The 2025 IFPA Pin-Masters: World Pin-Golf Championships are scheduled for March 6-8, 2026 at ORD Pinball in West Chicago, IL.

Registration is now available HERE!

Please take this opportunity to solidify your spot in next year’s IFPA Pin-Masters, which is limited to 144 players.

Entry fee is $250 per player. Any refunds will be paid back at 50% of the registration fee. The additional funds will be added to the prize pool.

Please note spots will be RESERVED for any player that qualifies for the IFPA North American Pinball Championship. Do NOT register if you only intend to participate should you qualify for the IFPA North American Pinball Championship.

Full details of the event are available here:
https://www.ifpapinball.com/tournament_pages/pinmasters/

Should you have any questions about our qualifying process or to find out more information about the tournament, please contact the IFPA at ifpapinball@gmail.com.

Since the release of WPPR v6.1 for the 2025 season, the IFPA has continued investigating ways to make the World Pinball Player Rankings more accurate for how we rank players across the globe.

These latest changes will be incorporated into WPPR v6.2 which will be implemented starting January 1, 2026.

• Updated TGP rules for Amazing Race format
  • Amazing Race has all participants playing 1 machine, with the player finishing in last place being eliminated. Typically games are run concurrently, with players safely moving on to the next machine in the race as soon as they are safe from elimination on the previous machine. Previously the TGP was one less than the total number of players participating in the race. For example, a 16 player race would be +15 meaningful games towards TGP. There will now be two options available for organizers that utilize this format:
    • Option 1 –> Any game that is played in full by all participants before moving on to the next machine in the race will earn +1 meaningful games towards TGP per game played. As an example, if 16 people are participating in the finals, all 16 must play the first game before the next game can start for that game to earn +1 meaningful game towards TGP.
    • Option 2 –> Any games played concurrently while a previous game is still in progress will earn +1/3rd meaningful game towards TGP per game played.
    • Please note that organizers are welcome to split the final between these two options to customize the amount of TGP they wish to earn. For example, assuming a final of 16 players, organizers are welcome to run concurrently until the final is down to 5 players, and then run the final 4 rounds in full. This would be +4 meaningful games towards TGP for the first 12 rounds and +4 meaningful games towards TGP for the final 4 rounds for a total of +8 meaningful games towards TGP for the final.

Frequently soon to be asked questions:

Q: Why is this change being implemented?
A: The feedback we got from organizers and players was that they were able to earn WPPR points more quickly than other finals formats due to the ability to get future rounds started while previous rounds were still in progress, along with many players only needing 1 ball to catch the lowest score and advance in the tournament.

Q: All this talk about time, but I feel like there’s something else you aren’t telling us. Is there another deeper reason why the IFPA is making this change?
A: Your ability to sniff out that there’s something else going on here is spot on, so we’re willing to share this other reason, and that’s simply the quality of the format in general. We are looking to promote and encourage formats that requires a high quality level of the ‘test of skill’ of the players involved. Often times with Amazing Race, especially in the early rounds, the ‘test of skill’ being judged is based on the ability for a player to pass some insanely low score on a given machine. The volatility of the format in general is something we felt didn’t feed our WPPR machine with respect to who are the best players in the world at a level that other formats of higher quality do.

Q: Why does the IFPA hate FUN?
A: We feel all competitive pinball is fun. While many event formats offer a certain novelty of entertainment for players, our primary focus with the WPPR system continues to move towards creating the most accurate ranking of players we can.

Q: That sounds like a bullshit corporate response answer to my previous question, so please just confirm that the IFPA hates FUN.
A: We hate FUN.

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October 16, 2025 — This Halloween season, sharpen your reflexes, steady your nerve, and prepare for a double dose of delightfully Williams™ Pinball action — Zen Studios is proud to announce the arrival of two classic Elvira-themed pinball tables: Scared Stiff and Elvira and the Party Monsters. These chilling additions will thrill players across Pinball FX (PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch), Pinball FX VR (Meta Quest),and Zen Pinball World (iOS / Android).

Halloween Has Never Been More Fun

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, returns with her signature wit, scares, and those unforgettable one-liners. In Scared Stiff, players will work their way through six ghastly “Tales of Terror,” activate thematic modes, and attempt to raise the dead across a haunted table. Meanwhile, Elvira and the Party Monsters invite you to a macabre monster mash — dodge (or hit) creepy creatures, trigger multiball mayhem, and help Elvira throw the most electrifying graveyard gathering ever.

With Halloween right around the corner, there’s no better time to bring monsters, magic, and mischief to your pinball universe.

Key Features & Highlights

Scared Stiff

• Fully authentic recreation of the 1996 arcade original
• Original Elvira voice lines and sound effects
• Six unique horror-themed modes
• Classic mechanical feel with modern enhancements

Elvira and the Party Monsters

• Faithful recreation of the 1989 arcade original
• Classic monster-party theme with unique modes and challenges
• Jackpots, skill shots, and graveyard challenges to master
• Elvira’s signature voice lines and cheeky commentary

The monsters are waiting… what are you bringing to the party?

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The 2024-25 Stern Pro Circuit Championship kicks off at 9:30am CST today at Enterrium in Schaumburg.

The top 32 qualifiers will be playing for nearly $30,000 in cash and prizes!

Follow the action on Stern’s YouTube channel HERE.

Follow the bracket HERE.

Here are the September 2025 IFPA winners for Player of the Month and Biggest Movers:

Player of the Month:
Jack Slovacek from California (804.50 WPPR’s – MAIN)
Brianna Weber from Ohio (94.59 WPPR’s – WOMEN’S)

Biggest Movers:
Kathleen Winona Hyslop from Toronto, ON, Canada (+28,939 spots)
Erin Reinders from Anchorage, AK (+23,807 spots)
Brad Nichols from Sorell, TAS, Australia (+21,604 spots)

These players have now all qualified for the Stern Rewards Program for 2025. Congrats to everyone!

The IFPA Pin-Masters will be held March 6th-8th, 2026 at ORD Pinball in West Chicago, IL.

Registration will open on Saturday, November 1st at 10:00 AM CST.

Please take this opportunity to solidify your spot in next year’s IFPA Pin-Masters, which is limited to 144 players.

Entry fee is $250 per player. Any refunds will be paid back at 50% of the registration fee. The additional funds will be added to the prize pool.

Please note spots will be RESERVED for any player that qualifies for the IFPA North American Pinball Championship. Do NOT register if you only intend to participate should you qualify for the IFPA North American Pinball Championship.

Full details of the event are available here:
https://www.ifpapinball.com/tournament_pages/pinmasters/

Should you have any questions about our qualifying process or to find out more information about the tournament, please contact the IFPA at ifpapinball@gmail.com.

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We announced back in August the opportunity for tournament organizers to add themselves to the eligibility list for inclusion on the Stern Pro Circuit for the 2026 season. Organizers have until October 31, 2025 to apply. Click HERE for those details.

Currently here is the top 5 list as it stands at the moment for events to be added to the Stern Pro Circuit next season:

1 Pinburgh (221.88 WPPR average)
2 Mid-Atlantic Pinball Open (111.76 WPPR average)
3 SSS4 Main Event: Target Matchplay (105.96 WPPR average)
4 St. Louis Area Pinball Championship (102.97 WPPR average)
5 Past Times Mega Matchplay (Spring) (100.54 WPPR average)
6 OBX Flippers Arcade Fall Pinball Bash (96.57 WPPR average)
7 Sweeper City Pinball Championships (90.28 WPPR average)

Please note this list can change based on events that apply before the deadline.

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