SoCal Pinball League — Summer Series 2026

Going? You can check in after it ends.

The Southern California Pinball League runs competitive pinball tournaments throughout the summer at rotating venues across the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, offering IFPA-sanctioned competition that counts toward world ranking points and the SoCal circuit standings.

The Summer Series format typically runs 6-8 events between May and August, with venues rotating through the established pinball locations of Southern California: Full Tilt in North Park, Pins and Needles in Los Feliz, Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda (visiting events), 82 Bar in Hollywood, and hobbyist host locations where private collectors make their machines available for competition.

Competitive pinball at the SoCal League level is matchplay format: players face a random opponent each round on a randomly selected machine, accumulating match wins across the tournament. The format rewards machine versatility — knowing current Stern productions, classic 1990s WMS games, and vintage electromechanical tables equally is an advantage that specialists in any single era don't possess.

The league welcomes players at all skill levels. If you know what a multiball is and can drain intentionally, you have enough foundation to participate in a league event. The regulars are uniformly welcoming to newcomers and the post-event gatherings at the host venues extend the experience well beyond the competition itself.

Check the IFPA Southern California player directory and the SoCal Pinball League social channels for the 2026 Summer Series schedule, venues, and registration requirements.