quarterfinals

Quarterfinals are a knockout-stage round in many sports tournaments. In a typical eight-team field, the quarterfinals consist of four matches, with the four winners advancing to the semifinals and, ultimately, the final. The term quarterfinals derives from being one quarter of the original bracket, i.e., the round where the field is reduced from eight to four.

Formats for the quarterfinals vary by sport and competition. Most tournaments schedule a single match to decide each quarterfinal winner, with the venue either at home for one of the teams or on neutral ground. Some competitions, particularly in football and rugby, use two-legged ties for the quarterfinals, where teams play one home and one away game and the aggregate score determines the winner. If tied after regulation or after both legs, tiebreakers like extra time or penalties may be employed. In tennis, basketball, and similar sports, the quarterfinals are a standard single-elimination round in the main draw.

Seeding or a draw typically determines quarterfinal pairings, with brackets designed to prevent top teams from meeting too early. The phase is often a high-profile stage of a tournament, attracting significant media attention and influencing momentum toward the final.

In most knockout formats, losers of the quarterfinals are eliminated, while the winners advance to the semifinals and compete for the championship. The quarterfinals thus represent a critical transition between the early rounds and the tournament’s concluding stages. See also: knockout stage, bracket.