To organize a beach tennis tournament, rely on a club affiliated with the FFT, get the tournament sanctioned (with a head referee), define the categories by gender, age and level, open registrations by pair, build the pools then the bracket, schedule the courts, then publish the results. Plan for a few weeks to a few months of preparation.
Step 1: understand the governing framework and sanctioning
Which federation to organize a beach tennis tournament in France?
In France, beach tennis is managed by the FFT (Fédération Française de Tennis), which integrated it into its statutes in 2008; at the international level, the ITF (International Tennis Federation) is the reference. The FFT sanctions tournaments, categorizes them (for example BT 25 to BT 2000) and maintains a specific beach tennis ranking. Beach tennis is not an Olympic sport.
Your first choice shapes everything else: the level and category of the tournament. A sanctioned tournament follows the FFT specifications (head referee, federal system); an internal club event or a recreational open is more flexible. In both cases, the bracket, score tracking and schedule are the same building blocks, but sanctioning adds requirements.
Inquire early with your departmental committee and your league: they support the sanctioning and clarify the requirements (tournament category, levels open, qualified head referee). Plan ahead for the sanctioning, whose lead time depends on the category and determines the tournament date.
Step 2: define the categories, the pairs and the scoring
What categories and what pairs in beach tennis?
Beach tennis is most often played in doubles (women, men, mixed): each pair has two players. Categories are by gender, by age (from juniors to seniors, for example U14, U18, seniors and seniors plus) and by level. The FFT maintains a specific beach tennis ranking, distinct from the tennis ranking, fed by sanctioned tournaments.
Decide on the open age categories, the events (women's doubles, men's, mixed) and the tournament category, and publish them clearly: they are what determine who can register and how many brackets you will have to manage. Entries are made by pair.
On the playing side, the scoring is close to tennis but without advantage: at 40-40, a deciding point settles the game, and there is no second serve. A set is played to six games (with a tie-break in case of a tie), a match is best of two winning sets, with a super tie-break able to replace the third set. Announce the playing format from registration.
Step 3: set the date, the venue and the budget
How long does it take to organize a beach tennis tournament?
Plan for a few weeks to a few months, factoring in the sanctioning lead time. Book or prepare the sand courts and set the dates from the start, taking your league's calendar into account. Open registrations several weeks ahead, and set a closing date to lock in the pools and the brackets.
The venue is above all the number of available courts, which determines how many matches you can run in parallel and therefore the length of the tournament. A beach tennis court measures 16 m long and 8 m wide, on a sand surface, with a net whose height varies by category (around 1.70 m). Also plan for a display area and a table for the head referee.
The budget depends on the preparation or rental of the sand courts, the head referee, the prizes, the communication and the sanctioning. Build it item by item rather than as a single figure. The details are further down. Do not announce any license or registration fee amount without having checked it at the official source.
Step 4: get the tournament sanctioned and manage the licenses
How do you get a beach tennis tournament sanctioned?
Sanctioning is requested from the FFT, through your committee or league, within a lead time that depends on the tournament category (from a few weeks to a few months before), with the appointment of a qualified tournament head referee. Tournaments are categorized (for example BT 25 to BT 2000) and their results feed the beach tennis ranking via the federal system.
Sanctioning and the processing of results by the federal system are the central steps of an official tournament: they condition the feeding of the beach tennis ranking. For the up-to-date procedure, rely on fft.fr and your league; for a possible event declaration, on sports.gouv.fr.
On the participation side, each player must present a current-year FFT license. As in other sports, the medical certificate is no longer systematically required for adults since the 2021-2022 reform (health questionnaire); for minors, a health questionnaire attestation is enough, unless a positive answer calls for a certificate. The license includes insurance.
Step 5: open registrations and build the brackets
How do you manage registrations for a beach tennis tournament?
Open registrations online: each pair chooses its event (women's doubles, men's, mixed), its age category and its level, and states its club. The entry is made by pair. Approve or reject each registration, set a closing date, then lock in the pools and the brackets. Software avoids double entry and the Excel list to cross-check.
For the competition, plan to collect for each pair: the names of the two players, gender, dates of birth (for the age category), level or ranking, target event, club and license numbers. This information helps you distribute the pairs into the right pools and position the seeds. Since clubs enter several pairs, plan to enter lists in one go.
Competition management software collects these registrations online by category, where an Excel sheet forces you to recopy everything by hand. You register each pair as a participant, and you keep a clean list, filterable by category and by status, with search by name, ready to generate pools and brackets.
Step 6: build the pools and the single-elimination bracket
What format for a beach tennis tournament?
The most common format combines qualifying pools, where all the pairs in a group play one another, then a single-elimination bracket for the final phases, often with a consolation bracket. In the pools, the ranking is by number of wins, then by the head-to-head result between tied pairs. The seeds are placed according to the ranking by the head referee.
The pool guarantees several matches to each pair before an elimination bracket for the top, which is appreciated when players travel. The placement of the seeds, according to the ranking, falls to the organizer and the head referee. Calibrate the number of pools to your courts to keep your timing.
