Choosing a tournament format

Players in pink and lime bibs playing five-a-side in a fenced cage at night — Small pitch, short games, lots of matches – perfect for a groups-and-knockout cup.

The format decides how many games everybody gets, how long the day lasts and how dramatic the finish is. There is no single best choice – it depends on how many teams you have, how many pitches and how many hours.

League

Everyone plays everyone. It is the fairest format: one bad game does not knock you out, and the best team over the whole day wins. The downside is time – with eight teams that is already 28 matches.

Knockout

Win and you go through, lose and you are out. Quick, simple and full of drama, but half of the teams play only once. Great when you have many teams and little time, or as a fun extra at the end of the day.

Groups + knockout

The format of the big international tournaments: small groups first, so everyone gets at least two or three games, then the best teams go into a bracket. It mixes fairness and drama, and it is usually the best choice for 6–16 teams.

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Quick rules of thumb

4–6 teams: a league, maybe followed by a final between the top two.
6–16 teams: groups of four, top two go through.
16+ teams, little time: knockout, with a “plate” competition for early losers if you have spare pitches.