6-team bracket
Six teams need an 8-slot bracket, so two teams sit out the first round. BracketBee gives those byes to seeds 1 and 2, leaving two first-round matches.
Editing is designed for desktop. On this screen you can view the bracket; open the tools below if you need to change something.
Everything stays editable: type your own team names, set scores and dates, then export the bracket as an image — a PNG in three sizes, no watermark.
How a 6-team bracket is structured
Two byes go to seeds 1 and 2, who walk straight into the semi-finals. The other four teams play two first-round matches: 4 vs 5 and 3 vs 6 under standard seeding.
That is 5 matches in total (6 teams always need 5 matches to produce one winner): two first round, two semi-finals and the final. A third-place match makes it 6.
Why six feels like an awkward size
Six teams are only two more than four, but the bracket jumps from 3 matches to 5 and the shape stops being symmetric: two matches in round one and then a full semi-final round.
It is still a perfectly good size — just do not expect the neat tree people picture. The bracket shows the byes explicitly so nobody at the desk has to explain why a team has no opponent.
Alternatives for six teams
A single round robin is 15 matches over 5 rounds: every team plays 5 games, which is the fairest event six teams can run.
Groups plus knockout also works: two groups of three teams, then a knockout between the qualifiers. That gives a group stage feel with a shorter total than a full round robin.
Frequently asked questions
- How many matches is a 6-team bracket?
- Five: two first-round matches, two semi-finals and the final. With a third-place match it becomes six.
- Which teams get the byes?
- Seeds 1 and 2. They advance straight to the semi-finals while 4 plays 5 and 3 plays 6 in the first round.
- How many matches in a 6-team round robin?
- Fifteen, over five rounds — each team plays five games. That is three times the knockout, so it needs three times the court time.