2025-2026 ENTRIES, SCHEDULE, FORMAT & PRIZE MONEY
(Event format, schedule and prize money are all subject to change)
The Canada Cups is an online National Championship which is open to ALL Fivepin and Tenpin adult league bowlers bowling in a Bowl Canada member centre.
- The Team Event is run on a Pins Over Average (100% Handicap) basis.
- NEW – All bowlers on a registered Team will be auto-entered into the Classified Singles Event, which is run on a Scratch basis within the bowlers’ average class.
- Entrants in the Canada Cups must be nineteen (19) years of age or over at September 1st, 2025.
- Members of Youth Bowl Canada are eligible to participate if they meet all eligibility requirements.
- Entrants must be domiciled in Canada.
- Bowlers must enter at a Bowl Canada member centre where they bowl in a league (Fivepin league for Fivepin entrants and Tenpin league for Tenpin entrants)
- Travelling leagues are ineligible for entry and averages established in these leagues are excluded.
TEAM ENTRY:
- Entries can be purchased online by the public by clicking the “Enter Now” button on the Main Menu or by proprietors (in their separate members section).
- $24 from each entry received will be allocated to the Team Prize Fund, and another $24 will be allocated to the Singles Prize Fund, both of which will be paid out 100%.
- Entries cancelled prior to the Entry Deadline will be refunded 100% and the affected event’s prize pool will be adjusted accordingly. Past the Entry Deadline no refunds will be provided.
- Canada Cup Fivepin Entry fee is $75 per team (5 player team)
- Canada Cup Tenpin Entry fee is $75 per team (4 player team)
- Payment is accepted by credit card. A $1.80 service fee will be charged per entry, at time of entry.
Teams are not gender-based and may be comprised of all men, all women or any combination of men and women. All bowlers must meet the eligibility requirements as above. For teams that bowl in a league with a different number of bowlers than the event team composition allows (example, 6-player league teams), please speak with the proprietor/manager of the bowling centre for all available options.
SCHEDULE:
OCTOBER 27 – ENTRY & PAYMENT DEADLINE
NOVEMBER 3 – DECEMBER 7 – Qualifying Rounds
JANUARY 5 – FEBRUARY 8 – Bracket Rounds (Fivepin Starts January 5th, Tenpin Starts January 12th)
FEBRUARY 9 – 15 – Championship Event
NOTE:
- ALL SCORES MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE PRIOR TO THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY AT 9:00AM (EASTERN). ALL DEADLINES ARE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
- BRACKET FORMAT MAY BE ADJUSTED ON AN EVENT BY EVENT BASIS, DEPENDENT UPON NUMBER OF ENTRIES RECEIVED IN EACH EVENT.
AVERAGE DETERMINATION & CLASS BREAKDOWN FOR SINGLES EVENT:
The Team Event is scored on a Pins Over Average (POA) basis, or 100% handicap. All bowlers on a registered Team will be auto-entered into the Classified Singles Event, which is run on a Scratch basis within the bowlers’ average class:
Fivepin Singles Average Classes:
Class 1: 0 – 145
Class 2: 146 – 165
Class 3: 166 – 185
Class 4: 186 – 205
Class 5: 206 and above
Tenpin Singles Average Classes:
Class 1: 0 – 135
Class 2: 136 – 160
Class 3: 161 – 180
Class 4: 181 and above
• Bowlers must enter the event using their highest league average (from all leagues in the bowling centre of entry) from the previous season (21-game minimum).
• Bowlers who do not have a previous season’s average may only enter once they have a 15 game average in the current season.
• Any averages established in travelling leagues are excluded.
QUALIFYING ROUND:
The Team Event is run on a Pins Over Average (100% Handicap) basis.
Teams will have entered the Canada Cups either through local bowling centre qualifying rounds or by purchasing direct entries on this website.
All direct entries along with all teams successful at the bowling centre qualifying level, will advance to a 5 week online National Qualifying Round. The first 3 regular weekly league scores bowled will be used each week towards the Canada Cups Online Shootout scoreboards. Pre-bowled and doe scores can be used (as described below).
The top 9 teams in the Fivepin event & the top 4 teams in the Tenpin event each week (plus ties) will advance to the Bracket Finals. Additionally, a maximum of 19 Fivepin and 12 Tenpin wildcard spots will be awarded at the end of the 5 week qualifying rounds, thereby advancing a total of 64 Teams (Fivepin) & 32 Teams (Tenpin) to the Bracket Finals in each event.
UPDATE NOVEMBER 19TH, 2025: TEAMS MAY ONLY QUALIFY FOR THE BRACKET ROUND ONCE.
