Wettkampfform

Wettkampfform, or competition format, refers to the structure by which a sport event is organized. It defines how many rounds or stages are played, how players or teams advance, the scoring methods, and the rules governing progression and eligibility.

Common formats include round-robin (each participant faces all others; standings determine progress), knockout or single-elimination (losers are eliminated; winner advances), double-elimination (participants gain a second chance after a loss), and group-stage followed by a knockout phase. The Swiss-system is used in some tournaments to pair players with similar scores across rounds rather than eliminating.

Choice of format depends on field size, time constraints, travel costs, and fairness considerations. Tie-break rules, seeding, and scheduling affect fairness and competitiveness; broadcasters and sponsors may prefer formats with clear progression and decisive outcomes.

Wettkampfforms vary across sports: football leagues typically use a round-robin league format; tennis and many combat or racquet sports commonly use single-elimination knockout brackets; chess often uses Swiss-system events or round-robin groups in some events.

In official contexts, federations define Wettkampfform in competition regulations to ensure consistency and transparency, and to facilitate ranking and qualification for higher events.