How to Organise an Online Gaming Tournament, Step by Step

A good online tournament feels simple to players because the organiser did the hard work early. Here's the order to do it in.

1. Pick the game and format

Choose a game your audience already plays, then a format that fits the number of teams and the time you have. Battle royales like BGMI use points across several matches; Valorant and CS2 use brackets. See Valorant tournament formats explained and single vs double elimination.

2. Write the rules before anything else

Team size, substitutes, allowed devices, check-in time, disconnects, disputes and how ties break. Use our tournament rules checklist.

3. Set the entry fee and prize split

Decide whether entry is free or paid and publish the prize split up front. The prize pool calculator works out each position's share; our guide on splitting prize money covers common splits.

4. Take registrations

Collect team names, player IDs and contact details in one place, and close registrations with time to build the bracket. On HangOn, players register and pay in the app; see host a gaming tournament.

5. Run match day

• Open check-in 30 minutes before the first match.
• Share room IDs or lobby details only with checked-in teams.
• Collect result screenshots after every match.
• Have one person whose only job is answering questions.

6. Pay out promptly

Pay winners when you said you would. Prize money in India may be subject to TDS; read esports prize money and tax in India.