Please note: the number of teams advancing each week (wildcards included) may be adjusted for each division, based on the total number of actual entries received in that division. Wildcard spots will be awarded to the teams with the highest 5 week cumulative total (15 games) who did not already qualify for the Bracket Finals. The total number of Wildcard spots will be reduced should there be any ties for the last qualifying spot each qualifying week.
Wildcards can only be determined once all scores for the Qualifying Round have been reported, so teams are encouraged to keep tuned in until all Wildcard spots have been declared.
BRACKET FINALS:
All teams who advance to the Bracket Finals will compete in a head to head elimination format. Bracket sizes may be adjusted for each division as required based on the number of entries received in that division.
The top 9 Fivepin teams & top 4 Tenpin teams each week (plus any teams tied for the last qualifying spot each week) will advance to the Championship Bracket Round. These 45 Fivepin teams & 20 Tenpin teams, plus ties, will be seeded according to their 3 game qualifying score with the highest total earning the #1 seed, second highest total will become the #2 seed, etc. If there is a tie for any seed, the team with the highest single game POA team total (in their qualifying week) will become the higher seed. If there is a tie for highest single game team total, all 3 qualifying scores will then be compared on a game by game basis, and the team with the highest POA score 2 out of 3 games will earn the higher seed.
Wildcard spots (maximum of 19 Fivepin and 12 Tenpin, less any weekly ties as described above) will also advance to the Championship Bracket Round. Wildcard spots will be seeded below the top 45 Fivepin/20 Tenpin Teams, plus ties, and seeding will be based on the team’s 15 game cumulative POA event total. If there is a tie for any wildcard seed, the team with the highest single game POA team total (over all 15 games) will become the higher seed.
In case of a tie in any bracket match, all 3 scores bowled by a team will be compared on a game by game basis with the tied team’s scores, and the team with the highest POA score 2 out of 3 games will be declared the winner. If the tie cannot be broken by this method, the highest game team total (POA) will determine the winner.
One half of the successful teams each round will advance to the next week (elimination) until a winner is declared in each event.
REPORTING OF SCORES:
Regular weekly league scores will be used for all phases of the Canada Cups Championships. Scores must be reported online, prior to the deadline date & time each week. Teams who entered directly online will submit their own scores on this website (winning scores will be verified by the bowling centre prior to posting official results). Proprietors who purchased entries will submit their bowlers scores through their separate member access.
Pre-bowled scores are allowed (using House rules). All prebowls must be verified and documented by the Proprietor, and retained for possible audit by the tournament committee. Additionally, a 90% doe score will be used when a competitor misses league bowling and has not pre-bowled. For leagues that bowl more than 3 games each week, only the scores from the first 3 games bowled are to be used.
ALL SCORES MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE PRIOR TO THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY AT 9:00 am (EASTERN). ALL DEADLINES ARE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
QUALIFYING ROUND:
All bowlers on a registered Team will be auto-entered into the Classified Singles Event, which is run on a Scratch basis within the bowlers’ average class (see “Averages” tab above for Class breakdowns).
As bowlers compete in the Team event, their weekly scores are automatically applied to the Classified Singles scoreboard as well. The first 3 regular weekly league scores bowled will be used each week towards the Canada Cups Online Shootout Singles scoreboards. Pre-bowled and doe scores can be used (as described below).
In each Average Class, the top 9 singles scores in the Fivepin event & the top 4 singles scores in the Tenpin event each week (plus ties) will advance to the Bracket Finals. Additionally, a maximum of 19 Fivepin and 12 Tenpin wildcard spots will be awarded at the end of the 5 week qualifying rounds, thereby advancing a total of 64 Fivepin bowlers & 32 Tenpin bowlers to the Bracket Finals in each average class.
UPDATED NOVEMBER 19TH, 2025: A BOWLER MAY ONLY QUALIFY FOR THE SINGLES BRACKETS ONCE PER LEAGUE. HOWEVER, SHOULD A BOWLER BE SUBMITTING SCORES FROM DIFFERENT LEAGUES (THROUGH MULTIPLE TEAMS ENTERED), THE BOWLER MAY QUALIFY FOR THE SINGLES BRACKETS OUT OF EACH OF THOSE LEAGUES.
Please note: the number of bowlers advancing each week (wildcards included) may be adjusted for each class, based on the total number of actual entries received in that class. Wildcard spots will be awarded to the bowlers with the highest 5 week cumulative total (15 games) who did not already qualify for the Bracket Finals. The total number of Wildcard spots will be reduced should there be any ties for the last qualifying spot each qualifying week.
Wildcards can only be determined once all scores for the Qualifying Round have been reported, so teams are encouraged to keep tuned in until all Wildcard spots have been declared.
