Southern-Fried Pinball Tournaments
Southern-Fried Pinball Tournament at SFGE 2023

Southern-Fried Pinball Tournaments 2026!

Since our inception, we’ve been a cornerstone event in the competitive pinball arena. Over the years at SFGE, top-ranked tournament players and casual fans alike have competed in our world-class tournaments.

Players must have an SFGE membership to participate

Read the basics about our pinball tournaments below, then join the tournament Facebook group and chat with our other tournament players and organizers.

Tournament Registration

Notes:

  • The Main Event and Classics Event are taking preregistrations to help shorten in-person wait times at the registration desk and enable faster queueing during qualifying. For these events, we can accommodate any number of players without a player cap.
  • You can save $10 on the Main Event if you preregister and buy the maximum of 48 entries online ($70 online versus $40 + $20 + $20 if you buy entries in-person).
  • The side tournaments will have lower player caps initially. Once we have enough machines to allow for more players, we’ll raise the player caps and let in as many players off the waitlist as we can. Follow our Facebook page for updates! New this year: We will use the Match Play Events website to manage the waitlist for the Side Open Matchplay once we reach the player cap (and also for the Women’s Matchplay if we reach the player cap).
  • In addition to your tournament registration, you must also have an SFGE membership, available here.
  • The Southern-Fried Pinball Tournaments follow the current IFPA/PAPA Official Rules, available here.
  • The Southern-Fried Pinball Tournaments also follow the IFPA’s Diversity and Inclusion Code, available at: https://www.ifpapinball.com/inclusion/

If we are able to expand the player count for the side tournaments, we will contact players at the top of the waitlist via email to complete their online registration.

If space is still available in the side tournaments after SFGE begins, we will accept in-person signup requests from players starting 1 hour before each tournament. If there is a waitlist, waitlisted players will have early access to in-person registration (details will be sent by email). Players must visit the registration desk to make their request. Requests are first-come, first-serve.

The Main Event and Classics Event can accommodate all players joining throughout Friday and Saturday, including players who did not preregister.

If you did preregister for a side tournament, please check in at the tournament area at least 30 minutes before the start of the tournament. This helps us determine if there is any space available for more players.

2026 Schedule

Friday

  • 3 pm to 11:30 pm – Main Event: Hybrid best game qualifying begins
  • 3 pm to 11:30 pm – Classics Event: Unlimited best game qualifying begins
  • 5 pm to 11 pm – Side Open Tournament: Matchplay qualifying

Saturday

  • 10 am to 9:30 pm – Main Event: Hybrid best game qualifying continues
  • 10 am to 6 pm – Classics Event: Unlimited best game qualifying continues
  • 10:15 am to 1:45 pm – Women’s Tournament: Matchplay qualifying
  • 1:45 pm to 6:30 pm – Side Open Tournament: Top 16 finals
  • 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm – Classics Event: Top 16 finals
  • 9:30 pm to 11:30 pm – Main Event: A Division Top 24 finals (Round 1)

Sunday

  • 9:30 am to 3 pm – Main Event: A Division finals continue (Rounds 2 through 4)
  • 9:30 am to 12:30 pm – Women’s Tournament: Top 16 finals
  • 10:30 am to 2 pm – Main Event: B Division finals
  • 11:30 am to 1:30 pm – Juniors Tournament (non-IFPA)
Grid of event times for Southern-Fried Pinball Tournaments

Main Event (Friday through Sunday)

In the Main Event, players compete to put up high scores in a single-player hybrid best game qualifying before advancing to A Division finals or B Division finals. Qualifying runs for 20 hours on Friday (3pm-11:30pm) and Saturday (10am-9:30pm).

