A 20-team single elimination bracket is a printable knockout grid where 8 teams play in the first round, 12 teams get a bye, and a single loss eliminates a team until one champion is left. Our free version prints on one landscape page with blank lines you fill in by hand, plus a title at the top you can delete in any PDF editor.
How Does a 20-Team Single Elimination Bracket Work?
In a 20-team single elimination tournament, every game is a knockout. The winner advances and the loser is out, and the field keeps getting cut until one team is left as the champion.
Bracket Structure
A 20-team bracket runs over 5 rounds with 12 byes, awarded in the first round only. Because 20 is not a power of two (2, 4, 8, 16, 32…), the bracket needs 12 byes in the first round so the later rounds have a clean field.
First Round
There are 4 first-round games (8 teams). The other 12 teams sit out the first round on a bye and join the second round. Winners advance and losers are eliminated.
Number of Games
A single elimination tournament always plays one fewer game than it has teams, so a 20-team bracket has exactly 19 games.
Tiebreakers
Because only one team can advance from each match, you need a tiebreaker for any game that ends level (extra time, extra innings, a shootout, or a coin toss for casual pools). Post your rules before the tournament starts.
Blind Draw vs Seeded
This bracket is a blind draw, with teams placed at random. A seeded bracket instead ranks teams so the strongest and weakest are kept apart early. For background, see the single-elimination tournament overview on Wikipedia.
How to Use This Printable Bracket
Download the PDF, print it in landscape, and write each team on a blank line. The title at the top is a separate text element, so you can delete it in a PDF editor for a clean sheet. Need a different field size? Browse every option on our printable brackets hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many games are in a 20-team single elimination tournament?
19 games. A single elimination bracket always has one fewer game than the number of teams.
How many rounds does a 20-team bracket have?
5 rounds, starting with 4 first-round games and 12 byes.
How many byes are in a 20-team bracket?
12. Because 20 is not a power of two, 12 byes are given in the first round.
Is this bracket blind draw or seeded?
It is a blind draw, filled in randomly. You can also use it as a seeded bracket by placing your top team on the top line and alternating from there.
Can I remove the title from the printable?
Yes. The title at the top is a separate text object you can delete in any PDF editor if you prefer a clean, unbranded sheet.
More Printable Brackets
- Printable Brackets Hub (all sizes and formats)
- How Do Sports Brackets Work?
- Single Elimination Tournament Brackets: Rules and Seeding
