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Organiser guide

Host a tournament end-to-end

From boardroom cricket days to inter-college finals — the organiser toolkit that handles multi-court booking, split payments, and participant communication so you can focus on the tournament itself.

Find a venueBrowse tournaments

How it works

Four steps to a live tournament

Every step maps to a FirstBookit feature that already ships. No new tools to learn.

  1. 1

    Pick the right venue

    Tournament venues need multiple courts available simultaneously, parking, and changing facilities. Filter for venues with 3+ courts in the same complex using FirstBookit's search.

  2. 2

    Book all slots in one go

    Multi-slot booking reserves 8–12 hours of court time across multiple days in one transaction. One payment, one confirmation, all your tournament slots locked in — no more juggling 12 separate WhatsApp threads.

  3. 3

    Invite participants and collect fees

    Share your tournament page with participating teams. Each team pays their entry fee via FirstBookit's split-payment feature — direct UPI payments, no chasing reimbursements.

  4. 4

    Run the tournament

    Automated email confirmations go to every registered team. Coupon codes let you discount early-bird registrations. Refund management handles drop-outs without manual paperwork.

Comparison

The FirstBookit way vs. the WhatsApp way

What actually happens on match day when you use each approach.

Court booking
One payment covers every court + every day
12 WhatsApp threads, 12 separate payments
Participant fees
Direct UPI per team, tracked automatically
Chase reimbursements for 3 weeks
Confirmations
Automated email, on schedule
Repeat WhatsApp messages every day
Refunds
One click, back to original payment
Screenshots and personal UPI transfers
Match schedule
Shared bracket page, live results
PDF on a Google Drive nobody remembers to open
Day-of comms
Reminder pings + venue directions
The group chat rings 40 times

Formats

Tournament formats that work well

8–16 teams · 1 day

Knockouts

Fast, decisive brackets. Every match is elimination. Ideal for a Saturday tournament.

4–6 teams · 1 weekend

Round-robin

Everyone plays everyone. Best for smaller regular groups.

12+ teams · 3–6 weekends

League + Playoffs

Group stage across weekends, then a knockout finish. Most engaging format for serious leagues.

8–24 teams · 1–2 weekends

Hybrid

Round-robin groups feed a knockout finals — the classic inter-college and corporate format.

FAQ

Common questions from first-time organisers

How much does it cost to host a tournament on FirstBookit?

There's no separate fee for hosting — you pay for the court time you book, exactly like a regular booking. Participants pay their entry fees directly to you via FirstBookit's split-payment feature.

Can I run a tournament across multiple days or weekends?

Yes. FirstBookit's multi-slot booking reserves 8–12 hours of court time across multiple days in a single payment. League and hybrid formats that span 3–6 weekends are fully supported.

What sports can I host tournaments for?

Cricket (box, indoor, outdoor), football (5-a-side, 7-a-side), badminton, pickleball, and any sport whose venue is listed on FirstBookit. If your venue supports it, you can host it.

How do participants pay their entry fees?

You share a single tournament link. Each team pays their entry fee via the split-payment page — direct UPI, no reimbursement chasing. Funds settle to your organiser account on the same cadence as regular bookings.

What happens if a team drops out?

You can process a refund from the organiser dashboard. Refunds go back to the original UPI/card via Razorpay within 5–7 business days. The bracket can be regenerated with the reduced team count in a single click.

Do I need to be a venue owner to host a tournament?

No — anyone can host. You book courts on FirstBookit like any player would, and the organiser tools (participant payments, communications, brackets) are available on top of the booking. Venue owners just get a slightly faster onboarding.

Can I use coupon codes for early-bird discounts?

Yes. Create coupon codes from the organiser dashboard for early-bird pricing, sponsor discounts, or free-entry passes for previous champions. Codes can have expiry dates and usage limits.

Start with a multi-court venue

The rest of the organiser flow — participants, payments, brackets — only makes sense once you have court time locked in.

Find venues

Split-payment ready

Teams pay their share via UPI — no chasing.

Automated comms

Confirmations and reminders on schedule.