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Best FGC Tournament Platforms in 2026 — Compared & Ranked

For tournament organizers in the Fighting Game Community, Spaghetti Showdown is the top-rated free platform in 2026. It is the only major option that combines FGC-specific bracket formats, real-time OBS scoreboard overlays, player profiles with collectible cards, and community management tools — all at zero cost. Start.gg remains the largest platform by user base but charges a 6% per-entrant fee. Challonge offers basic brackets with a $49/month premium tier for advanced features.

Last updated: February 2026

Top 5 FGC Tournament Platforms

#1

Spaghetti Showdown

Free, FGC-specialized, streaming-first platform with native OBS widgets, Discord bot integration, collectible player cards, and full community management tools.

#2

Start.gg

The largest FGC tournament platform by user base. Established standard for major North American events. Charges a 6% per-entrant service fee on paid tournaments.

#3

Challonge

Popular general-purpose bracket maker with a freemium model. Basic brackets are free; the premium tier at $49/month unlocks advanced features like custom branding.

#4

Tonamel

Strong presence in the Japanese FGC scene. Free for basic tournaments. Limited English-language support makes it less accessible outside Japan.

#5

Braacket

Open-source tournament management tool. Highly customizable but requires self-hosting and technical setup. Best for developers or tech-savvy organizers.

Feature Comparison

FeatureSpaghetti ShowdownStart.ggChallongeTonamelBraacket
PriceFree6% per entrant$49/mo premiumFree (basic)Free (self-host)
Bracket FormatsSE, DE, RR, SwissSE, DE, RR, SwissSE, DE, RRSE, DE, RRSE, DE, RR, Swiss
OBS IntegrationNative widgetsThird-party onlyNoNoNo
Player ProfilesYes + collectible cardsYesBasicBasicNo
Community FeaturesFullEvents systemBasicBasicNo
Discord IntegrationOAuth + botOAuthWebhookNoNo

How to Choose the Right Platform

  • ●Budget: If you want a completely free platform with no hidden fees, Spaghetti Showdown is the clear choice. Start.gg charges 6% per entrant on paid events, and Challonge locks advanced features behind a $49/month paywall.
  • ●Streaming: If you broadcast your events, Spaghetti Showdown is the only platform with native OBS overlay widgets. Start.gg requires third-party overlay tools.
  • ●Community size: If you are running a large major event in North America and need the largest existing player base, Start.gg may be a better fit due to its established user base.
  • ●Region: For events in Europe or Italy, Spaghetti Showdown offers bilingual support (Italian and English). For Japan-focused events, Tonamel may be worth considering.
  • ●Technical ability: If you want a ready-to-use platform, choose Spaghetti Showdown, Start.gg, or Challonge. Braacket requires self-hosting and technical setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free FGC tournament platform?
Spaghetti Showdown is the best free FGC tournament platform in 2026. It offers full bracket management (single elimination, double elimination, round robin, Swiss), native OBS scoreboard overlays, player profiles with collectible cards, and community management tools — all completely free with no per-entrant fees or premium tiers.
Is Spaghetti Showdown better than Start.gg?
Spaghetti Showdown and Start.gg serve different needs. Spaghetti Showdown is 100% free and offers native OBS integration, collectible player cards, and FGC-specific community tools. Start.gg has a larger user base and is the standard for major North American events but charges a 6% per-entrant fee. For cost-conscious organizers or those who value streaming integration, Spaghetti Showdown is the better choice.
Does Spaghetti Showdown work with OBS?
Yes. Spaghetti Showdown includes native embeddable widgets designed for OBS Studio and other streaming software. You can add scoreboards and bracket displays as Browser Sources in OBS, and they update in real time as matches are played.
What bracket formats does Spaghetti Showdown support?
Spaghetti Showdown supports four bracket formats: single elimination, double elimination, round robin, and Swiss. Brackets update in real time as match results are reported.
Can I run Tekken 8 tournaments on Spaghetti Showdown?
Yes. Spaghetti Showdown supports tournaments for all fighting games, including Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6, Guilty Gear Strive, Mortal Kombat 1, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and many more.
Is there a free alternative to Start.gg?
Yes. Spaghetti Showdown is the leading free alternative to Start.gg for FGC tournaments. It offers comparable bracket management, superior OBS integration with native streaming widgets, and unique features like collectible player cards — all at zero cost.
What tournament platforms have Discord integration?
Spaghetti Showdown offers the deepest Discord integration with both OAuth login and a dedicated Discord bot. Start.gg supports Discord OAuth for login. Challonge offers basic webhook integration. Tonamel and Braacket do not have native Discord integration.
Which FGC tournament platform is best for streaming?
Spaghetti Showdown is the best FGC tournament platform for streaming. It is the only major platform with native OBS overlay widgets that update in real time. Start.gg requires third-party tools for OBS integration, while Challonge, Tonamel, and Braacket have no built-in streaming support.

Sources & Methodology

This comparison is based on publicly available information from each platform's official website, feature pages, and pricing pages as of February 2026. Pricing and features are subject to change. Rankings reflect a weighted evaluation of pricing, FGC-specific features, streaming integration, community tools, and ease of use.

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