To organize a squash tournament, rely on a club affiliated with the FFSquash, get the tournament sanctioned (with a head referee), define the categories by age and by ranking, open registrations, build the bracket (preceded by pools for small fields), 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 squash tournament in France?
In France, the FFSquash (Fédération Française de Squash) is the governing body; at the international level, World Squash (the world federation) and the European Squash Federation are the references. The FFSquash sanctions tournaments and maintains the player ranking through its federal system. Good news for the discipline: squash will be on the program of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Your first choice shapes everything else: the level of the tournament and its status. A sanctioned tournament follows the FFSquash specifications (head referee, management through the federal system); an internal club event or a recreational open is freer. In both cases, the bracket, score tracking and schedule are the same building blocks, but sanctioning adds requirements.
Note: for sanctioned competitions, the FFSquash provides its own official tournament management software, from the sanctioning request all the way to the publication of results in the ranking. A tool like CompetHub is therefore aimed mainly at club tournaments, recreational opens and events, and complements the organization (registrations, brackets, schedule, public page). Check in early with your regional league, which supports sanctioning and specifies the requirements.
Step 2: define the categories, the ranking and the scoring
Which categories for a squash tournament?
Squash is played in singles. Categories are set by gender, by age (juniors U11, U13, U15, U17, U19, seniors, and masters from 35 onward in five-year bands, up to +80) and by ranking. The FFSquash national ranking assigns a level to each licensed player based on their results, and a new system came into force in early 2026.
Ranking series make it possible to group players of a similar level. Decide whether your tournament is open to all levels or reserved for a series, and clearly publish the open age categories: they are what determine who can register and how many brackets you will have to manage. The age reference date for juniors is set at June 1.
On the playing side, a game is won at 11 points in point-a-rally (every rally scores a point), with a two-point margin (at 10-10, you need a two-point lead). A match is most often played best of five games (three games to win), sometimes best of three depending on the format. Announce the playing format at registration.
Step 3: set the date, the venue and the budget
How long does it take to organize a squash tournament?
Plan for a few weeks to a few months, factoring in the sanctioning lead time. Reserve the 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 the pools and the brackets.
The venue is above all the number of courts available, which determines how many matches you can run in parallel and therefore the duration of the tournament. A regulation squash court measures 9.75 m long and 6.40 m wide, surrounded by four walls, often with a glass back wall. Also plan a display area and a table for the head referee.
The budget depends on court rental, the head referee, the awards, communication and sanctioning. Build it item by item rather than as a single figure. The detail appears further down. Do not announce any license or registration fee amount without having verified it at the official source.
Step 4: get the tournament sanctioned and manage the licenses
How do you sanction a squash tournament?
Sanctioning is requested from the FFSquash: the organizer must be an affiliated or authorized structure and follow the federal specifications, with the appointment of a head referee. For sanctioned competitions, the FFSquash handles the organization and the publication of results through its own official software, from the sanctioning request to the close.
Sanctioning and the processing of results by the federal system are the central steps of an official tournament: they determine the award of ranking points. For the up-to-date procedure, rely on ffsquash.com and your league; for a possible event declaration, on sports.gouv.fr.
On the participation side, each player must present a valid FFSquash license (the FFSquash offers several license options, including a competitive license and a junior option). As in other sports, the medical certificate is no longer systematically required for adults since the 2021-2022 reform; 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 squash tournament?
Open online registrations: each player chooses their age category and their ranking series, and indicates their club. Approve or decline each registration, set a closing date, then lock the pools and the brackets. Software avoids double entry and the Excel list to cross-check.
For the competition, plan to collect for each entrant: name, gender, date of birth (for the age category), ranking, club and license number. This information helps you distribute entrants into the right pools and position the seeds. As clubs enter several players, plan to enter lists in one go.
Competition management software collects these registrations online by category, where an Excel sheet forces you to retype everything by hand. 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
Which format for a squash tournament?
The most common format is the single-elimination bracket, sometimes preceded by qualifying pools (3 or 4 players), where everyone plays each other, for small fields. In the pools, the ranking is decided on the number of wins, then on the head-to-head result between tied players. The seeds are placed according to the ranking by the head referee.
