Approved & announced · revision 1

Qualification & Playoff Route

Top 4 from each of 2 groups advance (8 teams). Quarterfinals stay inside each group: A1 vs A4, A2 vs A3, B1 vs B4, and B2 vs B3. Semifinals cross the protected lanes: Winner A1/A4 vs Winner B2/B3, and Winner B1/B4 vs Winner A2/A3. If A1 and B1 keep winning, they can meet only in the Finals. Opening stage: Quarterfinals; 8 teams, 0 byes, and 7 planned matches. Battle for 3rd will be confirmed by the organizer before bracket creation.

1. Opening Match 1: Group A #1 vs Group A #4
2. Opening Match 2: Group A #2 vs Group A #3
3. Opening Match 3: Group B #1 vs Group B #4
4. Opening Match 4: Group B #2 vs Group B #3

Protected advancement path:

• Semifinal 1: Winner of A1 vs A4 plays Winner of B2 vs B3
• Semifinal 2: Winner of B1 vs B4 plays Winner of A2 vs A3
• Finals: Winner of Semifinal 1 plays Winner of Semifinal 2

Seed protection: if both Group A #1 and Group B #1 keep winning, they meet only in the Finals.

Placement option: the two semifinal losers can play a Battle for 3rd. The organizer must explicitly answer Yes or No before this bracket can be created.

Organizer authority: this is the announced default, not an irreversible lock. The organizer confirms the qualifiers, every opening matchup, the advancement path, and then confirms each ready playoff match again before it starts. Qualifiers, opponents, bracket positions, byes, and formats may still be overridden deliberately; duplicate teams remain blocked.