Help center
Common questions for organizers and participants. Still stuck? Contact us and we'll help.
Registering for a season
How do I sign up for a league season?
Open the league's public page and choose Register. Pick your division and registration type (that is the fee you are paying, such as early-bird or regular), fill in your details, agree to any waiver, and pay your dues if there is a fee.
The league has two seasons open. Which am I signing up for?
Whichever you choose — the registration page asks, and both are listed. A league running a fall and a winter season at the same time takes entries for both, and you can register for both if you want to play in both. Schedules, standings and teams are per season too, so switch season on the public site to see the right ones.
Do I need an account?
It helps. With an account your registration, team, and schedule all show up on your dashboard, and you can manage your own entry later if the league allows it.
Do I pick my own team?
If the league has teams set up, yes — there is a Team dropdown on the form, and it narrows to the teams in the division you chose. If yours is not there, or you do not have one yet, choose "Not listed / Free agent" and the league will place you. Some leagues register whole teams instead; the registration page makes it clear which applies.
How do I register a whole team?
Only if the league has chosen to let managers do that. If so, pick the team registration type and type your team name — you will not see a list of existing teams, because that is how duplicate teams get created. You become the team's manager.
Do I have to sign in?
Yes. Registration is tied to an account so it reaches your dashboard and you can manage it later. If you are signed out the page tells you, without losing your place, and offers to sign you in or create an account.
Can I register my child instead of myself?
Yes. Signed in, the form starts with "Who is this registration for?" — pick someone already on your account or choose Someone else. Leave their email blank if they do not have one and everything comes to you. Their season, dues and schedule then show on your dashboard beside your own.
I am registering two children. Do I need two accounts?
No. Register them one after the other from the same account, using your own email for both. They are kept as two separate players, each with their own roster spot and their own division.
What if the division I want is full?
It depends what the league chose. A full division either says "full, joins waitlist" and takes your entry, or it cannot be selected at all. If you go on a waitlist you will be emailed if a place opens up. Note that a full division only blocks whole-team entries — it does not stop you registering as an individual player.
Is the dues figure I see the full amount?
Yes. Where the league passes the processing fee on it is already in the price shown, and the registration form breaks it out so you can see the parts. Paying offline carries no processing fee at all. See What it costs.
Can I register now and pay later?
If the league offers it, the form has a Pay now / Pay offline choice. Pay offline holds your spot and leaves you owing — you can pay online later from your dashboard, or settle up with the league directly by cash or check. If they set a deadline, the page and your email both say when it is.
My confirmation says "pending payment" — am I registered?
Yes, your place is held. It says pending because there is still a balance on it. Pay it from your dashboard, or arrange payment with the league, and it changes to confirmed.
My promo code was refused. Why?
Codes can be limited to team entries or to individual players, so a code meant for teams will not apply to a player signup. The message tells you which it is for. Codes can also be expired or fully used up.
What is the donation on the registration form?
Some leagues partner with a charity and offer you the chance to add a gift while you pay your dues. It is entirely optional — choose No thanks and nothing is added. If you do give, it goes on the same card charge as your dues.
Is the donation tax deductible?
Only if the league has given us the charity's EIN and confirmed gifts are deductible. When it has, your email is a proper receipt with the EIN and the "no goods or services" wording. When it has not, you get a thank-you that makes no claim either way — check with the charity before claiming it.
Who receives my donation?
It is paid to the league with the dues, and they pass it on to the charity they named. PlayCompete does not hold it or forward it, and takes no fee from it.
I withdrew — do I get the donation back?
Not automatically. A dues refund follows the league's policy and covers the dues only. Ask the organizer directly if you need the gift refunded too.
Open the league page → Register → choose your division and registration type → fill in your details and waiver → pay any dues.
Managing your registration
How do I see or change my registration?
Sign in and open My Registration for that season from your dashboard. If the league has self-service turned on you can update your details there.
Can I withdraw and get a refund?
If the league allows withdrawals, you can cancel from the same screen. Any refund follows the league's policy, and the payment processing fee is not refundable.
The edit or withdraw option is not there.
Self-service is optional and each league sets its own deadlines. Once a deadline passes, or if the league never turned it on, you will need to contact the organizer directly.
I still owe my dues. How do I pay?
Open your registration from your dashboard — if there is a balance you will see a Pay button with the amount owed.
Where is my receipt?
