I mentioned the DFB pokal as an example to study without having the background of your exact plan. As I said, there are various rules to determine which teams come through and which won't.
There are options for ignores, removes, pick backup teams, etc, etc. Having a competition where a B-team is playing in, while they can't play in the next competition is in my own Iron Curtain files.
Anyway, since this is editor requests and not editors hideaway, I will keep it on subject.