1. Dividing Teams into Groups

• Participants are split into groups (e.g.,Group A, Group B, Group C, etc. ).
• The number of groups depends on the total number of participants.
• Example: A 16-team tournament can have 4 groups of 4 teams each.

2. Round-Robin Matches

• Each team plays against every other team in their group.
• Matches are usually played in a Best-of-1 or Best-of-3 format (for esports).
• Teams earn points based on match results:
  
  • Win = 3 points
  • Draw = 1 point (if applicable)
  • Loss = 0 points
• In some games (like esports), additional factors such as rounds won, kills, or goals scored may also be considered.

3. Ranking Teams in the Group

Teams are ranked based on:

1. Total Points (higher points rank higher)..
2. Tiebreakers (if teams have the same points, these factors apply):
   • Head-to-head results (who won when they played each other).
   • Goal difference (GD) / Round difference (RD) (difference between goals or rounds won vs. lost).
   • Total goals/rounds scored.
   • Tiebreaker match (if still tied).

4. Round-Robin Matches

• The top teams from each group advance to the knockout/playoff stage.
• Some tournaments also allow a few best-performing third-place teams to qualify.
• Example: In the FIFA World Cup, the top 2 teams from each group advance to the Round of 16.

Example 1: 16-Team Tournament

• 4 groups of 4 teams each (Group A, B, C, D).
• Each team plays 3 matches in their group.
• The top 2 teams from each group qualify for the knockout stage.

Example 2: 32-Team Tournament (e.g., FIFA World Cup)

• 8 groups of 4 teams.
• Each team plays 3 matches.
• Top 2 from each group move to the Round of 16.

Example 3: Esports Tournament (e.g., CS:GO, LoL Worlds)

• Groups of 4-6 teams.
• Best-of-1 or Best-of-3 matches.
• Top teams move to playoffs, while the rest are eliminated.

Pros

• Ensures every team gets multiple matches (unlike single elimination).
• Fairer, as one bad game doesn’t eliminate a strong team.
• Generates more content and viewership.

Cons

• Takes more time compared to single elimination.
• Can have dead matches if teams qualify early.