On your dashboard beside the payment, and linked from the email you were sent. It shows the full sum rather than one total: the dues, any coupon discount as its own line, any donation you added, and the processing fee — so the numbers add up to exactly what your card was charged. It does not expire.
Sign in → Dashboard → My Leagues → open the season → My Registration.
Open your registration → Cancel → confirm. Your refund follows the league's policy.
Your team
How do I say whether I am playing?
Open your team from My Teams and answer In, Maybe or Out on each game. Your manager sees the count, so it is worth keeping current. Expand Roster under a game to see who else has replied.
My manager set my answer for me. Is that right?
Yes. Managers can set any player's answer, because most of what they hear comes at practice or by text. You can change it back yourself.
Can I answer for my child?
Yes. If you registered them, their team appears under My Teams on your account and you answer In, Maybe or Out for them. If you play for the same team yourself, your own answer stays separate from theirs.
What are team events?
Practices, scrimmages and anything else your manager schedules for the team. They appear on your team page below the games, you get an email when one is added, and you answer In, Maybe or Out the same way.
I got an email asking if I am playing.
That is your manager nudging the people who have not answered yet. Answering on your team page stops it.
Can I enter our score?
Only if you are a manager or a coach. Use Report score on the game; it goes to the league to approve, and it is not the official result until they do. If they reject it you will see why and can send a corrected one.
How do I pay my team's entry fee?
Two ways, both the same page: from My Dashboard when you are signed in, or from the link the league emails you — that one works without an account, so you can forward it to whoever is paying.
How do I find out what team I am on?
Once the organizer has placed you, your team appears on the league's Teams page and on your dashboard under My Teams.
What is on my team page?
Your roster, your next game, your upcoming games, your results, and your record within the division. Your next game is the soonest one still to be played by date and time — not simply the next one without a score, which used to leave a finished game sitting there as "next" until somebody entered the result.
Can other people see our roster?
Only if the organizer publishes it, and that is decided per team — so your team's roster can be public while another's is not. You and your manager always see your own either way.
I have not been assigned a team yet.
That is normal before a season starts, since organizers usually place everyone at once after registration closes. If the season has already begun, contact the league.
League page → Teams, or sign in → Dashboard → My Teams.
Schedule & standings
Where is my game schedule?
On the league's Schedule page, and on your team's page once the organizer publishes it. It shows the date, time, and field for each game.
How do I know if a game moves?
When an organizer reschedules a game they can email the affected teams, and the public schedule updates straight away. It is always worth checking the schedule page before you travel.
Where are the standings?
On the league's Standings page, updated as scores are entered. Some leagues choose to keep standings private, particularly for younger age groups, so they may not appear.
Open the league page → Schedule, or go to your team's page for just your games.
Registering a team
How do I enter my team?
Open the tournament's public page, choose your division, and enter your team name and contact details. Pay the entry fee if one is due, and you are in.
Can I register on my own without a team?
Some tournaments allow individual or free-agent registration so you can be placed on a team. If the tournament offers it, you will see the option on the registration page.
Can I sign my child up for a team?
Yes, wherever a tournament lets players join a team themselves. Signed in, the form asks who the registration is for — pick them, or choose Someone else and enter their details. Their email is optional; leave it blank and the roster confirmation and any fee reminders come to you.
Can I change my team name later?
Yes. As the team manager you can rename your team from your team page.
What if my division is full?
You can join the waitlist at no charge, and the organizer can promote you if a spot opens up. See Paying & waitlists.
Open the tournament page → Register → choose your division → enter team and contact details → pay the entry fee if required.
Your roster & teammates
How do I add players to my team?
As the team manager, open your team's roster page and add players directly, or invite them so they enter their own details.
How do teammates join?
Share your team's join link or code. They open it, fill in their own information, and are added to your roster.
Someone asked to join my team.
Depending on how the tournament is set up, join requests may need your approval. Approve or remove people from your roster page.
How many players can I have?
The organizer sets a minimum and maximum on your division. Once you hit the maximum the join link stops accepting new players.
Is our roster public?
That is up to the organizer, and it is set per division — an adult division's rosters can be published while a youth division's stay private. You always see your own team's roster whichever way it is set.
We can no longer play. How do we pull out?
You can withdraw your team from your team page. Let the organizer know as well, since refunds are up to them.
