Which tournament format should you choose?
League (round robin)
Every team plays every other team once. It’s the fairest format, but the number of matches climbs fast: 6 teams = 15 matches, 8 teams = 28 matches. Ideal for up to 6 or 8 teams.
Groups then knockout stage
Teams are split into groups that play a round robin, then the best of each group meet in a knockout stage. It’s the classic format for football, basketball or pétanque tournaments with 8, 12 or 16 teams.
Single elimination (knockout)
The loser of each match is out: quick, but some teams may only play once. If the number of teams isn’t a power of 2 (4, 8, 16…), some teams get a bye in the first round.
How are ties broken?
Teams are ranked on points (win 3, draw 1, loss 0 by default), then goal (or point) difference, then goals scored.
Frequently asked questions
How many matches in a round robin?
n × (n − 1) / 2 matches for n teams: 4 teams = 6 matches, 6 = 15, 8 = 28, 10 = 45.
What about an odd number of teams?
Each round, one team has a bye (doesn’t play). The schedule takes care of it.
See also : Group tournament · Knockout
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