Pickleball Tournament Formats for 24 Teams
Here's how different formats work with 24 teams:
Single Elimination
Rounds
5
Total Matches
23
Byes
8
Est. Time (2 courts)
~5 hours
Double Elimination
Total Matches
46-47
Est. Time (2 courts)
~10 hours
Min Games per team
2
Pool Play + Knockout
Groups
6 groups of 4
Pool Matches
36
Bracket Matches
11
Total Matches
47
Assuming games to 11 (rally scoring), ~20-25 minutes per match.
How Many Byes for 24 Teams?
With 24 teams, your bracket will use a 32-team draw with 8 byes. The top 8 seeds receive first-round byes and advance directly to round 2.
This means 16 teams play in the first round, while the top 8 seeds wait for round 2. Byes always go to the highest seeds — this is both a reward for higher ranking and ensures the bracket stays balanced.
Recommended Format for 24 Teams
Pool play is strongly recommended. 6 groups of 4, or 4 groups of 6. Pure elimination at this size means too many one-and-done exits.
Other Pickleball Bracket Sizes
24-Teams Brackets in Other Sports
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