Sign in → My Teams → open your team → Roster → invite by email or copy the join link.
Open the join link the manager sent you → enter your details → you are added to the roster.
Paying & waitlists
When do I pay the entry fee?
Usually at registration. Some tournaments let you register first and pay afterwards; if yours does, your team keeps its spot and you can pay any time from My Dashboard, under My Tournament Teams. If the organizer set a deadline, your confirmation email says what it is.
What does being waitlisted mean?
The division was full when you entered, so your team is queued at no charge. Nothing is owed unless the organizer promotes you.
I was promoted from the waitlist. How do I pay?
You will get an email with a secure pay link and a deadline. Pay before the deadline and your spot is confirmed.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
Your spot is released, so the organizer can give it to another team. Where there is a waitlist, the next team in line is offered it. Contact the organizer directly if you still want to play.
Where is my receipt?
On My Dashboard beside the payment, and linked from your confirmation email. It shows the whole sum rather than one figure: the entry fee, any coupon discount as its own line, any donation you added, and the processing fee — so the numbers add up to exactly what your card was charged. It does not expire, unlike a card processor's hosted receipt.
Can I get a refund?
Refunds are handled by the tournament organizer according to their policy. Contact them through the tournament's contact page — it has a message form that reaches them directly.
Will I get texts?
Only if the organizer uses them, and only if you left the box ticked when you registered. They are for urgent day-of news — a rain delay, a location change — never promotions. Reply STOP to any of them and you will not be texted again by anyone on PlayCompete.
I replied STOP by mistake.
Reply START to the same number and it is undone. If that does not work, ask the organizer — they can clear it for you.
Can I reply to a text?
Only STOP and START do anything. Anything else will not reach the organizer, so use the phone number or contact page on the tournament site.
What is the donation on the registration form?
Some tournaments partner with a charity and offer you the chance to add a gift while you pay. It is entirely optional — choose No thanks and nothing is added. If you do give, it goes on the same card charge as your entry fee.
Is the donation tax deductible?
Only if the tournament has given us the charity's EIN and confirmed gifts are deductible. When it has, your email is a proper receipt with the EIN and the "no goods or services" wording. When it has not, you get a thank-you that makes no claim either way — check with the charity before claiming it.
Who receives my donation?
It is paid to the tournament organizer with the entry fees, and they pass it on to the charity they named. PlayCompete does not hold it or forward it, and takes no fee from it.
We withdrew — do we get the donation back?
Not automatically. An entry-fee refund follows the organizer's policy and covers the entry only. Ask the organizer directly if you need the gift refunded too.
Open the pay-link email → Pay before the deadline shown to confirm your spot.
On the registration form, pick an amount under the charity ask — or Other to type your own. Choose No thanks to skip it.
Schedule, brackets & results
Where do I find our games?
On the tournament's Schedule page once the organizer publishes it, showing the time and location for each game. Your team's page lists just your games.
How do pools and brackets work?
Many tournaments start with pool play, where you play the other teams in your pool, and those results seed the elimination bracket. The bracket appears once the organizer publishes it.
Where are the results?
Scores appear on the schedule, pool standings, and bracket as the organizer enters them during the day.
Which location are we at?
Each scheduled game shows its location — the complex and the field within it — and the Fields page has the full list and any map the organizer added.
Who won?
Final placings appear at the top of the Bracket & Results page once a division's bracket is finished and published — first, second and third. Until the final is played you will see pool standings instead, which show how the day is going without calling it early.
Why is there no third place for our division?
No third-place match was played. Not every tournament runs one, and the page says so rather than leaving it blank.
The final is done but no placings are showing.
The organizer has not published the bracket yet. Until they do, the result stays a draft. Give them a little time — they are usually still at the venue.
Open the tournament page → Teams → your team, or check Schedule and Brackets for live updates.
Open the tournament page → Bracket & Results → final placings are at the top.
Questions & refunds
Who do I contact about my league or tournament?
The organizer running it. Every league and tournament has a contact page, and they are the ones who can answer questions about divisions, schedules, rules, and money.
Who handles refunds?
The organizer, according to the policy they set. PlayCompete provides the platform but is not a party to the payment between you and the organizer. The payment processing fee is not refundable.
When should I contact PlayCompete instead?
For account problems such as signing in, verifying your email, or updating your profile. Use the Contact page and we will help.
Open the league or tournament public page → Contact → send your message.