BRACKET FINALS:
All singles who advance to the Bracket Finals will compete in a head to head elimination format, in their average class. Bracket sizes may be adjusted for each class as required based on the number of entries received in that class.
In each class, the top 9 Fivepin bowlers & top 4 Tenpin bowlers each week (plus any bowlers tied for the last qualifying spot each week) will advance to the Championship Bracket Round. These 45 Fivepin bowlers & 20 Tenpin bowlers, in each class, plus ties, will be seeded according to their 3 game qualifying score with the highest total earning the #1 seed, second highest total will become the #2 seed, etc. If there is a tie for any seed, the bowler with the highest single game (in their qualifying week) will become the higher seed. If there is a tie for highest single game, all 3 qualifying scores will then be compared on a game by game basis, and the bowler with the highest score 2 out of 3 games will earn the higher seed.
Wildcard spots (maximum of 19 Fivepin & 12 Tenpin, less any weekly ties as described above) will also advance to the Championship Bracket Round, in each class. Wildcard spots will be seeded below the top 45 Fivepin/20 Tenpin bowlers, plus ties, and seeding will be based on the bowler’s 15 game cumulative scratch event total. If there is a tie for any wildcard seed, the bowler with the highest scratch total (over all 15 games) will become the higher seed.
SPECIAL NOTE FOR TENPIN – SINGLES CLASS 3: There are 29 bowlers in this category and 32 spots in the brackets. Seeds #1 , #2 & #3 will receive a bye directly into the Bracket Round of 16.
In case of a tie in any bracket match, all 3 scores bowled will be compared on a game by game basis with the tied bowlers’ scores, and the bowler with the highest scratch score 2 out of 3 games will be declared the winner. If the tie cannot be broken by this method, the highest scratch score bowled that week will determine the winner.
One half of the successful bowlers each round will advance to the next week (elimination) until a winner is declared in each class.
REPORTING OF SCORES:
As bowlers compete in the Team event, their weekly scores are automatically applied to the Classified Singles scoreboard as well. The first 3 regular weekly league scores bowled will be used each week towards the Canada Cups Online Shootout Singles scoreboards.
In each of the 4 events (Canada Cup Fivepin Team/Singles, Canada Cup Tenpin Team/Singles) a portion of every Entry Fee (see Entry section above) will be diverted to that event’s Prize Pool.
Each event’s Prize Pool is built solely from Entry Fees paid for that event (example; The Canada Cup Fivepin Team Prize Pool will be comprised of funds derived solely from Canada Cup Fivepin Team entry fees).
In the case of all ties, prize money will be split between tied teams/singles evenly. Prize money will be mailed to applicable bowling centres at the end of the event.
#1 The generally accepted playing and conduct rules of the game of 5-Pin bowling will be used where Bowl Canada rules are not specified. Likewise, World Bowling (IBF) rules will be used for the tenpin events where Bowl Canada rules are not specified.
#2 All bowlers who compete in the Canada Cups Online Shootout must abide by ALL rules of the Championship. Failure to comply with these rules may result in automatic disqualification.
#3 A bowler may enter the event on more than one team, and may participate in the event more than once. If the additional team(s) are in the same league as the first, the same league scores shall be used for all teams entered through that league. If the additional team(s) are in another league, each team shall use the scores from its own league for the event.
#4 Ties shall be broken to determine advancement as per the tie-breaking methods outlined in the Format section. Should a tie remain in play after those methods have been exhausted, the Tournament Directors, at their sole discretion, shall determine further methods to be used to break the tie(s).
#5 Bowl Canada reserves the right to authenticate the scores and averages of all participants in the event. Any falsification or misrepresentation of scores or averages, knowingly or unknowingly, may result in automatic disqualification.
#6 Bowl Canada reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify or disallow any entry in the championship where it can be reasonably shown that a bowler’s average is inconsistent with the bowler’s ability or past performance.
#7 Substitution / Disqualification:
Substitutions shall not be allowed in the Canada Cups Online Shootout. Absent bowlers may prebowl, and if no prebowl scores are available a doe score of 90% of the bowlers average (per these rules) may be used. Should a bowler be disqualified at any stage of the championship, only the scores of the remaining bowlers on the team shall be counted (team continues to compete against its full roster average). No doe score shall be allowed for the disqualified bowler(s).
#8 Cancellation & Refunds
If cancelling entry prior to the Entry Deadline, entry fees will be refunded 100% and the affected event’s prize pool will be adjusted accordingly. After the Entry Deadline date, no refunds will be provided.
#9 In case of any dispute, the decision of the Bowl Canada Tournament Committee will be final.