32 team double elimination bracket
For 32 teams or players, and every one has to lose twice to go out. 62 matches across a winners bracket and a losers bracket, plus one more if the losers-bracket champion wins the first final. Type team names into the sheet, then print it or download the PDF.
Match order and drop map
where every winner and loser goes next| Match | Round | Who plays | Winner to | Loser to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winners R1 | #1 seed v #32 seed | Match 17 | Match 25 |
| 2 | Winners R1 | #16 seed v #17 seed | Match 17 | Match 25 |
| 3 | Winners R1 | #9 seed v #24 seed | Match 18 | Match 26 |
| 4 | Winners R1 | #8 seed v #25 seed | Match 18 | Match 26 |
| 5 | Winners R1 | #5 seed v #28 seed | Match 19 | Match 27 |
| 6 | Winners R1 | #12 seed v #21 seed | Match 19 | Match 27 |
| 7 | Winners R1 | #13 seed v #20 seed | Match 20 | Match 28 |
| 8 | Winners R1 | #4 seed v #29 seed | Match 20 | Match 28 |
| 9 | Winners R1 | #3 seed v #30 seed | Match 21 | Match 29 |
| 10 | Winners R1 | #14 seed v #19 seed | Match 21 | Match 29 |
| 11 | Winners R1 | #11 seed v #22 seed | Match 22 | Match 30 |
| 12 | Winners R1 | #6 seed v #27 seed | Match 22 | Match 30 |
| 13 | Winners R1 | #7 seed v #26 seed | Match 23 | Match 31 |
| 14 | Winners R1 | #10 seed v #23 seed | Match 23 | Match 31 |
| 15 | Winners R1 | #15 seed v #18 seed | Match 24 | Match 32 |
| 16 | Winners R1 | #2 seed v #31 seed | Match 24 | Match 32 |
| 17 | Winners R2 | Winner of match 1 v Winner of match 2 | Match 33 | Match 44 |
| 18 | Winners R2 | Winner of match 3 v Winner of match 4 | Match 33 | Match 43 |
| 19 | Winners R2 | Winner of match 5 v Winner of match 6 | Match 34 | Match 42 |
| 20 | Winners R2 | Winner of match 7 v Winner of match 8 | Match 34 | Match 41 |
| 21 | Winners R2 | Winner of match 9 v Winner of match 10 | Match 35 | Match 40 |
| 22 | Winners R2 | Winner of match 11 v Winner of match 12 | Match 35 | Match 39 |
| 23 | Winners R2 | Winner of match 13 v Winner of match 14 | Match 36 | Match 38 |
| 24 | Winners R2 | Winner of match 15 v Winner of match 16 | Match 36 | Match 37 |
| 25 | Losers R1 | Loser of match 1 v Loser of match 2 | Match 37 | Out |
| 26 | Losers R1 | Loser of match 3 v Loser of match 4 | Match 38 | Out |
| 27 | Losers R1 | Loser of match 5 v Loser of match 6 | Match 39 | Out |
| 28 | Losers R1 | Loser of match 7 v Loser of match 8 | Match 40 | Out |
| 29 | Losers R1 | Loser of match 9 v Loser of match 10 | Match 41 | Out |
| 30 | Losers R1 | Loser of match 11 v Loser of match 12 | Match 42 | Out |
| 31 | Losers R1 | Loser of match 13 v Loser of match 14 | Match 43 | Out |
| 32 | Losers R1 | Loser of match 15 v Loser of match 16 | Match 44 | Out |
| 33 | Winners R3 | Winner of match 17 v Winner of match 18 | Match 45 | Match 54 |
| 34 | Winners R3 | Winner of match 19 v Winner of match 20 | Match 45 | Match 55 |
| 35 | Winners R3 | Winner of match 21 v Winner of match 22 | Match 46 | Match 52 |
| 36 | Winners R3 | Winner of match 23 v Winner of match 24 | Match 46 | Match 53 |
| 37 | Losers R2 | Winner of match 25 v Loser of match 24 | Match 47 | Out |
| 38 | Losers R2 | Winner of match 26 v Loser of match 23 | Match 47 | Out |
| 39 | Losers R2 | Winner of match 27 v Loser of match 22 | Match 48 | Out |
| 40 | Losers R2 | Winner of match 28 v Loser of match 21 | Match 48 | Out |