  • Qualifying format: Best Game (hybrid qualifying)
  • Registration fee: $40 (each player starts with 24 initial entries)
  • Additional entries: Players may purchase add-ons at the registration desk in the tournament area (no refunds or transfers for unused entries)
    • 12 additional entries for $20
    • MAXIMUM of 48 total entries (including initial entries)
    • Discount available during online preregistration only: Get all 48 entries for $70
  • Game bank: 12 arenas from the Classics era to the Modern era
  • Scoring: Best 10 of 12 games are counted using PAPA 200 scoring (200/190/185/184…); your score must be recorded by a scorekeeper at the end of each game
  • Queuing: Players can join queues online (at Matchplay.Events) or in-person with an official scorekeeper
  • Note: Players do not have to play all 48 entries to qualify for finals, but players must play at least 5 games to be included in IFPA results

Players can register early during online preregistration or in-person during SFGE by visiting the registration desk in the tournament area. There is no player cap for the Main Event.

Main Finals format: Group Elimination Matchplay

The A Division finals take place on Saturday night (9:30pm-11:30pm, first round only) and Sunday (9:30am-3pm). The Top 24 from qualifying advance to A Division with the Top 8 players each receiving a bye. The format will be a PAPA-style group elimination matchplay with 3 games per round, where two players advance and two players are eliminated from each group at the end of every round. The top seed in each group “drives the bus” each round by selecting the arenas from a predetermined game bank to be announced before finals. The finals will use PAPA scoring (4/2/1/0 points for 1st/2nd/3rd/4th and 4/2/1 points for 1st/2nd/3rd).

The B Division finals take place on Sunday (10:30am-2pm). The next 16 players (restricted to those not ranked in the IFPA Top 250 who didn’t make the A Division) advance to B Division for a chance to win trophies and prizes. The format will be a single-strike knockout (0/0/0/1 for 4-player games and 0/0/1 for 3-player games), with players being eliminated the first time they place last on a game and receive a strike. Because the player list is restricted, the B Division results will not affect or change the IFPA results from qualifying.

Rather than a Juniors Division in the Main Event, there will be a Juniors Tournament for players 12 & under on Sunday this year instead (non-IFPA).

Classics Event (Friday and Saturday)

In the Classics Event, players compete to put up high scores in a single-player unlimited best game qualifying before advancing to Top 16 finals. Qualifying runs for 16.5 hours on Friday (3pm-11:30pm) and Saturday (10am-6pm).

  • Qualifying format: Best Game (unlimited qualifying)
  • Registration fee: $25 (each player starts with 12 initial entries)
  • Additional entries: Players may purchase add-ons at the registration desk in the tournament area (no refunds or transfers for unused entries)
  • 5 additional entries for $10
  • Bulk discount – 12 additional entries for $20
  • UNLIMITED entries may be purchased
  • Game bank: 8 arenas from the Classics era (pre-1991)
  • Scoring: Best 7 of 8 games are counted using PAPA 200 scoring (200/190/185/184…); your score must be recorded by a scorekeeper at the end of each game\
  • Queuing: Players can join queues online (at Matchplay.Events) or in-person with an official scorekeeper\

Players can register early during online preregistration or in-person during SFGE by visiting the registration desk in the tournament area. There is no player cap for the Classics Event.

Classics Finals format: Group elimination matchplay

The Classics Event finals take place on Saturday evening (6:30pm-9:30pm). The Top 16 from qualifying advance to the finals with no byes. The format will be a PAPA-style group elimination matchplay with 3 games per round, where two players advance and two players are eliminated from each group at the end of every round. The top seed in each group “drives the bus” each round by selecting the arenas from a predetermined game bank to be announced before finals. The game bank will consist of arenas from the Classics eras (pre-1991). The finals will use PAPA scoring (4/2/1/0 points for 1st/2nd/3rd/4th and 4/2/1 points for 1st/2nd/3rd).

A note on overlapping tournaments:

In addition to the Main Event and Classics Event, the Southern-Fried Pinball Tournaments will feature several other side tournaments. Players may play in any combination of tournaments, but please be aware that direct play in a side tournament or any finals must be prioritized over indirect play (i.e., best game qualifying). Please see the FAQ for information on absences.

