In the diagram, Team 1 is the highest seeded team and Team 8 is the lowest seeded team.
The seeding determines the starting position in the bracket.
In the first round, the highest and lowest seeded teams play against each other.
How does a double elimination tournament work?
In a double elimination tournament, teams are only eliminated after losing two matches. After a first loss, teams continue in the losers bracket.
Tournament structure
Depending on the number of teams, the bracket includes additional rounds in the losers bracket to determine all final rankings.
- Winner bracket matches: 7
- Loser bracket matches: 6
- Total matches: 14 (+1)
- Total rounds: 6 (+1)
- Final matches: 1 (+1)
FAQ
How many matches are played?
The number of matches depends on the number of teams and the progression of the tournament.
In a double elimination tournament, each team plays at least two matches.
In the above bracket, the winner plays at least 4 and at most 7 matches.
How many rounds are needed?
The number of rounds in the tournament depends on the number of teams and the structure of the bracket.
In the above bracket for 8 teams, there are 6 phases (plus possibly an extra final).
Double elimination brackets by number of teams
View a bracket directly for: