In this guide, I’m going to show you exactly how to build, customize, and automate a double elimination bracket in Excel. Whether you’re running a 4-person fighting game night or a 32-team corporate softball tournament, this post has you covered. Before we dive into the cells and formulas, let’s address the elephant in the room. There are dozens of free websites (like Challonge or Smash.gg) that generate double elimination brackets instantly. So why use Excel?
| Match # | Player 1 | Score | Player 2 | Winner Goes To | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | W1 | Seed 1 | 0 | Seed 8 | W5 | | W2 | Seed 4 | 0 | Seed 5 | W5 | | W3 | Seed 3 | 0 | Seed 6 | W6 | | W4 | Seed 2 | 0 | Seed 7 | W6 | | W5 | Winner W1 | 0 | Winner W2 | W7 (Winners Final) | | W6 | Winner W3 | 0 | Winner W4 | W7 | | W7 | Winner W5 | 0 | Winner W6 | Grand Finals | double elimination bracket excel
Enter . It might not be dedicated tournament software, but with a little know-how, Excel is the most flexible, accessible, and powerful tool for running a double elimination bracket. In this guide, I’m going to show you