Yeah, it’s definitely possible. Online brackets are free sometimes, but don’t expect to never pay anything. Most events have a nominal fee to create a prize pool.

First thing first, figure out what you want to compete in. You probably already have a list in mind of some games you like to play casually or spectate, right?

Then, you need to find the community for the game(s) you’re interested in. I think it’s usually going to be found in a Discord server these days. For example, if you’re looking to get into a fighting game, this page might be a good start: wiki.supercombo.gg/w/…/Discords

For some games, even better if you can find an online community that’s specific to both your game and your region. You can start from the general community, ask around there, and hopefully drill down to something closer.