Quick Answer: In a round-robin tournament, every team plays every other team exactly once. For N teams, you need N-1 rounds (if N is even) or N rounds (if N is odd), with N/2 matches per round. A 4-team round-robin requires 3 rounds, 6 matches total.
Round Robin Formula
- Number of rounds: N-1 (even) or N (odd)
- Matches per round: N÷2
- Total matches: N×(N-1)÷2
- Example: 6 teams → 5 rounds, 3 matches per round, 15 total matches
4-Team Round Robin Schedule
| Round | Match 1 | Match 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Team 1 vs Team 4 | Team 2 vs Team 3 |
| Round 2 | Team 1 vs Team 3 | Team 4 vs Team 2 |
| Round 3 | Team 1 vs Team 2 | Team 3 vs Team 4 |
How to Create Any Round Robin Schedule
The standard algorithm: fix Team 1 in position. Rotate all other teams clockwise around a circle for each subsequent round. The pairs across the diameter of the circle at each rotation are the matches. This algorithm produces a valid round-robin schedule for any even number of teams.
Randomizing the Schedule
Once the pairings are determined, use PickRandom.online to randomize: which team is "home" vs "away" for each match (coin flip, or random team assignment), the order of rounds, and potentially court/field assignments.