How Does a 20 Team Single Elimination Tournament Work?
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How Does a 20 Team Single Elimination Tournament Work?
A 20 team single elimination (knockout) tournament includes 5 rounds and features a total of 19 games.
Bracket Size
The bracket size is calculated by increasing the number of teams to the next power of two. With 20 participants, the bracket must expand to 32 slots.
Byes
By subtracting the 20 participating teams from the 32-team bracket, we get 12 byes for this tournament.
Rounds & Games
A 20 team single elimination bracket has 5 rounds and 19 real games in total:
- Round of 32: 4 actual matchups and 12 byes
- Round of 16: 8 games featuring the 16 advancing teams
- Quarter-Finals (Round of 8): 4 games with the remaining 8 teams
- Semi-Finals: 2 games, 4 teams
- Final: 1 game to decide the winner
Seeding
Choose one of the following options:
- seeded (most common): Top teams meet later in the tournament.
- blind draw (random): No seeding, and teams are randomly assigned for the first round.
- manual seeding: Teams are paired in the order they are entered.
Comparing to Other Tournament Formats
As with any knockout-style competition, a 20 team single elimination format is quicker to run and requires fewer games compared to most alternative tournament structures with the same number of participants.
| Format | Total games | Games per team | Rounds | Fairness | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round Robin | 190 | 19 | 19 | Everyone plays everyone | Best for leagues |
| Single Elimination | 19 | 1–4 | 4 | Harsh cutoff | Best for quick events |
| Double Elimination | 39 | 2–8 | ~8 | More forgiving | Popular in esports |
| Double Elimination with Consolation | ~28 | min 2 | ~7 (4+3) | Fairer, every team plays twice | Youth sports |
| Swiss System | 40 | 4 | 4 | Balanced, flexible | Chess, card games |
Printable 20 Team Single Elimination Bracket
Looking for a paper copy of your tournament schedule or bracket? We’ve got you covered with easy printing options for both!
