Golden Ticket Tournaments
Your Path to Nationals starts here
Golden Ticket Tournaments are a key part of the USA Pickleball competitive pathway, giving players across the country the opportunity to compete, earn Tiered Point System (TPS) points and work toward the ultimate destination: the USA Pickleball National Championships. Whether you're building your TPS standing throughout the season or going for gold at a Golden Ticket Tournament, every event is part of the bigger picture.
Membership Required
To participate in a Golden Ticket tournament, you must be a Challenger or Champion member. If you are not currently a member, click the button to begin the sign-up process.
Start your Journey
The Path to Nationals
Your Path to Nationals is more than one tournament. Every match, every point and every event is part of a bigger journey - connecting your season through the Tiered Point System (TPS), Golden Ticket Tournaments and ultimately, the USA Pickleball National Championships.
Start Your Journey
It all starts when you step on the court. Become a USA Pickleball member, find an event and start building your competitive journey.
Compete
Play in USA Pickleball sanctioned events throughout the season, challenge your game and see where you stack up.
Earn Your Mark
Every result matters. Earn TPS points as you compete and build your standing throughout the season
Qualify
Take your shot at a Golden Ticket. Compete at a Golden Ticket Tournament for the opportunity to earn priority registration to the USA Pickleball National Championships.
Nationals
Earn your place and take your journey to the national stage at the USA Pickleball National Championships.
Ready to Play a Golden Ticket?
Step 1
Become a USA Pickleball Member
An paid USA Pickleball membership is required to compete in Golden Ticket Tournaments. Already a member? You're one step closer.
Step 2
Create Your DUPR Account
Don't have a DUPR account yet? Create one before registering and make sure your player information is up to date. Already have one? You're ready for Step 3.
Step 3
Find Your Tournament & Register
Select a Golden Ticket Tournament from the list below to learn more. If you are ready, start the registration process and be sure to include your USA Pickleball Member ID.
Why Play a Golden Ticket Tournament?
More Than a Tournament
Golden Ticket Tournaments give you the opportunity to test your game, build your competitive resume and move closer to the biggest stage in USA Pickleball.
Qualify for the USA Pickleball National Championships
Golden Ticket Tournaments are official qualifying events for the USA Pickleball National Championships, the sport’s premier event. Earning a Golden Ticket means securing your spot to compete among the nation’s best players.
Build Your DUPR Rating
Compete in sanctioned play and continue building your official player rating.
Compete at a Higher Level
These tournaments attract top athletes from across the country, giving players the chance to test their skills, gain experience, and learn from elite competition.
Experience a Professionally Run Event
Enjoy a top-tier tournament experience with certified referees, official rules, and first-class venues designed for fair and exciting play.
Join the National Pickleball Community
Meet players from across the country and become part of a one-of-a-kind community.
Enjoy Competitive Pricing
Golden Ticket Tournaments are designed to be accessible for players and families. With affordable registration fees and capped event costs, you can experience a professionally run, nationally recognized tournament without breaking the bank.
Get Exclusive Tournament Swag
Every registered player receives a free USA Pickleball Golden Ticket Tournament water bottle, a fun keepsake and symbol of being part of the nation’s top-tier pickleball competition.
New to Competitive Pickleball?
You don't have to be a seasoned tournament player to start your Path to Nationals. Learn how tournament competition works, find the right division and get ready for your first event.
Golden Ticket FAQs
Have additional questions? Contact Us.
What is a Golden Ticket Tournament?
What are the USA Pickleball National Championships?
The USA Pickleball National Championships is the premier professional and amateur tournament in the sport of pickleball. Established in 2009, the National Championships has evolved into the first and only pickleball tournament in which players must qualify to participate. To be eligible to participate in the USA Pickleball National Championships, you must have played in a qualifier tournament held in various locations across the United States.
How do I earn a Golden Ticket?
A player enters a qualifying "Golden Ticket" tournament (listed above) and wins a gold medal in their skill/age bracket. As a gold medal winner, the player receives a “Golden Ticket” or the priority registration opportunity to compete at the USA Pickleball National Championships.
What is the Registration Process for the National Championships?
To be eligible to play in the National Championships, players must first participate in one of the "Golden Ticket" Tournaments (see list above). Visit our USA Pickleball National Championships website for more registration information.
What will the format of play be at Golden Ticket events?
All events, including singles, will offer a pool-play format. If there are not enough teams for pool play, then a round-robin bracket will be played. The format is subject to change at the Tournament Director's discretion.
The top four teams (2 from each pool or 4 from a round-robin bracket) will move forward to the next round.
All pool-play matches, as well as all pre-medal matches, will be one game to 15, with a two-point margin of victory. The medal matches will be best-of-3 games, with a two-point margin of victory.
The gold-medal winners of each event will earn a Golden Ticket to the USA Pickleball National Championships.
This is a USA Pickleball MMP-sanctioned format.
For a confirmed spot in an event, both partners must register and pay. Players signing up without a partner will be placed on the waitlist until they have a partner who has registered and paid, then they may be moved into the tournament - If there are spots remaining in the division and the tournament.
What if my bracket at a qualifying event is combined?
The winners of each age respective skill/age bracket will receive a Golden Ticket.
Example #1:
If a 19+ age bracket has 3 teams (A, B, & C) in their skill/age group, they will be combined with the closest age group within their skill level. The 30+ age group has 4 teams (E, F, G, & H). The 19+ age group would be combined with the 30+ age group making a division of 7 teams playing a Round Robin followed by a Playoff bracket.
The Top 4 teams from the Round Robin will move to the Playoff bracket. At the end of the Playoff bracket we have Team A finishing in 2nd place, Team B in 3rd place and Team G in 1st place and Team F in 4th place.
Team G will win the Gold Medal for the 30+ division and Team F winning the Silver medal in the 30+ division. In the 19+ division, Team A will win the Gold medal and Team B will win the Silver medal.
The Bronze medal winners for each age division will be determined by the team with the most match wins in the Round Robin. If there is a tie, the USA Pickleball tie-breaker rules for 2025 will be used.
Example #2:
In a qualifying tournament, a 75+ age bracket and a 70+ age bracket must be combined with a 65+ age bracket. The winner of the 65+ age bracket will earn a gold medal and a Golden Ticket to the USA Pickleball National Championships. In addition, all 70+ and 75+ age bracket teams will receive a Golden Ticket to the USA Pickleball National Championships (this is due to the fact that all 70+ and greater aged teams that participated in a qualifying event automatically receive a Golden Ticket).
Can Junior Players who have not played in a qualifying tournament still register for Nationals?
Junior players do not need to play in a qualifying Golden Ticket Tournament to play in a Junior's event at Nationals. Junior players will need to play in a qualifying Golden Ticket tournament to be eligible to play in amateur skill/age events.
Can Wheelchair Players who have not played in a qualifying tournament still register for Nationals?
To participate in the Wheelchair Division, yes. However, Wheelchair players who also wish to play in a Nationals skill/age division, they must have played in a Golden Ticket event to be Nationals-eligible.
It's been said that players in the 70+, 75+, and 80+ brackets now have easier ways to qualify for the USA Pickleball National Championships. Can you please provide additional details?
We have greatly expanded the opportunities for players in the 70+, 75+, and 80+ age brackets to obtain early registration to the USA Pickleball National Championships. Players in these age brackets have a different qualification path than all other age brackets. All they have to do in order to qualify for Nationals is play in one of the Golden Ticket tournaments listed on this web page.
Example #1:
I play in one of the qualifying tournaments listed in the link above, but my bracket gets combined. Do I need to medal in my combined bracket to get early registration to the USA Pickleball National Championships?
A. No. All you need to do is play in the tournament. If you play in the 70+, 75+ or 80+ age brackets in any of the Golden Ticket tournaments listed above in the link, you will get a Golden Ticket for Nationals.
Example #2:
If I get a Golden Ticket for Nationals by satisfying the requirements in Example #1, does my partner also have to play in one of the Golden Ticket tournaments?
A. Yes, your partner will need to play in a USA Pickleball qualifying tournament to be eligible to participate at this year’s Nationals. Please click on the Golden Ticket tournaments list above.
Example #3:
If I am 70+, 75+ or 80+ years old and I play in one of the Golden Ticket tournaments listed above, does this mean I automatically get a Golden Ticket for the USA Pickleball National Championships?
A. Yes. However, players must have played in the same events at a Golden Ticket event in order to register and play in the corresponding event(s) at the National Championships. Example: In order to play in Mixed Doubles and Singles at Nationals, players would have had to play in Mixed Doubles and Singles at a Golden Ticket event.