Tournament bracket calculator

Pick a sport, a ruleset and the number of participants. Get match count, rounds and bracket shape instantly. Open advanced options for a duration estimate based on mats or stations and match length.

Quarter-final repechage (IJF)

The common IJF senior World Tour structure for many 6+ athlete events.

Matches

Rounds

Byes

Structure: IJF knockout + QF repechage
Bronze: 2
Repechage: Yes. Only quarter-final losers enter repechage; repechage winners meet the opposite semi-final losers for bronze.

Round details

Main round 1main8 matches
Main round 2main4 matches
Main round 3main2 matches
Main round 4main1 matches
Repechage roundrepechage2 matches
Bronze contestsfinal2 matches

Open advanced timing options to estimate the total event duration.

What the results mean

Understanding the output

The calculator returns four numbers. Each one answers a different planning question.

Match count

Total number of bouts from first round to final, including repechage. This is the number your schedule must accommodate. Multiply by average match time plus changeover time to get total mat-time required.

Rounds

How many distinct rounds the bracket has. In single elimination with 16 athletes, rounds are: round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, final — four rounds. Knowing round count helps you plan how many times an athlete might need to warm up and how ceremonies stack up at the end.

Repechage matches

In IJF judo formats, athletes who lose to a semi-finalist are not eliminated — they re-enter through a repechage pool. These additional bouts appear separately in the count. A category with full repechage adds roughly 30–40% more bouts than a plain single-elimination bracket of the same size.

Duration estimate

Available in advanced mode. Based on the number of mats or stations you have available and the average match length you enter. Useful for deciding whether to add a mat, start weigh-in earlier, or combine small categories to fit within your venue booking.

Examples

Common bracket sizes at a glance

The table below shows typical match counts for common participant numbers and formats. Use the calculator above for exact numbers based on your ruleset.

Participants	Format	Approx. matches	Est. time (1 mat)
3–5	Round robin pool	3–10	20–50 min
8	Single elimination	7	35–50 min
8	Single elim + repechage (IJF)	10–11	50–70 min
16	Single elimination	15	75–90 min
16	Single elim + repechage (IJF)	19–21	95–115 min
32	Single elimination	31	2.5–3 h
32	Single elim + repechage (IJF)	39–43	3–3.5 h
64	Single elim + repechage (IJF)	79–87	6–7 h

Duration estimates assume 5–6 minutes average per match including changeover on a single mat. Add 20–30% buffer for delays. Use the duration guide for multi-mat calculations.

FAQ

Common questions

Which format should I use for a small category with 3–5 athletes?

A round-robin pool is usually the right choice. Every athlete competes against every other athlete, which means 2–4 bouts per person rather than the single bout you get in a single-elimination bracket at that size. Round robin produces better competition and a clearer result.

What is repechage and when does it apply?

Repechage is a system that gives athletes a second chance after a loss — but only if the athlete who beat them reaches the semi-final. If they do, their earlier opponents re-enter through a repechage pool and compete for a bronze medal. It is the standard system for IJF judo and is used in wrestling and taekwondo at international level. It adds roughly 30–40% more matches to the bracket.

How many mats do I need for a full-day event?

Divide your total match count by the number of match slots available per mat per hour, then by the number of hours in your competition day. A judo mat handles roughly 7–10 matches per hour. For 150 athletes across multiple categories with full repechage, expect 180–220 total matches — manageable on 3–4 mats in an 8-hour day. Use the advanced mode to calculate this for your specific numbers.

What is the difference between single elimination and double elimination?

In single elimination, one loss ends your competition. In double elimination, athletes enter a losers' bracket after their first loss and can still win the event. Double elimination guarantees at least two matches per athlete and produces a more thorough result, but requires roughly twice as many matches. It is common in wrestling and some racket sports but rare in judo.

Why does match count matter before the draw?

Match count determines how long the event takes and how many mats you need. Getting the number wrong at the planning stage — especially for repechage formats, where match count is not intuitive — leads to either a schedule that overruns by hours or mat capacity that is wasted. Knowing the number before you book a venue and commit to a start time is the whole point.

Can I use the calculator for sports other than judo?

Yes. The estimator supports generic single elimination, double elimination, and round robin formats applicable to any sport. The IJF-specific repechage systems are judo-specific, but the core bracket formats work for wrestling, taekwondo, BJJ, boxing, karate, and any other sport that uses bracket-based competition.

Next steps

Planning guides

Step-by-step guides for running combat sports tournaments — seeding, scheduling and repechage.

Browse guides

Understanding the output

The calculator returns four numbers. Each one answers a different planning question.

Match count

Rounds

Repechage matches

Duration estimate

Common bracket sizes at a glance

The table below shows typical match counts for common participant numbers and formats. Use the calculator above for exact numbers based on your ruleset.

Participants	Format	Approx. matches	Est. time (1 mat)
3–5	Round robin pool	3–10	20–50 min
8	Single elimination	7	35–50 min
8	Single elim + repechage (IJF)	10–11	50–70 min
16	Single elimination	15	75–90 min
16	Single elim + repechage (IJF)	19–21	95–115 min
32	Single elimination	31	2.5–3 h
32	Single elim + repechage (IJF)	39–43	3–3.5 h
64	Single elim + repechage (IJF)	79–87	6–7 h

Duration estimates assume 5–6 minutes average per match including changeover on a single mat. Add 20–30% buffer for delays. Use the duration guide for multi-mat calculations.

Tournament bracket calculator

Event setup

Quarter-final repechage (IJF)

Round details

Understanding the output

Match count

Rounds

Repechage matches

Duration estimate

Common bracket sizes at a glance

Common questions

Which format should I use for a small category with 3–5 athletes?

What is repechage and when does it apply?

How many mats do I need for a full-day event?

What is the difference between single elimination and double elimination?

Why does match count matter before the draw?

Can I use the calculator for sports other than judo?

Tournament bracket calculator

Event setup

Quarter-final repechage (IJF)

Round details

Understanding the output

Match count

Rounds

Repechage matches

Duration estimate

Common bracket sizes at a glance

Common questions

Which format should I use for a small category with 3–5 athletes?

What is repechage and when does it apply?

How many mats do I need for a full-day event?

What is the difference between single elimination and double elimination?

Why does match count matter before the draw?

Can I use the calculator for sports other than judo?

Tournament bracket calculator

Event setup

Quarter-final repechage (IJF)

Round details

Understanding the output

Match count

Rounds

Repechage matches

Duration estimate

Common bracket sizes at a glance

Common questions

Which format should I use for a small category with 3–5 athletes?

What is repechage and when does it apply?

How many mats do I need for a full-day event?

What is the difference between single elimination and double elimination?

Why does match count matter before the draw?

Can I use the calculator for sports other than judo?

Tournament bracket calculator

Event setup

Quarter-final repechage (IJF)

Round details

Understanding the output

Match count

Rounds

Repechage matches

Duration estimate

Common bracket sizes at a glance

Common questions

Which format should I use for a small category with 3–5 athletes?

What is repechage and when does it apply?

How many mats do I need for a full-day event?

What is the difference between single elimination and double elimination?

Why does match count matter before the draw?

Can I use the calculator for sports other than judo?

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