League Rules
Everything you need to know before your first match — format, scoring, scheduling, and conduct.
Three things to know before you step on the court.
There's no fixed match night. You and your opponents coordinate directly — any day, any time, any court — within the season window.
Each match is best of three games. Games go to 11 points, win by 2. Standard rally scoring — every rally counts.
Every match earns points, win or lose. The leaderboard rewards teams that show up — not just teams that win.
Consistent rules across all divisions and all cities.
All matches are best of three games. Each game is played to 11 points using rally scoring — a point is scored on every rally regardless of who served. You must win by at least 2 points. If a game reaches 10–10, play continues until one side leads by 2 (e.g. 12–10 is valid; 11–10 is not).
Standard IFP / USA Pickleball serving rules apply. The serve must be hit underhand with the paddle below the wrist, and land in the diagonally opposite service box. The serve may not land in the kitchen (non-volley zone). Let serves (touching the net and landing in) are played as a fault — there are no let re-serves. Service switches to the opposing team after each fault or lost rally.
Matches are played on a standard pickleball court (20 ft × 44 ft, 7 ft kitchen on each side). Each team should bring at least one approved pickleball to the match — agree on which ball to start with. Paddles must be non-reflective with a smooth hitting surface. If there's a dispute about equipment suitability, use the other team's ball or agree on a neutral one.
Players are responsible for making honest line calls on their own side of the net. A ball is in if any part of it touches the line. If you are unsure, the call goes in favour of your opponent. Repeated bad calls should be flagged to the league admin via the in-app chat.
Submit the final score in the player app within 24 hours of completing the match. Either player from either team can do it. Record the score for each individual game (e.g. 11–7, 8–11, 11–9), not just the match result. Standings update in real time once the score is logged. If there's a discrepancy, both teams will be prompted to confirm.
After the match, grab a team photo with your opponents and send it to [email protected]. We post match photos on social — it's a good look for everyone. Optional, but encouraged.
There's no fixed schedule — you and your opponents work it out between yourselves. That's the flex format. It works because everyone treats it like adults.
Reach out early. Good time slots fill up fast. Don't leave it to the last week of the season and then wonder why nobody's free.
Pick your own court. Paddle Party doesn't book courts. Public parks, rec centres, private clubs — wherever both teams can get access. Split the cost of court fees fairly.
The player app has a dedicated chat with each opposing team. Use it to coordinate. The League Admin is automatically added to every chat — if a team goes dark or something can't be resolved between you, message us and we'll step in.
Contact your opponents within the first 7 days of the season start. Don't wait for them to contact you first.
All scores must be submitted by the regular season end date to count toward playoff qualification. Late scores cannot be accepted.
If one partner can't play, you may use a substitute of a similar skill level. Notify your opponents in advance and confirm with the league admin. Substitutes can't be used in playoff rounds.
Points are awarded for every match. The more you play — and the better you play — the higher you rank.
| Win 2–0 (sweep) | 13 pts | (2+5+4+2) |
| Win 2–1 | 11 pts | (2+5+4) |
| Lose 1–2 | 4 pts | (2+2) |
| Lose 0–2 | 2 pts | (2) |
Tiebreakers (in order): 1. Head-to-head record between tied teams. 2. Rally point win percentage across the full season. If still tied, the league admin has final say.
The leaderboard updates as soon as scores are submitted. Check the player app at any time to see where your team sits in the division.
The top 4 teams in each division by end of regular season advance to the playoffs. Seed 1 vs Seed 4, Seed 2 vs Seed 3 in the semis.
You earn 2 points just for playing. A team that plays every match and loses them all still outranks a team that plays fewer matches. Show up.
We keep it simple. Be responsive, show up, and play fair.
If a team is unresponsive despite multiple contact attempts, or fails to show up to a scheduled match without adequate notice, the league admin may award a forfeit. The opposing team receives +7 pts. The forfeiting team receives 0 pts — the "played" bonus does not apply.
This is a friendly league. Treat your opponents, your partner, and the court with respect. Arguing line calls, berating opponents, or unsportsmanlike behaviour will result in a warning. A second incident may result in disqualification from the season with no refund.
If you can't resolve something between yourselves — a score dispute, a no-show, a bad-faith line call pattern — message the League Admin in the in-app match chat. We'll review and make a final call. The league admin's decision is final.
If you have an unresponsive opponent, document your contact attempts in the match chat before escalating to the league admin. Screenshots of outreach help us make faster decisions.
Same flex format. Higher stakes.
The top 4 teams in each division after the regular season advance. Every point in the regular season matters — even a single position can be the difference between playoffs and not.
Seed 1 plays Seed 4; Seed 2 plays Seed 3. Same flex scheduling — coordinate directly with your opponents within the semifinal window. No substitutes permitted in playoff rounds.
The two semifinal winners meet for the division title. One team wins. Photo on the court, submit your score, and we'll crown the champions in the standings and on social.
The benefit of the doubt always goes to your opponent for calls on your side of the net. If you genuinely can't agree, replay the point — both teams agree to do so and move on. Persistent disputes should be flagged to the league admin in the match chat.
The match won't appear in standings until a score is logged. If neither team submits within 48 hours of a scheduled match, the league admin may follow up. Don't wait — submit as soon as you're done playing.
The regular season schedule assigns one match per opponent pair. You're welcome to organise friendly games outside of the league, but only the official scheduled match counts toward standings. Rematches for fun are encouraged — just don't expect them to appear in the leaderboard.
Both teams need to agree on a venue. If you're struggling to find common ground, check public parks, recreation centres, or community sports facilities in your area. Post in the match chat and ask for suggestions — the League Admin can often point you in the right direction.
First, try to reschedule with your opponents. If rescheduling isn't possible, you may bring a substitute of a similar skill level — notify your opponents in advance and confirm with the league admin. Substitutes are not permitted during playoff rounds. You cannot play with a substitute who is significantly stronger than your registered partner.
If a game reaches 10–10, play continues until one side leads by 2 points. There is no cap — keep playing until the 2-point margin is achieved. Common outcomes are 12–10, 13–11, and so on.
Not in detail — but it helps. Paddle Party follows standard USA Pickleball rules for anything not covered here. If you're new to pickleball, the USA Pickleball rulebook is a free resource. For this league, the main things to know are: the kitchen rule (no volleying from the non-volley zone), the two-bounce rule on serve returns, and rally scoring to 11 win by 2.
Find your city, register, and we'll handle the rest — partner matching, matchups, and standings.
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