Random Team Generator
Paste the names, choose how many teams or how many people in each, and get teams that differ in size by no more than one. Pick a random captain for each team if you like.
Worked examples
Eleven people into three teams
11 names, 3 teams
Teams of 4, 4 and 3
Teams differ by at most one person.
Twenty three people in teams of five
23 names, 5 people in each
5 teams, with 5, 5, 5, 4 and 4 people
The number of teams is 23 divided by 5, rounded up, which is 5.
About Random Team Generator
Picking teams by hand takes time and someone always feels left out. A random team generator does it in a second and nobody can say it was unfair. Paste the names, choose how many teams you want or how many people should be in each, and the teams appear.
The names are shuffled with an unbiased shuffle and then dealt out one at a time, like cards, so the teams are as even as they can be. If 11 people are split into 3 teams, the teams have 4, 4 and 3 people. If you ask for teams of 5 from a group of 23, you get 5 teams of 4 or 5, which is better than 4 teams of 5 and one person on their own. You can also have a captain picked at random for each team.
How to use Random Team Generator
- Type or paste the names, one on each line or separated by commas.
- Choose whether to split by the number of teams or by the number of people in each team.
- Enter the number, and tick the box if you want a captain for each team.
- Press Generate. Press it again for a different split, or copy the teams to send them out.
Common uses
- Dividing a class into groups for a project
- Choosing sides for five-a-side football or a quiz night
- Splitting a work group into breakout teams
- Making teams for a board game, a relay or a scavenger hunt
Frequently asked questions
Are the teams really random?
Yes. The list is shuffled with an unbiased method that uses the device's random number source, so every possible split is equally likely. Pressing the button again gives an unrelated split.
Why are the teams not all the same size?
When the number of people does not divide evenly, some teams must have one more person than others. The generator keeps the difference to one person at most, which is as fair as it can be.
Can I keep two people apart or together?
Not in this tool. If you need a particular pair apart, press Generate again until the split suits you, or swap the two names by hand afterwards.
How many names can I use?
You can paste several hundred names. Teams are limited to the number of names, so you cannot make more teams than there are people.
Can I make the teams again?
Yes. Press Generate as many times as you like. Each press shuffles the whole list again and gives an unrelated split, so keep pressing until the teams feel right.