Side Open Matchplay (Friday and Saturday)

Anyone can join our Side Open Matchplay tournament! Players compete in an open group matchplay qualifying on Friday night (5pm-11pm) before advancing to Top 16 finals on Saturday afternoon (1:45pm-6:30pm).

  • Qualifying format: Group matchplay qualifying (9 rounds) with balanced pairing and IFPA scoring (7/5/3/1 and 7/4/1)
  • Registration fee: $25
  • Registration time: See the Preregistration section at the top of this page
  • Player cap: Based on the number of machines available – follow our Facebook group for updates!

Side Open Matchplay Finals format: Group Elimination Matchplay

In the finals for the Side Open Matchplay, the Top 16 from qualifying advance to the finals with no byes. The format will be a PAPA-style group elimination matchplay with 3 games per round, where two players advance and two players are eliminated from each group at the end of every round. The top seed in each group “drives the bus” each round by selecting the arenas from a predetermined game bank to be announced before finals. The finals will use PAPA scoring (4/2/1/0 points for 1st/2nd/3rd/4th and 4/2/1 points for 1st/2nd/3rd).

Women’s Matchplay (Saturday and Sunday)

In our Women’s Matchplay tournament, players compete in a women’s-only group matchplay qualifying on Saturday morning (10:15am-1:45pm) before advancing to Top 16 finals on Sunday morning (9:30am-12:30pm).

  • Qualifying format: Group matchplay qualifying (9 rounds) with balanced pairing and IFPA scoring (7/5/3/1 and 7/4/1)
  • Registration fee: $20
  • Registration time: See the Preregistration section at the top of this page
  • Player cap: Based on the number of machines available – follow our Facebook group for updates!

The Southern-Fried Pinball Tournaments follow the IFPA’s Diversity and Inclusion Code, available at: https://www.ifpapinball.com/inclusion/

Women’s Matchplay Finals format: Group Elimination Matchplay

In the finals for the Women’s Matchplay, the Top 16 from qualifying advance to the finals with no byes. The format will be a PAPA-style group elimination matchplay with 3 games per round, where two players advance and two players are eliminated from each group at the end of every round. The top seed in each group “drives the bus” each round by selecting the arenas from a predetermined game bank to be announced before finals. The finals will use PAPA scoring (4/2/1/0 points for 1st/2nd/3rd/4th and 4/2/1 points for 1st/2nd/3rd).

Juniors Tournament (Sunday) [New!]

In our Juniors Tournament, players 12 & under compete in a two-hour non-IFPA tournament on Sunday (11:30am-1:30pm).

  • Eligibility: Players must be 12 & under (no rank limit)
  • Format: Two hours of group matchplay with 5/3/2/1 scoring, with the last round starting at 1:15pm (no finals)
  • Registration fee: Free
  • Prizes: The Top 4 players who are present at the end of the tournament will receive trophies and sponsored prizes at approximately 1:35pm.

Players can register early during online preregistration by emailing sfgepinballtc@gmail.com or in-person during SFGE by visiting the registration desk in the tournament area.

Please note that the Juniors Tournament is not IFPA-sanctioned because of the age restriction and will not award WPPR points toward IFPA rankings.

FAQ

What can I do before SFGE to help the pinball tournaments?

We’d love for you to help us by bringing a game! We’re also looking for volunteers. General volunteers are needed for scorekeeping and the registration desk in the tournament area. Assistant TDs with experience as a tournament director and Technicians with experience making machine repairs are also needed in the tournament area. In addition to receiving benefits from SFGE, our volunteers will receive complimentary entries into some of our pinball tournaments. Follow our Facebook group for more information!

Can I practice in the tournament area in between rounds or tournaments?

