How to use the tournament bracket maker
Make a bracket for 2 to 64 players or teams with this free tournament maker: list the names, press one button and start playing.
- List the players or teams, one per line, in Players or teams (one per line). The counter shows the bracket size, for example “6 entrants · bracket of 8”.
- Pick the format. Single elimination is the classic knockout (tick Match for 3rd place for a bronze match); Double elimination gives everyone a second chance.
- Choose the seeding: As listed, Random or Manual.
- Press Create bracket. Byes fill in by themselves, and matches that are ready to play get a dashed outline.
- Click the winner of each match. Winners move on with a ✓; in double elimination, losers drop to the losers bracket.
Phones show a List of rounds; wider screens show the Bracket drawing, zoomed with Fit or 100 %.
Single vs double elimination
Single elimination is quick and easy to follow: lose once and you’re out. A single elimination bracket of n players has n − 1 matches, in as many rounds as you can halve the bracket: 3 for 8 players, 4 for 16, 6 for 64.
Double elimination tournament brackets suit nights when one bad game shouldn’t end anyone’s run: a first loss moves you to the losers bracket, a second one ends it. Both brackets’ champions meet in the grand final; with Grand final reset on, a losers-bracket champion who wins it forces one more final. That makes 2n − 2 matches, plus the reset if needed.
Seeding and byes explained
Seeding decides who meets whom in round 1. The bracket maker uses the standard order that keeps the strongest players apart as long as possible: in a bracket of 8, seed 1 plays 8, 4 plays 5, 2 plays 7 and 3 plays 6. If the top two seeds keep winning, they meet only in the final.
Brackets need 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 or 64 places, so the empty places become byes: free passes to round 2 that always go to the top seeds. Bye matches complete themselves.
| Players or teams | Bracket size | Byes | Seeds with a bye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 8 | 3 | 1–3 |
| 6 | 8 | 2 | 1–2 |
| 10 | 16 | 6 | 1–6 |
| 12 | 16 | 4 | 1–4 |
| 20 | 32 | 12 | 1–12 |
Pick As listed to seed by line order, Manual to move players up and down a seed list, or Random for a fresh shuffle each time you press Create bracket. Unbiased Wheel shuffles random seeds with your browser’s crypto.getRandomValues, so no line order is favored (how the tools pick).
Advancing winners and entering scores
Click or tap a name to make them the winner, or Tab to it and press Enter. Changing a result that later matches depend on asks first (“Changing this result clears 2 later matches.”), so a misclick never silently rewrites the bracket. The ⋯ button on each match can Clear result, or Swap entrants in round 1 before any result is in.
Turn on Show scores to note scores like 21–18. With Higher score wins on, different scores pick the winner; a tie waits for your click.
Print, save as PDF or share your bracket
Print / PDF gives you a printable bracket instead of a blank bracket template: landscape, up to 32 entrants per page, bigger brackets in two halves, and a double elimination bracket’s losers side on its own page. Choose “Save as PDF” in the print dialog for a file; Ctrl/⌘ + P prints the same sheet. Download PNG saves an image for a chat or a slide.
Share makes a link that holds the whole bracket after the # in the address, so nothing is uploaded, but anyone with the link can see the names. Present fills a TV or projector with the bracket, and winners stay clickable. My brackets keeps up to 20 named copies in this browser.
Bracket tournament ideas
- Office table tennis cup: single elimination over lunch breaks, with the printout on the kitchen wall.
- Game night: double elimination, so nobody is out after one unlucky round.
- Video-game cup: seed the regulars As listed and log scores with Show scores.
- “Best snack” vote: 8 or 16 snacks, and the room picks each winner.
Need teams first? The team generator splits your group fairly. If everyone should play everyone, use the round robin generator. Settle a tie with a coin flip, pick who starts with the random name picker, or let the wheel spinner decide.
FAQ
How do I make a tournament bracket?
Type one player or team per line, choose Single elimination or Double elimination, pick a seeding and press Create bracket. Byes are placed for you. Click or tap the winner of each match until the champion is crowned. This bracket creator runs in your browser, with no sign-up.
How do byes work in a bracket?
A bye is a free pass to the next round. Brackets need 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 or 64 places, so 6 players fill a bracket of 8 with 2 byes. Byes always go to the top seeds, here seeds 1 and 2, and bye matches complete themselves.
What is the difference between single and double elimination?
In single elimination one loss knocks you out, so n players need n − 1 matches. In double elimination a first loss sends you to the losers bracket, where you can fight back; a second loss ends your run. The champions of both brackets meet in the grand final.
How many games are in a double elimination bracket?
A double elimination bracket for n players has 2n − 2 matches, or 2n − 1 if the grand final needs a reset. Eight players play 14 or 15 matches; 16 players play 30 or 31. The reset happens only when the losers-bracket champion wins the first grand final.
Can I seed players myself?
Yes. With As listed, line 1 is seed 1, line 2 is seed 2 and so on. Manual shows the seeds with up and down buttons, so you can move a player without retyping. Random shuffles the seeds with your browser's secure random generator when you press Create bracket.
Can I print the bracket or save it as a PDF?
Yes. Print / PDF opens your browser's print dialog in landscape; choose Save as PDF there to keep a file. Up to 32 players fit on one page, and bigger brackets print in two halves. Download PNG saves an image for a group chat or a slide.
How many players can a bracket have?
From 2 to 64 players or teams. Lines after the 64th are ignored, and the tool tells you how many. Repeated names get a number, like “Ava (2)”, so two people with the same name stay apart. If everyone should play everyone, use the round robin generator instead.
Updated November 7, 2026