Club Affiliation

Player Capitation Fee (PCF): A small per-player fee collected by clubs on behalf of Tennis Ireland. It assists in funding the Tennis Ireland organisation and ensures every player is affiliated with their sport's governing body.

Court Affiliation Fee (CAF): A per-court fee payable to Tennis Ireland to support our work on behalf of clubs.

PCF is an investment back into their club and their sport. It helps Tennis Ireland to:

• Strengthen provincial networks and branches
• Facilitate access to leagues and competitions across all ages and standards within provinces
• Develop club talent pathways
• Upskill, educate and licence coaches
• Guide clubs on governance, safeguarding, facilities and volunteer recruitment
• Unlock grants and capital funding
• Build community partnerships (Enjoy Tennis, Parks Tennis, Women in Sport, Schools Tennis)
• Provide access to the World Tennis Number ranking system
• Support competition software and systems
• Showcase Ireland internationally (Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, Irish Open)

This is standard practice in most sports. Every registered player contributes directly to the development of their sport. In tennis, this means:

• Running competitions
• Training and accrediting coaches
• Safeguarding programmes
• Providing grants and funding access
• Supporting tennis development nationally, including grassroots programmes and hosting international events
• Supporting clubs through Regional Development Officers
• Representing Irish tennis internationally

• To deliver a more transparent and consistent fee structure aligned across all four provinces, as outlined at the AGM.
• To date, fees have varied between provinces and, in some cases, even between clubs within the same province.
• The fees have not increased in many years.

• Junior: €12
• Senior: €25
• Family: €62
• Ulster (sterling): £10 Junior, £20 Senior, £50 Family

• Leinster: Junior €10, Senior €20, Family €60, or percentage of subscriptions (9–12%).
• Munster: Junior €10, Senior €20, Family €40.
• Connacht: Junior €8, Senior €14, Family €35, or 10% of income.
• Ulster: £7 Junior, £14 Senior (no Family rate).

Previous Court Affiliation Fees were based on Council and Privately owned courts. We are now adjusting these rates to align Ulster with the other provinces, where the CAF structure is based solely on Artificial or Seasonal courts.

Where applicable, a three-year transition plan applies:

• 2026: Percentage + €5 per member
• 2027: Percentage + €10 per member
• 2028: Full alignment with per-member PCF (Junior €12, Senior €25, Family €62 / Ulster £10, £20, £50).

Each club completes an Annual Return in October, based on membership numbers at 30 September, and submits the club's most recent audited accounts. Tennis Ireland and its provincial branches then calculate fees and issue an invoice in January of the following year, payable within 6 weeks.

We understand this is a common question, especially for smaller and rural clubs. There are three key reasons:

• Affiliation for Every Player: Even if someone only plays socially, PCF ensures they are covered by Tennis Ireland's governance and safeguarding standards — protecting both the club and the player.
• Club Value, Not Just Individual Use: Many services funded by PCF (grants, coach education, safeguarding, development officers) benefit all clubs, regardless of how often members play.
• Fairness Across Clubs: If only competitive players paid, clubs with more social/older members would contribute less than others. A universal PCF ensures fairness.

For members of multiple clubs where duplication arises, Tennis Ireland will support players in resolving this fairly.

The player capitation fee is payable by all playing members at the club, even if their membership category is attached to a free subscription.

If clubs wish to maintain their income, they may increase subscriptions to reflect the new PCF/CAF rates. This ensures the cost is passed on fairly to members.

The Annual Return is based on membership at 30 September each year. Numbers after that date are included in the following year's return.

Yes. For transparency, clubs should show members that part of their subscription goes to Tennis Ireland. Suggested wording:

"A portion of your membership fee is paid to Tennis Ireland at the following rates…"

Invoices are issued in January. It is not normal for clubs to pay in instalments. If a club has difficulty paying, they should contact Tennis Ireland early to discuss a support arrangement.

There are no immediate plans for further increases other than those laid out in these documents. Any future changes will be confirmed in writing to clubs at least one year in advance.

Visit the Tennis Ireland Club Affiliation page or contact Tennis Ireland or your provincial branch directly.