No, we ask that everyone please refrain from practicing or playing on the machines in the tournament area outside of their assigned matches. This helps in a few ways. Fewer plays on the machines helps our technicians keep everything running smoothly all weekend. By not allowing play between rounds, we also reduce the risk of unintentional interference with a tournament game (for example, unintentionally restarting a game in progress or distracting a tournament player on an adjacent game).

Will the tournaments be IFPA-sanctioned?

Yes, except for the Juniors Tournament, all other Southern-Fried Pinball Tournaments will be IFPA-sanctioned! These tournaments will award WPPR points toward your world rankings (in either the Open or Women’s divisions) and toward the Georgia 2025 NACS or WNACS rankings. Even if you’ve never played in a pinball tournament before, we’d love to have you join us and make this your first ranked pinball event! Please note that because the Juniors Tournament is age-restricted to 12 & under, this tournament cannot be IFPA-sanctioned.

Will the Main Event be IFPA Certified?

IFPA Certified and Certified+ events receive an extra 125% or 150% boost in WPPR points by meeting stricter format requirements. We anticipate that the Main Event hybrid best game tournament at SFGE will be IFPA Certified with 20 hours of qualifying time, 48 maximum entries, and Top 24 PAPA-style finals. With enough players, there is a good chance the Main Event will also be Certified+ this year for a 150% boost (effectively a 300% TGP value).

Will I be penalized for being absent at the start of a game?

We expect that most players who play in a side tournament will also participate in the Main and/or Classics Events at some point during the weekend. However, while playing in a side tournament, a player may not have time to also queue for a game in the Main/Classics Events. If a player is next in the queue and is not present, they will be skipped and the next player in the queue will be allowed to start a game. If the player is still absent after that game, they will be removed from the queue (no qualifying entry will be used). During a side tournament, if a player is absent from their game at the start of the round, we will announce their name in the tournament area and wait 3 minutes before disqualifying them from the round. During any finals, if a player is absent from their game at the start of the round, we will announce their name in the tournament area and wait 3 minutes the first time, and up to 1 minute the second or third time, before the Tournament Director plunges their ball. An important exception is that players may play in both the Main Event A/B Division Finals and the Women’s Finals on Sunday without being penalized for an absence (see the next FAQ).

Can I play in the Main Event A/B Division Finals and also in the Women’s Finals on Sunday?

Yes, you are welcome to play in both the Main Event A/B Division Finals and the Women’s Finals on Sunday if you are qualified. Absences will not be penalized per the IFPA rules, even if your matches in these finals are overlapping.

Can I join queues in both the Main Event and the Classics Event at the same time?

No, you can only join one queue at a time across both the Main Event and the Classics Event. This is to help the queues move faster without absences or other delays.

Which arenas will be included in the Classics Event?

We’ll make our best effort to only include arenas from the Classics era pre-1991, before the DMD era. We rely on collectors to bring their games to SFGE and allow their games to be used in the tournament area, so we can’t guarantee a specific game bank. If we don’t have enough true classics games, we’ll do our best to fill in the gaps with games that have simpler rules and shorter playtimes, similar to machines from the Classics era.

How will game results be recorded in the side tournaments?

For the side tournaments, players will be asked to submit their group’s results online at the Match Play Events website (Matchplay.Events). Before submitting results, please have the other players from your group confirm that the results are correct and alert the Tournament Director right away if anything is recorded incorrectly. For some tournaments, the results affect pairings for future rounds and cannot be corrected after the round has been closed.

What do I get if I have a Leveled-Up Gamer Membership?

Leveled-Up Gamers are invited to play for free in our special Wizard Mode Selfie Tournament throughout the weekend! Visit the registration desk in the pinball tournament area to sign up in person at any time. In this beginner-friendly format, you’ll play and take pictures of your high scores on select pinball machines around the show hall at your own pace. Your Selfie Tag (provided by the registration desk) must be clearly visible in your photos. High scores may be submitted until Sunday at 12pm. Prizes will be awarded to the Top 3 players on the leaderboard. (Please note that this tournament will not award WPPR points toward IFPA rankings.)