How do you make a round robin schedule?

With n players, a single round robin has n(n − 1)/2 matches: each of the n players meets the other n − 1, and every match is counted twice. Six players play 15 matches and eight play 28.

The number of rounds depends on whether n is even or odd. If n is even, everyone can play in every round, so you need n − 1 rounds of n/2 matches. If n is odd, one player must sit out each round (a bye), so you need n rounds of (n − 1)/2 matches.

Matches grow with the square of the field, so a round robin suits small groups. If 12 or 16 players is too many for your time, split them into groups and finish with a knockout. The tournament formats guide compares the options.

The circle method is the standard way to build a round robin by hand. It guarantees that nobody plays twice in a round and that every pair meets exactly once.

1. Number the players 1 to n. If n is odd, add a dummy player called "bye". Whoever is paired with the bye sits out that round.
2. Write two rows. Put the first half of the numbers on top and the second half underneath in reverse order. Each player plays the one directly below. With six players, the top row is 1 2 3 and the bottom row is 6 5 4, so round 1 is 1–6, 2–5 and 3–4.
3. Rotate. Keep player 1 where they are and move everyone else one place clockwise around the loop: right along the top row, down at the end, left along the bottom row and up at the start. The new top-and-bottom pairs are round 2. Here the top row becomes 1 6 2 and the bottom row 5 4 3, so round 2 is 1–5, 4–6 and 2–3.
4. Repeat until the pairs would return to round 1. That takes n − 1 rounds for an even n, and n rounds for an odd n once the dummy is counted.

Every pair meets once. With an odd field the dummy starts opposite player 1, so player 1 rests in round 1. Give the numbers out at random so nobody argues about who is player 1.

These schedules come straight from the circle method. Read "1–8" as "player 1 plays player 8".

4 players: 3 rounds, 6 matches

5 players: 5 rounds, 10 matches, one player rests each round

6 players: 5 rounds, 15 matches

8 players: 7 rounds, 28 matches

For any other number of players, use the round robin generator.

In a double round robin every pair plays twice, usually once with each side as "home". The matches double to n(n − 1), and the rounds double to 2(n − 1) when n is even. Six players play 30 matches in 10 rounds. Most domestic football leagues are played this way.

The easy way to schedule one is to repeat the single round robin in the same order with the sides swapped, so the second half is the first with home and away reversed. Flobit does exactly that when you choose "Twice" for a league: the return fixtures swap sides.

Choose a double round robin when you have 4 to 6 entrants and several weeks, when you want the table to reflect more than one match against each opponent, or when one bad day shouldn't decide a place. With 8 entrants it already means 56 matches, so most clubs split larger fields into groups instead.

Agree the tie-break order before the first match and write it in your rules. Rule books differ, and the order can change who finishes first.

• Premier League (Handbook rule C.17): goal difference, then goals scored, then points won in head-to-head matches, then away goals in head-to-head matches, then a play-off.
• FIFA World Cup 2026 (Article 13): points in the matches between the tied teams, then goal difference in those matches, then goals scored in them, then overall goal difference, overall goals scored and a fair-play record, and finally FIFA's own ranking.

Head-to-head is simple when two players are tied, but a three-way tie needs a mini table of just their matches. Difference first is easier to work out for everyone. For a club event, this order suits most sports: wins (or points, 3 per win and 1 per draw), then the difference between what you scored and conceded, then total scored, then a deciding match or a coin toss.

How does Flobit rank its league table?

Flobit prints its rule under every standings table, so players can see why someone is ahead.

There is no head-to-head step. If two entrants are level on everything, the table puts one above the other for no reason a player can see, so agree a deciding match or a coin toss in advance. When every match is a single set or a single game, the difference tie-breaks rarely separate anyone.

Every round has n ÷ 2 matches (rounded down), and they can all be played at once because nobody appears twice. If you have fewer courts than matches per round, split each round into waves. Total slots = rounds × waves per round, and total time = slots × (match length + changeover).

At 30 minutes a slot, 6 players on 3 courts finish in 5 slots, or 2.5 hours. 8 players on 2 courts need 14 slots, or 7 hours. Extra courts only help when they divide the matches per round: 8 players have 4 matches per round, so a third court changes nothing, but a fourth halves the time.

You can save a slot or two by letting matches from different rounds share a slot, but keeping rounds together is easier to run. When courts are short, change the order of the waves each round so the same players don't always play last. Allow a few minutes between slots for warm-ups and changeovers.

Flobit calls a round robin a League. Everyone plays everyone once, or twice if you choose, and the table decides.

1. Create the tournament and pick the League format. Set the cap, from 2 to 512 entries.
2. Approve entries. Players ask to join and you approve them. You can invite pairs, add guests and keep a waitlist for anyone past the cap.
3. Close registration, then generate the bracket from the confirmed entries. Choose once or twice. In a twice league the return matches swap sides.
4. Publish. Players are notified, and the fixtures, live scores and standings table appear in the tournament.

Flobit builds the fixtures with the circle method described above, so a league of six has 5 rounds of 3 matches, and a league of five has 5 rounds with one player resting each round. The table updates as results are confirmed. Results confirm automatically after 24 hours, and organizers can correct tournament results.

To plan on paper before you open entries, use the free round robin generator. Tournaments in Flobit covers the rest of the organizer workflow.

How many games are in a round robin with 6 players?

How many rounds does a round robin have with an odd number of players?

What is the circle method?

What is a double round robin?

How do you break ties in a round robin?

How long does a round robin take?

Is there a round robin generator?