Tournament Structure Guide | MyCup Documentation

MyCup provides a flexible tournament structure builder that allows you to create multiple stages and assign participants to groups or matches. Each stage has independent settings that can override global tournament configurations.

Key Components

Phases

Phases are the foundational building blocks of your tournament structure. You can add multiple phases of different types based on your needs. Phases can be renamed via settings to match your tournament terminology.

Two main phase types:

Groups | League - Ideal for leagues or group stages. Supports single leagues or multiple group stage configurations with individual customization options.
Knockout | Single Match - Perfect for knockout games or standalone matches. Winners require manual advancement to subsequent rounds, allowing flexibility for varying participant pools or draws.

Settings

Each phase, group, or round includes settings functionality that enables individual renaming and configuration to customize elements independently.

Draw Participants

A feature allowing team assignment through a dedicated draw function accessible via button for groups/leagues and knockout rounds.

Quick Generation

The Quick Generation button provides a fast way to create tournament structures for the most popular tournament formats. Instead of manually configuring phases, groups, and settings, you can use pre-built templates that set up everything automatically.

Available quick formats:

League - Automatically creates a single-phase league structure with one group
Knockout - Automatically creates a knockout bracket with elimination rounds
Group Stage + Playoff - Automatically creates a two-phase structure with groups followed by knockout rounds

How to use Quick Generation:

Go to the Structure page in your tournament dashboard
Click the "Quick Generation" button
Select your preferred format (League, Knockout, or Group Stage + Playoff)
The system will automatically create the appropriate phase structure
Customize the generated structure if needed using phase settings

This feature is perfect for:

First-time users getting started quickly
Standard tournament formats without custom requirements
Testing tournament structures before manual customization

After using Quick Generation, you can still modify phases, rename them, adjust settings, and customize the structure to fit your specific needs.

Tournament Structure Examples

League Format

Single group round-robin where all participants play against each other in one or multiple groups.

Best for:

Regular season competitions
Community leagues
When every participant should play multiple matches

How it works:

Create a single phase with Groups/League type
Add one group (for simple league) or multiple groups (for divisions)
Assign participants to groups
Configure points system and rounds

Cup Format

Pure knockout progression where participants advance through elimination rounds.

Best for:

Cup competitions
Weekend tournaments
Time-limited events

How it works:

Create a single phase with Knockout/Single Match type
Configure bracket size and rounds
Assign participants (seeded or random)
Winners advance manually or automatically to next rounds

Group Stage + Playoffs

Combined format with initial group stage followed by knockout rounds for top performers.

Best for:

Professional-style tournaments
World Cup or Champions League formats
Large competitions with multiple stages

How it works:

Create Phase 1: Groups/League (multiple groups)
Assign participants across groups
Create Phase 2: Knockout/Single Match
Define advancement rules (top N from each group)
Top teams from groups advance to knockout phase

Configuration Features

Flexible Phase Structure

You can configure complex tournaments with unique settings for each phase. For example:

Set most knockout rounds as best-of-two series
Designate the final as a single match
Use different points systems for different groups
Configure custom advancement rules between phases

Independent Phase Settings

Each phase operates independently with its own:

Name and display options
Points calculation rules (for group phases)
Match format settings (for knockout phases)
Participant assignment and seeding

Custom Points and Rules

Groups/League phases:

Customize points for wins, draws, and losses
Set different points for specific matches
Configure tie-breaker rules
Choose between shared or separate standings tables

Knockout phases:

Single elimination or best-of series
Home and away legs
Overtime and penalty rules
Third-place playoff options

Best Practices

Start Simple

Begin with a basic structure and add complexity only if needed
Test your structure with a few participants first

Plan Before Generating Matches

Finalize your tournament structure before generating matches
Ensure all phases have participants assigned
Changes after match generation are limited

Use Phase Settings

Rename phases to match your tournament (e.g., "Quarter Finals" instead of "Round 3")
Configure each phase independently for maximum flexibility
Test advancement rules to ensure they work as expected

Consider Your Participants

Balance fairness with excitement
Ensure everyone gets enough matches (for leagues)
Plan for withdrawals or no-shows

Next Steps

Once your tournament structure is configured:

Assign Participants: Use the draw function or manually assign teams to phases
Generate Matches: Create your match schedule based on the structure
Customize Settings: Fine-tune points, rules, and display options for each phase
Review Structure: Preview the complete tournament flow before starting

Your tournament structure is the foundation of your competition. Take time to plan it well, and everything else will flow smoothly!