Why 'single elim' wins for events
Single-elimination concentrates drama. Every match matters, no dead rubbers. With 8 teams you finish in 7 matches; with 16 in 15; with 32 in 31. Plan ~20 minutes per match for casual sports, less for esports.
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Printable single elimination bracket
The most-used bracket format on the planet. Lose once, you're out. Build it free in your browser, print it, run your event.
Other formats coming soon.
Want a prettier print-ready pack?
The free version does the job. The optional template pack just makes brackets look beautiful for events, classrooms and clubs.
Free forever for basic use · No signup required
When to use this
Single-elimination is fast, dramatic, and easy to follow. Use it when you have one afternoon and one champion to crown — no league tables, no group stages.
Step by step
- 1
Paste team names
Any number from 2 to 64.
- 2
Set title and date
Goes on the printed header.
- 3
Export PDF or PNG
Print or share.
Bye handling explained
When team count isn't a power of two (4, 8, 16, 32, 64), top seeds get a 'bye' into round 2. The tool inserts these automatically and shows them clearly in the printed bracket.
Choose paper size before you export
The biggest mistake people make with printable brackets is exporting at A4 and then enlarging on the photocopier — you lose line crispness and the team names go fuzzy. Pick the final paper size before you export. The PDF export embeds a vector bracket, so once you've chosen A2 or A3 the file is ready for the copy shop with no quality loss. For taped-together posters, export at A4 with crop marks and align by the gridlines.
What to print and what to skip
For the wall, print only the bracket — skip the FAQ, the ad slots, and the related-pages section. The 'Print bracket only' option uses a CSS print stylesheet that hides every navigation, advertising, and footer element. The result is a clean diagram with team names and round labels, nothing else. If you want a one-page handout for participants, print page two of the PDF, which contains the schedule grid in a compact list format.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What's the maximum team count?
64 in the free tool.
Can I have 7 teams?
Yes — the tool builds an 8-slot bracket and adds one bye.
Will the printed PDF have the website header on it?
No. The print and PDF export use a dedicated stylesheet that strips the navigation, footer, ads, and any non-bracket content. The output is the bracket and a small footer with the date.
Can I print blank brackets to fill in by hand?
Yes. Generate with placeholder names ("A", "B", "C"…) and print. Some people prefer to handwrite team names live as registrations come in — the placeholder route gives you a clean grid for that.
What's the recommended paper size for an 8-team bracket?
A4 or US Letter is plenty. For 16 teams use A3 or US Tabloid. For 32 teams or more, go to A2 or split across two A3 sheets and tape them together along the centre line.
Keep exploring
Related tools & guides
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Open8-team bracket template
Quarter-finals, semis, final. Seven matches, one champion. The most-printed bracket in the world.
Open16-team bracket template
Sixteen teams, fifteen matches, four rounds. The classic championship sheet.
OpenPrintable tournament bracket maker
Run an event without spreadsheets or paid software. Build a printable bracket in your browser, share by PDF.
OpenRound robin alternative: try a single-elim bracket
Round-robin guarantees every team plays every other — but it eats time. For one-afternoon events, a bracket is usually the better call.
Open
Ready to run your event?
Free forever for basic use. No signup required. The free version really does do the job.
Want prettier prints? See the optional template pack