← League schedule generator

Round robin schedule by number of teams

Planning a season and need to know how many weeks, rounds and games it takes? Find your team count below. Every figure is computed by the same circle-method code the generator uses, and the test suite recomputes this table, so it cannot drift from the tool.

Build the schedule for your teams

TeamsRounds (single)Games per roundTotal games (single)Rounds (double)Total games (double)Bye each roundHome/away breaks
3313661 team0
4326612none2
5521010201 team0
653151030none4
7732114421 team0
874281456none6
9943618721 team0
1095451890none8
1111555221101 team0
121166622132none10
1313678261561 team0
141379126182none12
15157105302101 team0
1615812030240none14

A round is one set of games in which every team plays at most once, usually one night or one weekend. "Home/away breaks" counts the times a team has two home or two away games in a row across the whole single round robin; for an even league the minimum possible is the number of teams minus two, and the generator reaches it. A double round robin repeats the rounds with every venue reversed. If you have fewer courts than games per round, a round takes more than one night, so check the number of courts against the "games per round" column before you book.

Questions

How many weeks does a round robin take?

With an even number of teams, one fewer week than there are teams (8 teams: 7 weeks); with an odd number, as many weeks as teams (7 teams: 7 weeks), because one team has a bye each week. A double round robin takes twice as many. If you have fewer courts than matches per round, a round needs more than one night; the generator spreads courts and time slots for you.

How many games does each team play?

In a single round robin, every team plays every other team once, so n-1 games for n teams (a team with a bye plays one fewer than the number of rounds). In a double round robin, 2(n-1).

Is it better to have an even or an odd number of teams?

Even is simpler: nobody sits out. Odd leagues give every team exactly one bye in a single round robin and a perfect home and away pattern with no two home or two away games in a row. Neither is unfair; both are fully balanced.

For the method itself with a worked five-team example, read how to make a round-robin schedule, or copy the full fixtures from the round robin schedule template.

Planning one day? See how long a round robin takes on 1 to 4 courts.

Running a knockout instead? See byes, rounds and games for 3 to 32 teams.