Drawing these brackets by hand and recomposing them after every result is the leading source of error and delay. A software that automatically generates your beach tennis bracket produces the pool, the elimination bracket (with a match for 3rd place as an option) and the double-elimination in one click, and advances the winning pair as soon as you enter the result of a match.
Step 7: schedule the courts
How do you schedule a beach tennis tournament on a limited number of courts?
The number of available courts is the number-one constraint. Estimate the average duration of a match according to the chosen format, and distribute the matches by court and by time slot while respecting the rest times of pairs playing several rounds in a row. Display a schedule by court and keep it up to date as results come in.
A beach tennis tournament lives at the pace of its courts, and the same pair quickly plays several matches over the day. When a match finishes early or late, the whole schedule shifts: you have to reschedule, call the pairs and avoid a single pair being expected on two courts. On paper, this tracking is the leading source of confusion.
Assigning a court and a time to each match, and detecting time-slot conflicts, is exactly the kind of task that competition management software handles, keeping the schedule up to date as the matches progress and the brackets fill up.
Step 8: the head referee and the officials
What is the role of the head referee in a beach tennis tournament?
The qualified tournament head referee is responsible for the conduct of the tournament: they validate the draw and the seeds, manage the timing and the match calls, enforce the rules and settle disputes. Their appointment is mandatory for a sanctioned tournament. Around them, plan for the welcome desk, the display and the scoring table.
The scoring of points during matches is most often handled by the players themselves, under the authority of the head referee who supervises all the courts. Your role as organizer is to give the head referee the right conditions (a clear schedule, match sheets, display) and to relay the results.
Also plan for the welcome and logistics roles: a registration and match-sheet hand-out table, display of the brackets and the calls, balls in sufficient quantity, refreshments (playing on sand in the sun is tiring), and something to award the prizes with. For a club event, the organization is light; for a sanctioned tournament, the governing framework applies.
Step 9: prepare the courts and the equipment
What courts and what equipment for a beach tennis tournament?
You need compliant courts (16 m by 8 m, sand surface), nets at the right height according to the category (around 1.70 m), suitable sand (fine, clean, of sufficient depth), sanctioned depressurized balls and a display of the brackets. Players play with solid paddles, without strings.
The quality of the sand matters as much as the dimensions: fine, clean sand at least about thirty centimeters deep ensures safe and consistent play. Plan for enough depressurized balls (they wear out), posts and nets at the right heights, and shade or water for players in full sun.
Complete it with the head referee's table, the display of the brackets and the calls, signage, a first-aid kit, refreshments and something to award prizes and gifts with. A clear welcome point smooths the arrival of the pairs and the hand-out of the match sheets.
Step 10: communicate and fill the tournament
How do you communicate about a beach tennis tournament?
Create a public results page with the presentation, the dates, the venue, the rules (events, age categories, levels, playing format) and the list of registered pairs by event. Share it with neighboring clubs, your league and on social networks. Specify the conditions (license, level, format) early to avoid back-and-forth by email.
The beach tennis audience is friendly and local: neighboring clubs, tennis and padel players who are curious, families. Relay the announcement to the clubs in your league and through its channels. Clearly indicate the open events, the categories and the format, because these elements determine who registers. A public results page with the list of entrants by bracket gives a serious image and limits questions.
Step 11: manage the matches on event day
How do you follow the matches of a beach tennis tournament on event day?
After the welcome and the license check, start the pools then the brackets. The head referee calls the matches court by court; at the end of each match, the score is reported and entered. The winning pair advances to the next round, the pool ranking updates, and the audience follows brackets and results without a paper sheet.
Event day moves at the pace of the courts. Welcome, hand-out of the match sheets, calling of the pairs, then the matches start. When a match finishes, the result is entered right away and the court is reassigned to the next match. Watch the pairs still in contention in several brackets to give them a rest time and avoid court conflicts.
Centralized tracking changes the day. When the result is entered, the winning pair advances automatically in the bracket, the pool ranking is recalculated, and the public results page updates automatically for the clubs and the audience. This removes the scattered sheets, makes the brackets reliable and keeps the club informed.
Step 12: publish the results and do the wrap-up
How do you establish the ranking of a beach tennis tournament?
In a single-elimination bracket, the pair winning the final is first, the finalist second. In a pool, the ranking is by number of wins, then by the head-to-head result. Publish the results on the public results page; entrants, pool ranking and schedule export to CSV. For a sanctioned tournament, the results feed the beach tennis ranking via the FFT federal system.
Once the finals are played, thank the head referee, the officials and the volunteers, do the actual financial wrap-up against the forecast, gather feedback from the clubs and archive results and registrations. Export the list of entrants, the pool ranking and the schedule to CSV for your archives, and let the head referee finalize the official results with the FFT.
How much does it cost to organize a beach tennis tournament?
How much does it cost to organize a beach tennis tournament?
The budget is built item by item: preparation or rental of the sand courts, head referee, sanctioning, prizes, communication and refreshments. The sand court is often the heaviest item. The revenue (registration fees, refreshment stand, sponsors) often balances a weekend. Check every federal amount at the source before announcing it.