| 41 | Losers R2 | Winner of match 29 v Loser of match 20 | Match 49 | Out |
| 42 | Losers R2 | Winner of match 30 v Loser of match 19 | Match 49 | Out |
| 43 | Losers R2 | Winner of match 31 v Loser of match 18 | Match 50 | Out |
| 44 | Losers R2 | Winner of match 32 v Loser of match 17 | Match 50 | Out |
| 45 | Winners R4 | Winner of match 33 v Winner of match 34 | Match 51 | Match 58 |
| 46 | Winners R4 | Winner of match 35 v Winner of match 36 | Match 51 | Match 59 |
| 47 | Losers R3 | Winner of match 37 v Winner of match 38 | Match 52 | Out |
| 48 | Losers R3 | Winner of match 39 v Winner of match 40 | Match 53 | Out |
| 49 | Losers R3 | Winner of match 41 v Winner of match 42 | Match 54 | Out |
| 50 | Losers R3 | Winner of match 43 v Winner of match 44 | Match 55 | Out |
| 51 | Winners final | Winner of match 45 v Winner of match 46 | Match 62 | Match 61 |
| 52 | Losers R4 | Winner of match 47 v Loser of match 35 | Match 56 | Out |
| 53 | Losers R4 | Winner of match 48 v Loser of match 36 | Match 56 | Out |
| 54 | Losers R4 | Winner of match 49 v Loser of match 33 | Match 57 | Out |
| 55 | Losers R4 | Winner of match 50 v Loser of match 34 | Match 57 | Out |
| 56 | Losers R5 | Winner of match 52 v Winner of match 53 | Match 58 | Out |
| 57 | Losers R5 | Winner of match 54 v Winner of match 55 | Match 59 | Out |
| 58 | Losers R6 | Winner of match 56 v Loser of match 45 | Match 60 | Out |
| 59 | Losers R6 | Winner of match 57 v Loser of match 46 | Match 60 | Out |
| 60 | Losers R7 | Winner of match 58 v Winner of match 59 | Match 61 | Out |
| 61 | Losers final | Winner of match 60 v Loser of match 51 | Match 62 | Out |
| 62 | Grand final | Winner of match 51 v Winner of match 61 | Champion, or match 63 | Match 63 if it is their first loss |
| 63 | If necessary | Same two teams as match 62 | Champion | Runner-up |
Other sizes and formats
Double elimination: other sizes
32 teams: other formats
Questions
How many games are in a 32 team double elimination bracket?
62 or 63. Each team except the champion has to lose twice, which is 62 losses, and each match hands out one. Match 63 is only played if the champion also loses once.
What is the "if necessary" game?
Match 62 is the grand final between the winners-bracket champion, who has not lost, and the losers-bracket champion, who has lost once. If the losers-bracket team wins, both teams have one loss, so they play match 63 to decide it.
Where do teams go after their first loss?
Into the losers bracket, at the spot marked with their match number. For example the loser of match 1 goes to match 25, shown on the sheet as L1. Losers from later winners-bracket rounds are crossed over to the other side of the losers bracket so that two teams who have already played meet again as late as possible. The full list is in the table above.
Does a 32 team double elimination bracket have byes?
No. 32 is a power of two, so every team plays in the first winners round and every first-round loser plays in the first losers round.
How many games does the champion play, and how long does it take?
Between 6 and 11: 6 for a team that never loses, 11 for one that drops into the losers bracket and comes all the way back. The whole bracket takes about 16h 30m on two courts with 30-minute games, plus one more game if match 63 is needed.