You’ve been grinding ladder matches for weeks, tweaking your deck to counter meta hog rider pushes and elixir golem spam, and you’re finally ready to test your skills against a wider pool of players. If you’re wondering how to join Clash Royale tournaments, you’re in the right place. I’ve been playing Clash Royale since its 2016 global launch, and I’ve entered over 200 tournaments ranging from small 8-player friend group events to massive official Supercell contests with thousands of dollars in cash prizes. You don’t need to be a top 100 ladder player to join, either — most events are open to all skill levels, with brackets and prize tiers tailored for new and veteran players alike.
How to Join Clash Royale Tournaments Through the Official In-Game Tab
The easiest and most reliable way to enter competitive events is directly through the game’s built-in tournament hub, no external sign-ups required. First, open your Clash Royale app and tap the three horizontal line menu button in the top right corner of the home screen. Select the “Tournaments” tab from the dropdown menu, and you’ll see a full list of upcoming and active events. You need to be at least King Level 8 to access the in-game tournament tab, a rule Supercell put in place to reduce smurf accounts ruining matches for lower-skill players.
The in-game tab lists both official Supercell-run events and verified community tournaments hosted by content creators or official esports partners. Most entry-level events are free to join, while higher-stakes contests may have small entry fees of 50 to 500 gems, with correspondingly larger prize pools of gold, gems, exclusive emotes, or even real-world merch. You can filter the list by start time, entry fee, prize pool value, and skill bracket to find an event that fits your schedule and experience level.
Once you find an event you want to join, tap the “Sign Up” button, and you’ll be registered. Set a reminder for the event start time if you sign up in advance, because you only have a 10-minute grace period after the tournament launches to check in. If you miss the check-in window, you’ll lose your spot and any entry fee you paid, no refunds are offered for late check-ins. Once checked in, you’ll be matched with opponents automatically as soon as the tournament starts.
Finding and Joining Third-Party Community Clash Royale Tournaments
If you want more variety than the in-game tab offers, like draft-only events, 2v2 exclusive contests, or events with real cash prizes, third-party community tournaments are your best bet. These events are run by trusted Clash Royale community members, content creators, and esports organizations, and they often have more flexible rules and unique formats you won’t find in official in-game events. Just make sure you only sign up for events hosted by verified accounts to avoid scams.
The most reliable places to find legitimate third-party tournaments include:
- Official Clash Royale Discord server: The #tournaments channel posts verified events run by trusted community leaders, with prizes ranging from rare custom emotes to $500+ cash rewards for top finishers
- r/ClashRoyale subreddit: Weekly tournament threads feature events open to all skill levels, with strict anti-cheating rules enforced by the mod team and zero entry fees for most contests
- Twitch streams of top Clash Royale creators: Most popular creators like Surgical Goblin or Ash host weekly free viewer tournaments, with prizes like custom merch, in-game gem codes, or even a chance to play 1v1 against the creator
To join these events, you’ll usually just need to share your in-game player tag with the host and fill out a short Google Form to register. Never enter a third-party tournament that asks for your account password or personal financial information, all legitimate events only need your player tag to add you to the match list. I’ve seen dozens of new players fall for scam events that promise 10,000 free gems just to steal their accounts, so always verify the host is a trusted community member before signing up.
Preparing for Your First Tournament to Boost Your Win Rate
Joining the tournament is only half the battle, a little preparation before the event starts can drastically increase your chances of finishing in the prize tiers. First, test your chosen deck against common meta builds for at least a full day before the tournament starts. Most open tournaments let you use your own custom deck, so make sure you’re comfortable with every combo, counter play, and elixir trade for your build. Don’t switch to a new meta deck right before the tournament starts, even if it’s top of the leaderboard that week. Muscle memory takes time to build, and you’ll make far more mistakes with an unfamiliar deck than you will with a slightly less meta build you know inside out.
Next, make sure your setup is ready for non-stop matches. I’ve lost two tournament matches mid-push because my Wi-Fi cut out unexpectedly, so I always switch to mobile data as a backup before any event starts, even if my home internet is working perfectly. If you’re joining a 2v2 tournament, practice with your partner for at least 3 to 4 matches first, communication is key to avoiding misplays like overlapping fireball spells or pushing the wrong lane at the same time. You can use Discord voice chat to coordinate plays in real time, which gives you a huge advantage over teams that don’t communicate.
Finally, read the full tournament rules before the event starts. Some events ban certain overpowered cards, require you to play with a single fixed deck for the entire contest, or have double elimination rules that let you lose one match and still stay in the running. Violating these rules will get you disqualified even if you win all your matches, so it’s worth taking 2 minutes to read the full rule list before you play your first game.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Entering Clash Royale Tournaments
Even experienced players make avoidable mistakes that cost them their shot at prizes, so keep these common pitfalls in mind when you sign up for your first event. First, don’t sign up for more events than you can actually attend. It’s easy to get excited and register for 3 events in one weekend, but if you forget about one or can’t make the start time, you’ll waste any entry fees you paid. I usually only sign up for one event per weekend, so I can give it my full attention without burning out.
Second, don’t enter tournaments that are way above your skill level just for the big prize pool. It’s tempting to join a contest with a $1000 grand prize, but if you’re King Level 10 going up against Level 14 players with fully maxed cards and years of competitive experience, you’re not going to win, and you’ll waste your entry fee. Start with small, free, low-skill bracket events first to build your confidence and get used to the faster pace of tournament play, then work your way up to higher-stakes contests as you improve.
Third, don’t tilt after one loss. Most tournaments use double elimination rules, so you can lose one match and still make it to the finals or win a lower tier prize. I’ve seen players rage quit after one close loss even though they still had a shot at top 3 prizes, which is such a waste of their time and entry fee. If you lose a match, take a 2-minute break to drink water and reset your mindset before your next game, that small pause will stop you from making impulsive, elixir-heavy plays out of frustration that will cost you more matches.
There’s no better way to test your Clash Royale skills, meet other passionate players, and win cool exclusive rewards than entering competitive events. Now that you know how to join Clash Royale tournaments, start small with a free in-game event this week to get a feel for the format. You don’t need to be a pro player to have fun or win prizes, I’ve seen King Level 9 players beat maxed Level 14 opponents in draft tournaments just because they had better strategy and faster reaction times. Next time you’re bored of grinding the same repetitive ladder matches, give a tournament a shot, you might be surprised at how well you do.
