How ranked works

Question 1

A named team of two

Accepted Answer

Ranked is always played 2 vs 2, as a named team. You create or join a team with a partner, and that team is what climbs the ranking, not you alone. Your personal level is derived from the matches your teams play. Both players need a gender set on their profile before the team can be created.

Question 2

Men's, Women's and Mixed

Accepted Answer

Individual rankings are split into Men's and Women's. Team rankings add a third category, Mixed, for teams with one player of each gender.

Question 3

Everyone starts at Bronze

Accepted Answer

Every new player and every new team starts at the bottom of Bronze, with a real tier from the very first day. You climb from your first ranked match, and a crushing win moves you up faster than a tight one.

Question 4

Progress bar

Accepted Answer

The progress bar under your tier badge shows how far along you are inside that tier, filling up as you win, ready to tip you into the next tier. It empties after losses too: a tier can be lost again, it follows your results both ways. Beachmates never shows a numeric rating, only your tier and this bar.

Question 5

Organize or join a slot

Accepted Answer

Open a ranked slot at a court and time of your choice, or join a public slot already open with your team. First team in sets the game; a second team joining completes it. Only the team captain can sign the team up for a slot, whether they open it or join one.

Question 6

Negotiable team challenges

Accepted Answer

Challenge another team directly, or nearby teams at once, for a court and time you propose. Either partner can answer a challenge, not just the captain. The other team can respond:

Question 7

Matchmates

Accepted Answer

No team yet, or no opponent in sight? Matchmates lets you swipe to find a partner for your own team. As team captain you can also swipe on other teams: when both teams like each other, the challenge opens and you agree on a court and a time.

Question 8

Report the score

Accepted Answer

After the match, either team reports the final score, set by set.

Question 9

The other team confirms

Accepted Answer

The result only becomes official once someone from the opposing team confirms it. Your own side reporting is never enough, and nobody can confirm on their own team's behalf.

Question 10

Or contest it

Accepted Answer

If the score is wrong, the opposing team can contest instead of confirming. The match is cancelled, no tier is affected, and any ranked credit spent on it is returned to every player.

Question 11

No reply, no result

Accepted Answer

Ranked never auto-confirms itself. If nobody confirms or contests within 7 days, the match is cancelled and credits are returned, same as a contest.

Question 12

Check in at the court

Accepted Answer

Once you're at the court, check in from the app. Check-in opens 30 minutes before the match and stays open until 30 minutes after it should have ended. Check-in asks for your position once and only works within 300 metres of the court; that position serves this single check, nothing else.

Question 13

Claim a forfeit

Accepted Answer

If your team checked in and the other team never showed, you can claim a forfeit from 15 minutes after the scheduled start. The claim window closes 7 days after the scheduled start.

Question 14

48 hours to contest

Accepted Answer

A claimed forfeit is provisional. The absent team can contest it, cancelling the match with no effect on tiers. Without a contest within 48 hours, the forfeit is confirmed as a real ranked loss for the absent team.

Question 15

Free during the beta

Accepted Answer

While Beachmates is in beta, ranked is free and unlimited for everyone, no subscription needed.

Question 16

After the beta

Accepted Answer

Outside the beta, every player gets a monthly quota of free ranked credits, one credit per match your team plays. Signing up reserves one credit for each player of the team, yours and your partner's, and both come back if the game does not take place.