Group + Knockout

Group stage then elimination bracket

Quick Overview

Players are divided into balanced groups
Everyone plays everyone in their group (round-robin)
Top players from each group advance to knockout bracket
Single-elimination bracket determines the winner

What is Multi-Stage Format?

A multi-stage tournament supports flexible progressions with multiple round-robin stages, knockout brackets, or finals round robins. Organizers can configure N stages where top performers from each stage advance to the next, enabling complex formats like:

Stage 1: 8 groups × 4 players → top 2 each = 16 qualifiers
Stage 2: 2 groups × 8 players → top 4 each = 8 qualifiers
Stage 3: Finals round robin with 8 players

Stage 1: Group Play

Players are divided into groups using "Balanced Distribution" based on their ratings. This ensures each group has a balanced mix of skill levels.

Balanced Distribution Example (12 players, 3 groups):

Group A

Seed 1, 6, 7, 12

Group B

Seed 2, 5, 8, 11

Group C

Seed 3, 4, 9, 10

Within each group, you play round-robin matches against all other group members. Standings are ranked by: Wins first, then Total Points, then Point Differential.

Qualifying for Knockout

The organizer sets how many players qualify from each group (for example, top 2). As you play, you can see your qualification status:

Green = Qualified

You're currently in a qualifying position

Gray = Not Yet Qualified

Keep winning to move up in the standings

Stage 2: Knockout Bracket

Once all group matches are complete, qualifiers advance to the knockout stage. The organizer chooses how matchups are determined:

Group-Crossover Bracket

Group winners face runners-up from other groups (A1 vs B2, B1 vs A2). This ensures players from the same group can't meet until later rounds.

Performance-Based Bracket

All qualifiers are re-ranked by their group stage performance. Best performers get favorable matchups against lower seeds.

Knockout Rounds

From the knockout stage onward, it's single elimination: lose and you're out. Matches progress through rounds:

Round 1 (if needed based on bracket size)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Optional: 3rd Place Match

For Organizers

Creating a multi-stage tournament:

Create a new tournament and open Advanced Options
Enable "Group + Knockout Format"
Configure number of groups and players per group
Set how many qualify from each group
Choose bracket type (Group-Crossover or Performance-Based)
Optionally enable 3rd place match

Use the Seeding Manager to preview and adjust player distribution before starting. Drag and drop to fine-tune groups if needed.

Tip

Group + Knockout format works best with 8+ players and cannot be combined with Championship Rounds. It's ideal for competitive events where you want both round-robin fairness and knockout excitement.

What is Multi-Stage Format?

Stage 1: 8 groups × 4 players → top 2 each = 16 qualifiers

Stage 2: 2 groups × 8 players → top 4 each = 8 qualifiers

Stage 3: Finals round robin with 8 players