Here are the items to plan for, with indicative ranges to adapt to your context. The amounts tied to the federation (license, registration fees, sanctioning) change every season: confirm them on fft.fr or with your league before any announcement.
| Item | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Sand courts (preparation or rental) | often the 1st item, variable by site |
| Depressurized balls | variable by number of matches and rounds |
| Head referee and officials | allowances and expenses, depending on the league |
| Sanctioning | according to the FFT scale and the category |
| Prizes (gifts, cups) | variable by event |
| Communication and printing | variable |
| Refreshments and refreshment stand | variable |
| Contingency margin | 10 to 15% |
On the revenue side: registration fees per pair (to be confirmed with your league), refreshment stand and local sponsors. A well-filled tournament, with a refreshment stand run, often covers a notable share of the costs over a weekend.
Countdown plan and checklist to organize your beach tennis tournament
A countdown plan avoids oversights on the sanctioning, the courts and the head referee.
- Well in advance: define the events and categories, prepare or book the sand courts, set the dates, identify the head referee, build the forecast budget.
- According to the sanctioning lead time: file the request with the FFT via your committee, confirm the head referee, prepare the communication.
- Several weeks before: open online registrations by pair, define the age and level categories, communicate with the clubs, organize the welcome and the logistics.
- As it approaches: close the registrations, build the pools and the brackets, place the seeds, finalize the court schedule and the equipment checklist (balls, nets, sand).
- Event day: welcome and license check, launch of the pools then the brackets, calls court by court, entry of the results, automatic display.
- After: publish the results, export entrants, pool ranking and schedule to CSV, let the head referee finalize the official results with the FFT, thank everyone, do the financial wrap-up, archive.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing a sanctioned tournament and a free event. A sanctioned tournament goes through the FFT specifications and federal system; a club event is more flexible. Choose the status before communicating.
- Underestimating the number of courts. The number of courts sets the throughput and the duration: calculate the number of matches before settling the format and the number of pairs.
- Neglecting the quality of the sand. Sand that is too hard, dirty or too fine spoils the play and increases the risk of injury. Prepare the court before the tournament.
- Forgetting the rest times. The same pair can play several matches in a row under the sun. Manage the rest times and the water, and avoid scheduling it on two courts at the same time.
- Poorly placing the seeds. A draw that pits the best pairs against each other too early spoils the tournament. Place the seeds according to the ranking.
- Managing the brackets on paper. Redrawing pools and brackets and rescheduling the courts by hand quickly skews results and times. Centralized entry makes everything reliable.
FAQ: organizing a beach tennis tournament
Do you need software to organize a beach tennis tournament?
It is not mandatory, but strongly recommended from a few dozen pairs onward. Between categories by gender, age and level, the qualifying pools, the elimination bracket, the matches to schedule on a limited number of courts and the ranking to maintain, manual tracking quickly becomes unmanageable. Software generates the brackets, advances the winning pair automatically and publishes the schedule by court.
How is a beach tennis match scored?
The scoring is close to tennis, but without advantage: at 40-40, a deciding point settles the game. There is no second serve. A set is played to six games (with a tie-break in case of a tie), a match is best of two winning sets, and a super tie-break can replace the third set. The score detail remains kept by the head referee and the match sheet.
What categories and what pairs in beach tennis?
Beach tennis is most often played in doubles (women, men, mixed): each pair has two players. Categories are by gender, by age (from juniors to seniors and veterans) and by level. The FFT maintains a specific beach tennis ranking, distinct from the tennis ranking, fed by sanctioned tournaments.
How do you get a beach tennis tournament sanctioned?
Sanctioning is requested from the FFT, through your committee or league, within a lead time that depends on the tournament category (from a few weeks to a few months before), with the appointment of a qualified tournament head referee. Tournaments are categorized (for example BT 25 to BT 2000) and their results feed the beach tennis ranking via the federal system.
What license and what medical certificate to play?
A current-year FFT license is required for a sanctioned tournament (it includes insurance). As in other sports, the medical certificate is no longer systematically required for adults since the 2021-2022 reform (health questionnaire), and a questionnaire is enough for minors unless a positive answer.
Can you organize a beach tennis tournament for free?
You pay for certain items (preparation or rental of the sand court, head referee, prizes) and the sanctioning. On the other hand, the organizing tool can be free: CompetHub is free to start, with no credit card. You manage registrations, pools, brackets, scores, court schedule and ranking with no software cost.
The software to organize your beach tennis tournament
Once the method is set, the tool does the rest. CompetHub links every step of this guide: online registrations by pair, bulk entry of club lists (profiles without an account), pools and single-elimination brackets generated automatically, entry of the winning pair and the score, automatic winner advancement, pool ranking, schedule by court, branded public results page and CSV export of entrants, pool ranking and schedule. Sanctioning, the federal system and the beach tennis ranking remain managed by the FFT and the head referee. Organize the tournament. We bring it to life.
To compare the features in detail, see the beach tennis tournament software page.
Launch your beach tennis tournament right now.
Registrations by pair, pools, elimination brackets, score tracking and court schedule: everything is in one place. Free to start, no credit card.