How to Run a 27 Team Single Elimination Tournament
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How Does a 27 Team Single Elimination Tournament Work?
A single elimination tournament with 27 teams would include 5 rounds and a total of 26 games.
Bracket Size
The bracket size is determined by increasing the number of teams to the next highest power of two. With 27 competitors, the bracket expands to 32 slots.
Byes
The gap between 32 and 27 creates byes, resulting in 5 byes in this tournament.
Rounds & Games
In total, there are 26 actual matches spread over 5 rounds in the 27 team single elimination bracket:
- First Round (Round of 32): 11 real games and 5 byes
- Second Round (Round of 16): 8 games among the 16 teams
- Quarterfinals (Round of 8): 4 games between 8 teams
- Semifinals: 2 games among the remaining 4 teams
- Final: 1 match between the last 2 teams to determine the champion
Seeding
Choose one of the following options:
- Seeded (most common): Higher-seeded participants face off later in the tournament.
- Blind draw (or random): Without seeding, teams are paired randomly for the opening round.
- Manual seeding: Arrange the matchups in any order you choose.
Compared to other Tournament Formats
A 27 team single elimination setup is quicker and requires fewer matches compared to other tournament formats with the same number of entrants.
| Format | Total games | Games per team | Rounds | Fairness | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round Robin | 351 | 26 | 27 | Everyone plays everyone | Best for leagues |
| Single Elimination | 26 | 1–5 | 5 | Harsh cutoff | Best for quick events |
| Double Elimination | 53 | 2–10 | ~10 | More forgiving | Popular in esports |
| Double Elimination with Consolation | ~39 | min 2 | ~9 (5+4) | Fairer, every team plays twice | Youth sports |
| Swiss System | 65 | 5 | 5 | Balanced, flexible | Chess, card games |
Printable 27 Team Single Elimination Bracket
Looking to have a paper version of your tournament schedule or bracket? You can easily print both in no time!
