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Double elimination bracket
Out after two losses. Losers drop into a losers’ bracket, every game is numbered, and the grand final has its “if necessary” reset.
Your tournament
Spring Invitational 2026
Grand finalto be played
Grand finalto be played
Winners’ quarter-finals
- Game 1 (1) Riverside FC3 – 1(8) Cedar Hills
- Game 2 (5) Westfield Town2 – 0(4) Oak Park SC
- Game 3 (3) Harbor United1 – 2(6) Lakeside Athletic
- Game 4 (7) Millbrook0 – 2(2) Northgate Rovers
Winners’ semi-finals
- Game 5 (1) Riverside FC2 – 1(5) Westfield Town
- Game 6 (6) Lakeside Athleticv(2) Northgate Rovers
Losers’ round 1
- Game 7 (8) Cedar Hills4 – 2(4) Oak Park SC
- Game 8 (3) Harbor United1 – 3(7) Millbrook
Losers’ round 2
- Game 9 Loser of game 6v(8) Cedar Hills
- Game 10 (5) Westfield Townv(7) Millbrook
Winners’ final
- Game 11 (1) Riverside FCvWinner of game 6
Losers’ round 3
- Game 12 Winner of game 9vWinner of game 10
Losers’ final
- Game 13 Loser of game 11vWinner of game 12
Grand final
- Game 14 Winner of game 11vWinner of game 13
Grand final reset
- Game 15 Winner of game 14vLoser of game 14
Scroll sideways for later rounds →
Checked by the rule book
- 8 entries in a winners’ draw of 8: no byes
- 14 games (2 × 8 − 2), plus a reset final only if the losers’ bracket winner takes the first final
- Every entry is out after its second loss; the winners’ bracket winner can lose once
Two lives
How double elimination works
8 entries fill a winners’ draw of 8: no byes. Round 1 has 4 games:
- Game 1: seed 1 v seed 8
- Game 2: seed 5 v seed 4
- Game 3: seed 3 v seed 6
- Game 4: seed 7 v seed 2
Each loser drops to the losers’ bracket, which runs 4 rounds. Its winner meets the winners’ bracket winner in the grand final. In all, 14 games, or 15 if the reset final is needed.
Plan the day
Games by number of entries
| Entries | Winners’ draw | Byes | Games | With reset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 7 |
| 5 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 9 |
| 6 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 11 |
| 7 | 8 | 1 | 12 | 13 |
| 8 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 15 |
| 9 | 16 | 7 | 16 | 17 |
| 10 | 16 | 6 | 18 | 19 |
| 11 | 16 | 5 | 20 | 21 |
| 12 | 16 | 4 | 22 | 23 |
| 13 | 16 | 3 | 24 | 25 |
| 14 | 16 | 2 | 26 | 27 |
| 15 | 16 | 1 | 28 | 29 |
| 16 | 16 | 0 | 30 | 31 |
Asked at the venue
Questions
How does double elimination work?
Every entry starts in the winners’ bracket. A first loss sends it down to the losers’ bracket; a second loss and it is out. The winners’ bracket winner meets the losers’ bracket winner in the grand final.
What is the reset final?
The winners’ bracket winner has not lost yet, so if the losers’ bracket winner takes the grand final, both have one loss and a second final decides it. That second game is played only if needed. Turn the reset off for a single final.
How many games is that?
Two for each entry, less two: 2 × entries − 2 (every entry but the winner loses twice, and the winner loses at most once). The reset final, when it is needed, adds one more.
Why do losers cross over?
Losers of the second winners’ round drop into the opposite half of the losers’ bracket, as the NCAA softball bracket does. So from 5 entries up, a team that drops then cannot meet a team it has already played in its first losers’ game. Later rematches can still happen, as in any double elimination.
Seeding rules checked 11 Nov 2026 · Made and checked by Saad Danish · How we check