20 team single elimination bracket
A seeded bracket for 20 teams or players: 5 rounds, 12 first-round byes for the top 12 seeds, one loss and you're out. Type team names into the sheet, then print it or download the PDF.
First-round seeding
standard seeded draw| Match | Higher seed | Lower seed | Winner plays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #16 | #17 | #1 seed (match 9) |
| 2 | #13 | #20 | #4 seed (match 10) |
| 3 | #14 | #19 | #3 seed (match 11) |
| 4 | #15 | #18 | #2 seed (match 12) |
| Bye | #1 | — | Winner of match 1 (match 9) |
| Bye | #2 | — | Winner of match 4 (match 12) |
| Bye | #3 | — | Winner of match 3 (match 11) |
| Bye | #4 | — | Winner of match 2 (match 10) |
| Bye | #5 | — | #12 seed (match 6) |
| Bye | #6 | — | #11 seed (match 7) |
| Bye | #7 | — | #10 seed (match 8) |
| Bye | #8 | — | #9 seed (match 5) |
| Bye | #9 | — | #8 seed (match 5) |
| Bye | #10 | — | #7 seed (match 8) |
| Bye | #11 | — | #6 seed (match 7) |
| Bye | #12 | — | #5 seed (match 6) |
Other sizes and formats
Single elimination: other sizes
20 teams: other formats
Questions
How many games are in a 20 team single elimination bracket?
19. Every game knocks out one team, and 19 teams have to be knocked out to leave one champion. The games are spread over 5 rounds: 8, 4, 4, 2, 1.
How do byes work in a 20 team bracket?
20 is not a power of two, so the bracket is drawn on 32 lines and the top 12 seeds (1–12) skip round 1. Seeds 13–20 play the 4 first-round games, and the winners meet the rested seeds in round 2.
How many games does the champion play?
4 or 5. A seed with a bye wins it in 4 games; a team that starts in round 1 needs 5.
How long does a 20 team tournament take?
About 5h on two courts or fields with 30-minute games, because a round cannot start until the one before it is finished. Change the numbers in the calculator on this page for your own setup.