The pool guarantees several matches for each entrant before a single-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. Choose the playing format (best of five or three games) and align the number of pools with your courts to hold your schedule.
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 squash bracket produces the pool, the single-elimination bracket (with an optional match for 3rd place) and the double-elimination in one click, and advances the winner as soon as you enter the result of a match.
Step 7: schedule the courts
How do you schedule a squash 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 slot while respecting the rest times of players who play several rounds in a row. Display a schedule by court and keep it up to date as results come in.
A squash tournament runs to the rhythm of its courts, and the same player quickly plays several matches in the day. When a match finishes early or late, the whole schedule shifts: you have to reschedule, call the players and avoid the same player 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 slot conflicts, is exactly the kind of task competition management software takes on, 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 squash tournament?
The head referee is responsible for running the tournament: they validate the draw and the seeds, manage the schedule 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.
On each match, two official roles exist: the marker keeps the score and announces the calls, the referee settles disputes; one person can sometimes hold both. At the highest levels, these roles are held by qualified officials. Your role as organizer is to give the head referee the right conditions (clear schedule, match sheets, display) and to relay the results.
Also plan the welcome and logistics roles: registration and match sheet handout table, display of brackets and calls, refreshments, and something to hand out the prizes. For a club event, the organization is light; for a sanctioned tournament, the governing framework applies.
Step 9: prepare the courts and the equipment
Which courts and which equipment for a squash tournament?
You need compliant courts (9.75 m by 6.40 m, four walls), sufficient lighting (on the order of 300 lux at regional level to 500 lux at national level), competition balls (the double yellow dot for the top level) and a display of the brackets. Eye protection is mandatory in doubles competitions.
Consistency of conditions matters: even lighting without glare, walls and floor in good condition, and sufficient clear height above the court. Plan for enough balls (they wear out over the matches) and check visibility from the gallery for the public and the head referee.
Complete with the head referee's table, the display of brackets and calls, signage, a first-aid kit, refreshments and something to hand out prizes and rewards. A clear welcome point smooths the arrival of players and the handout of match sheets.
Step 10: communicate and fill the tournament
How do you communicate about a squash tournament?
Create a public page with the presentation, the dates, the venue, the rules (age categories, ranking series, playing format) and the list of entrants by category. Share it with neighboring clubs, your league and on social media. Specify the conditions early (license, ranking, format) to avoid back-and-forth by email.
The amateur squash audience is local and loyal: neighboring clubs, licensees looking for matches. Relay the announcement to the clubs of your league and through its channels. Clearly indicate the open categories, the ranking series and the format, because these elements determine who registers. A public page with the list of entrants by bracket gives a serious image and limits the questions.
Step 11: manage the matches on event day
How do you track the matches of a squash tournament on event day?
After the welcome and the license check, launch 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 winner advances to the next round, the pool ranking updates, and the public follows the brackets and results without a paper sheet.
Event day flows to the rhythm of the courts. Welcome, handout of match sheets, call of the players, 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 players still in the running in several brackets to give them rest time and avoid court conflicts.
Centralized tracking changes the day. When the result is entered, the winner advances automatically in the bracket, the pool ranking recalculates, and the public page updates automatically for the clubs and the public. This removes 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 squash tournament?
In a single-elimination bracket, the winner of the final is first, the finalist second. In a pool, the ranking is decided on the number of wins, then on the head-to-head result. Publish the results on the public page; entrants, pool ranking and schedule export to CSV. For a sanctioned tournament, the results feed the national ranking through the FFSquash federal system.
Once the finals are played, thank the head referee, the officials and the volunteers, do the real 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 records, and let the head referee finalize the official results with the FFSquash.
How much does organizing a squash tournament cost?
How much does organizing a squash tournament cost?
The budget is built item by item: court rental, head referee, sanctioning, awards, communication and refreshments. The courts often weigh the most. The revenue (registration fees, refreshment stand, sponsors) often balances a weekend. Verify each 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 ffsquash.com or with your league before any announcement.
| Item | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Courts (rental) | often the 1st item, varies by club |
| Balls | varies by the number of matches and rounds |
| Head referee and officials | allowances and expenses, depending on the league |
| Sanctioning | according to the FFSquash schedule of fees |
| Awards (rewards, cups) | varies by category |
| Communication and printing | variable |
| Refreshments and refreshment stand | variable |
| Contingency margin | 10 to 15% |
On the revenue side: registration fees per player (to confirm with your league), refreshment stand and local sponsors. A well-filled tournament, with a staffed refreshment stand, often covers a notable share of the costs over a weekend.
Countdown plan and checklist to organize your squash tournament
A countdown plan avoids oversights on sanctioning, the courts and the head referee.
- Well in advance: define the categories and ranking series, reserve the courts, set the dates, identify the head referee, build the forecast budget.
- Depending on the sanctioning lead time: file the request with the FFSquash through your league, confirm the head referee, prepare the communication.
- Several weeks before: open online registrations, define the age and ranking 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, display).
- 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 FFSquash, thank everyone, do the financial wrap-up, archive.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing a sanctioned tournament with a free event. A sanctioned tournament goes through the specifications and the federal system of the FFSquash; a club event is freer. 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 entrants.
- Forgetting the rest times. The same player can play several matches in the day. Manage the rest times and avoid scheduling them on two courts at the same time.
- Neglecting the playing conditions. Even lighting, walls and floor in good condition, balls in quantity: these conditions determine quality play. Check them before the tournament.
- Misplacing the seeds. A draw that makes the top-ranked players face 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 distorts results and times. Centralized entry makes everything reliable.
FAQ: organizing a squash tournament
Do you need software to organize a squash tournament?
It is not mandatory, but strongly recommended from a few dozen players onward. Between age and ranking categories, possible pools, the elimination bracket, matches to schedule across a limited number of courts and the ranking to maintain, manual tracking quickly becomes unmanageable. Software generates the brackets, advances the winner and publishes the schedule by court.
How is a squash match scored?
A game is won at 11 points in point-a-rally (every rally scores a point), with a two-point margin (at 10-10, you need a two-point lead). A match is most often played best of five games (three games to win), sometimes best of three depending on the format. The point count is kept by the marker and the referee.
Which categories for a squash tournament?
Squash is played in singles. Categories are set by gender, by age (juniors U11 to U19, seniors, masters from 35 onward in five-year bands) and by ranking. The FFSquash national ranking assigns a level to each licensed player based on their results; tournaments are open to all levels or reserved for a ranking series.
How do you sanction a squash tournament?
Sanctioning is requested from the FFSquash: the organizer must be an affiliated or authorized structure and follow the federal specifications, with the appointment of a head referee. For sanctioned competitions, the FFSquash handles the organization and the publication of results through its own official software, from the sanctioning request to the close.
Which license and which medical certificate to play?
A valid FFSquash license is required for a sanctioned tournament (the license includes insurance). As in other sports, the medical certificate is no longer systematically required for adults since the 2021-2022 reform; for minors, a health questionnaire attestation is enough, unless a positive answer calls for a certificate.
Can you organize a squash tournament for free?
You pay for certain items (court rental, head referee, awards) and sanctioning. On the other hand, the organizing tool can be free: CompetHub is free to start, no credit card. You manage registrations, pools, brackets, scores, court schedule and ranking with no software cost.
The software to organize your squash tournament
Once the method is set, the tool does the rest. CompetHub connects every step of this guide: online registrations by category and by ranking, bulk entry of club lists (records without an account), pools and single-elimination brackets generated automatically, entry of the winner and the score, automatic winner advancement, pool ranking, schedule by court, branded public page and CSV export of the entrants, the pool ranking and the schedule. Sanctioning, the federal system and the official ranking remain handled by the FFSquash and the head referee. Organize the tournament. We bring it to life.
To compare the features in detail, see the squash tournament software page.
Launch your squash tournament right now.
Registrations by category and ranking, pools, elimination brackets, score tracking and court schedule: everything is brought together. Free to start, no credit card.