mean?+
That you can enter right now. "Announced" means the tournament is planned but entries have not opened. "Entry closed" means the date has passed or everything is full. "In progress" means it is being played today.
Why is there no entry fee on the card?+
Because the entry fee belongs to the category. A tennis tournament usually has a men’s singles, a women’s doubles and a junior category, each with its own fee. One price on the card would be a number picked at random. The tournament page shows what each category costs.
And the level?+
The same reason: it belongs to the category rather than to the tournament. The tournament page shows per category which level, which ages and which gender it is for.
Can I play in more than one category?+
Usually yes, and you enter each category separately. Organisers can set a maximum number of categories per player; if you have reached it, you see that as you enter.
The category is full+
If the organisers use a waiting list you can join it and move up as soon as somebody withdraws. If there is no waiting list you can still ask the club whether anything is possible.
Entering together
How do I enter my doubles partner?+
Choose the doubles category and enter their email address. They get an invitation and confirm themselves. Until they do, your entry is pending, and the organisers see it that way too.
And a whole team?+
The same, with more people. You can invite everybody individually or share a join code they use to add themselves, which is easier for a team whose email addresses you do not all have.
My partner has no PlayTour account+
They do not need one beforehand. They get an email invitation and create a free account while accepting it. After that they are on your entry.
My partner is not responding to the invitation+
Ask them to check their spam folder, and check that the email address is right. You can send the invitation again or put somebody else in for as long as entries are open.
Can I still swap my partner?+
Until entries close you can replace somebody yourself. After that it goes through the organisers, because by then there is a playing schedule hanging off it.
Who pays for a doubles pair or a team?+
The organising club sets that. Sometimes whoever enters pays for everybody, sometimes each player pays their own share while confirming. You see which of the two as you enter.
Paying and withdrawing
What does it cost to take part?+
The organising club sets the entry fee itself, per category, and it is shown beside each category on the tournament page. Creating a PlayTour account is free, and players pay no subscription. Paying online through PlayTour is coming soon, and PlayTour charges nothing on the entry fee then either.
Which payment methods are there?+
Paying online is coming soon. Until then the organising club decides how you settle the entry fee, and says so with the entry. If the club collects the money itself, you pay the club directly.
My payment failed+
Then your entry stays pending and your place is not secured yet. Once paying online is live you can start the payment again from your own overview, on the entry. If it still fails, email us with the tournament and the category.
I cannot make it after all. Do I get my money back?+
The organising club decides that, not PlayTour. Many clubs refund up to the closing date and not after it. Their terms are attached to the entry, and you agree to them as you enter. While paying online is not live yet, the club arranges the refund itself.
How do I withdraw?+
From your own overview, on the entry. The organisers are notified. Whether money comes back depends on the terms above.
Can I give my place to somebody else?+
If the organisers allow it, yes. That is a transfer and goes through them, so the entry list and the payment stay consistent.
Playing
Where do I see when I play?+
Your own overview shows your playing schedule as soon as the organisers have drawn and published. Each match shows the time, the court and your opponent.
I cannot play at a certain time+
Say so before the draw. Many tournaments ask when you are unavailable as you enter, and the planner takes it into account. After the draw a match can still be moved, but that is up to the organisers.
The playing schedule has changed. How do I find out?+
You are emailed, and get a notification on your phone if you have those switched on. Your overview always shows the current time, so that is the one to go by.
Who enters the scores?+
It varies: sometimes the referees, sometimes the players themselves at the court. An entered score shows up in the standings immediately. If something is wrong, tell the desk; a correction stays visible in the log.
How is my category counted?+
The organisers choose that to suit the sport: adding up points, sets and games, counting down as in darts, time, distance or height, judges’ marks, placing, or against par. The category says which one is used.
Where do I find the results afterwards?+
On the tournament’s page, including after it has finished. In the events list, tick "also show past events" to find it again.
Ready to take part?
Creating an account is free and quickly done. After that you enter your first tournament.