How to Run a 23 Team Single Elimination Tournament
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How Does a 23 Team Single Elimination Tournament Work?
A single elimination (knockout) tournament with 23 teams consists of 5 rounds and a total of 22 matches.
Bracket Size
The bracket size is determined by rounding the number of teams up to the nearest power of two. With 23 participants, the bracket expands to 32 slots.
Byes
Byes are calculated by subtracting the number of participating teams from the total bracket size. With 23 teams in a 32 slot bracket, there are 9 byes in the first round.
Rounds & Games
In total, there are 22 real games across 5 rounds in the 23 team single elimination tournament:
- Round of 32: 9 actual games and 10 byes
- Round of 16: 8 games with 16 advancing teams
- Quarterfinals (Round of 8): 4 games among the remaining 8 teams
- Semifinals: 2 games with the final 4 teams
- Championship Match: 1 game to determine the winner
Seeding
Choose one of the 3 options:
- Seeded (most common): Top participants play later in the tournament.
- Blind draw (or random): No seeding, and players are randomized for round 1.
- Manual seeding: Organize matchups in your preferred custom order.
Compared to other Tournament Formats
A 23 team single elimination format is faster and includes fewer games than other tournament formats with the same number of participants.
| Format | Total games | Games per team | Rounds | Fairness | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round Robin | 253 | 22 | 23 | Everyone plays everyone | Best for leagues |
| Single Elimination | 22 | 1–5 | 5 | Harsh cutoff | Best for quick events |
| Double Elimination | 45 | 2–10 | ~10 | More forgiving | Popular in esports |
| Double Elimination with Consolation | ~33 | min 2 | ~9 (5+4) | Fairer, every team plays twice | Youth sports |
| Swiss System | 55 | 5 | 5 | Balanced, flexible | Chess, card games |
Printable 23 Team Single Elimination Bracket
Want a printable copy of your tournament schedule or bracket? We’ve got you covered with easy printing options for both!
