Knockout groups, also known as "KO Groups" or "knockout rounds," are a popular multi-stage tournament format. It is most often used in tournament types with large numbers of competitors, such as ping pong, basketball and football.
In a knockout group, competitors are divided into groups containing as few as two or as many as several dozen (sometimes hundreds). Each competitor in a group plays against every other in a head-to-head match. The competitors are ranked within the group based on their victories, and the top ranked players advance to the next round. This continues until only one player is left standing.
Here is a more detailed explanation of KO groups:
Break into groups: Competing teams belong to a group consisting of as few as two or up to dozens (or even hundreds) of teams.
Head-to-head competition: Teams compete against each other within their group in a round-robin match.
Rank ranking within the group: Teams are ranked within the group based on their win-loss record.
Advancement: The highest-ranking teams from each group advance to the next round.
Knockout: The competition continues until only one team remains, making that team the winner.
This type of tournament structure is known for its simplicity and fairness, and is often used in sports leagues and, increasingly, in esports tournaments. For more information, you can check out this article on KO groups: https://www.fanduel.com/news/knockout-groups-which-tournament-format-should-you-choose
