- Quick Overview
The IFPA Australian Pinball Championship is an annual pinball competition organised by the IFPA. As part of the prize package for each IFPA State/Territory Pinball Championship, the Top 4 or 6 finalists receive an invitation into the IFPA Australian Pinball Championship. If any of the Top 4 or 6 finalists are unable to attend the IFPA Australian Pinball Championship, the next finalist(s) from the State Championship will be allowed to participate and serve as the representative(s) of that state, down as far as the 8th placed finalist. The 2024/25 IFPA Australian Pinball Championship location is confirmed for Empire Alternacade + Events in Townsville, QLD for early 2025 (exact dates and times TBC)
All mentions of “State” below also refer to Territory winners.
- Competition Details
- How to qualify
There are two ways to qualify for the IFPA Australian Championship. The main way is to be one of the Top 4 or 6 finalists after the completion of an IFPA State Pinball Championship.
The other way to qualify is to be one of the top WPPR point earners (best 20 results) over the calendar year after State Championships have been completed. The actual number of players who qualify via this route will depend on how many players will qualify via each IFPA State Pinball Championship.
Once all State Championship finalists have been determined, and the top WPPR point earner positions have also been finalised, the 2024/25 IFPA Australian Championship will run with a field of 48 players.
- Fees
Entry fee for the IFPA Australian Pinball Championship will likely be approximately $40-$50 per player. This entry fee will go towards any associated costs for the host venue, with the remainder to go towards the event’s prize pool. In addition, the 25% of the fees collected through the endorsement of events within Australia will also go towards the prize pool for the event.
- Prizes
The tournament features a guaranteed package of cash prizes. In the event of an overrun beyond expenses, tournament revenue will be retained to finance the next IFPA event. In the event IFPA discontinues its events or is disbanded, any such retained revenue will be donated to charity.
The prize package will be determined based on the endorsement fees collected. All participants who make the final 24 in the IFPA Australian Pinball Championship will be paid out. Here is the prize pool breakdown:
- 1st place – 22% of the prize pool + Trophy + Title of “IFPA Australian Pinball Champion” + 1 of 2 Country Exemption spots for the 2024 IFPA World Championship
- 2nd place – 15% of the prize pool + Trophy
- 3rd place – 11% of the prize pool + Trophy
- 4th place – 8% of the prize pool + Trophy
- 5th through 8th place – 5% of the prize pool each
- 9th through 16th place – 2% of the prize pool each
- 17th through 24th place – 1% of the prize pool each
- Schedule
All qualifying rounds will be done on one day, with the finals to take place the next morning.
Actual times are still yet to be determined, and will be communicated once known.
III. Format of Matches
- Seeding of finalists
Once all participants are finalised, the players will be seeded based on their WPPR rank at the end of the calendar year.
- Machines Chosen
The Tournament Director will notify all finalists of an eligible machine list at least 1 week prior to the event taking place.
- Qualifying Rounds
The qualifying stage will consist of 4-player matches. 7-5-3-1 scoring in each match.
Players will be split into three pools, according to the final WPPR standings from 2024:
- Pool A: 1,8,9,16,17,24,25,32,33,40,41,48,49,56,57,64.
- Pool B: 2,7,10,15,18,23,26,31,34,39,42,47,50,55,58,63.
- Pool C: 3,6,11,14,19,22,27,30,35,38,43,46,51,54,59,62.
- Pool D: 4,5,12,13,20,21,28,29,36,37,44,45,52,53,60,61.
There will be 5 rounds with 3 matches per round.
Each player will be grouped with each other player in their pool exactly once.
The top 6 players from each pool will advance to the elimination stage.
Ties for qualifying positions will be resolved by a one game playoff on the Saturday afternoon/night, immediately following the completion of qualifying rounds.
- Finals
Players are expected to arrive no later than the advertised check-in time. Anyone failing to arrive in time will be ineligible to compete and the next available reserve will be called.
The elimination stage will consist of best-of-seven (7), head-to-head matches. The loser of a match is eliminated.
Players will be ranked by most pool stage points, then most ACS qualifying points.
In each round, the highest-ranked player will play the lowest-ranked player, the second-highest-ranked player will play the second-lowest-ranked player, and so on.
The higher-ranked player in a match will get the choice of machine for game 1. Choice will then alternate. The other player in the match will get to choose player order. No machine will be played more than once in the same match.
A 3rd & 4th place consolation final will be played in a best-of-three match.
This process will continue until there is one remaining player in the tournament, who will be declared the winner.
- Winners
Winners will receive cash prizes as cash during an awards ceremony shortly following the conclusion of all final rounds. All decisions by tournament officials regarding winners and prizes are final.
First Place will also receive the title “IFPA Australian Pinball Champion”. This title remains in effect until the next annual IFPA Australian Championship Series, or will expire after two years if the IFPA Australian Championship Series is discontinued.
The winner will also earn one of the Australian Country Exemption spots for the 2025 IFPA World Championship, wherever it will be held.
- Rulings and Malfunctions
All rulings and malfunctions will be based on the rules for the IFPA World Pinball Championship. Those are available HERE, starting at Paragraph V. Please ignore any sections above this as that relates to the format of the World Championship.
