Random Team Generator

How to make random teams

1. Paste or type the names, one per line. A class list copied from a spreadsheet works, and commas also separate names. Repeated names are merged so nobody ends up on two teams.
2. Choose how to split. Pick Number of teams when you know you need, say, 4 teams. Pick Players per team when the game needs a set size, such as 5 for basketball.
3. Press Make teams. Team sizes never differ by more than one player. Not happy? Press Re-shuffle for a fresh draw with the same settings.
4. Share the result. Copy the teams as text for a chat or email, open Big view on a projector or TV, or print a team sheet.

Balanced teams: skill tiers and keep-apart pairs

Pure luck sometimes puts every strong player on one side. Open Balance teams and tap a name to mark it Tier 1 (strongest) or Tier 2 (next strongest). The generator then spreads each tier as evenly as the team count allows: with 4 Tier 1 players and 4 teams, every team gets exactly one. Everyone you leave unmarked is shuffled into the remaining spots.

Use keep apart for two people who should not be on the same team, such as best friends who chat, siblings, or the two team captains. You can add as many pairs as you like. If the rules can't all be met (for example three people who must all be apart but only two teams), the tool tells you which change will fix it instead of freezing.

Is it really random?

Yes. The order is drawn with your browser's cryptographic random number generator (crypto.getRandomValues) and a Fisher–Yates shuffle, the standard method that makes every ordering equally likely. Without balance rules, each possible split is equally likely. With rules, the generator still decides at random, but only among the splits that follow your rules.

Ideas for using it

• PE and classrooms: group work, relay races and quiz teams in seconds, with no picking order and no hurt feelings.
• Coaches: even scrimmage sides by marking your strongest players as Tier 1.
• Office and events: mix departments for a team-building game, trivia night or hackathon.
• Game nights: split friends for charades, Pictionary, five-a-side or pickup basketball.

Need groups of two? The random pair generator handles odd numbers. Need a name for each team? Try the team name generator.

Frequently asked questions

How do I split a list of names into random teams?

Paste the names one per line, choose Number of teams or Players per team, and press Make teams. The teams appear straight away, and Re-shuffle draws again with the same settings.

What happens when the names don't divide evenly?

Some teams get one extra player. Sizes never differ by more than one, and which teams get the extra player is random. With Players per team, no team is ever bigger than the size you chose; with 10 names and 4 per team you get teams of 4, 3 and 3.

Can I make balanced teams by skill level?

Yes. Open Balance teams and tap names to mark Tier 1 (strongest) and Tier 2. Each tier is spread evenly across the teams, so no team gets more than one extra player from any tier.

How do I stop two people being on the same team?

In Balance teams, choose two names under Keep apart and press Add. They will always land on different teams. Add as many pairs as you need.

Does it save my list of names?

Your list and settings are saved only in this browser's local storage so they are still there next time. They are never uploaded. Press Clear to remove them.

Can I show the teams on a projector or print them?

Yes. Big view shows the teams in large type on a dark screen, ideal for a projector or classroom TV. Print makes a clean team sheet with a box next to each name for attendance or scores.

Is there a limit on names or teams?

You can paste up to 500 names and make up to 100 teams. Names longer than 60 characters are shortened.