Random Team Generator – Split a List of Names into Fair Teams
Make random teams or groups in seconds for sports, class projects, quizzes and games. Paste the names, choose how to split them and the generator does the rest.
Paste one name per line, choose the number of teams (or people per team) and press Make teams. The names are shuffled at random and dealt out like cards, so team sizes never differ by more than one: 10 names in 3 teams gives teams of 4, 3 and 3.
How to use the Random Team Generator
- Type or paste the names, one per line.
- Under Split by, choose Number of teams or People per team and enter the number.
- Press Make teams. Each team appears on its own colored card.
- Not happy? Press Shuffle again. Use Copy to paste the teams into a chat or email.
The names are remembered in your browser for next time.
Number of teams or people per team?
Use number of teams when you know how many groups you need, such as 4 quiz teams or 2 sides for a football match. Use people per team when the size matters, such as pairs, groups of 3 for a class project or 5-a-side basketball.
| Names | Setting | Team sizes |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | 3 teams | 4, 4, 4 |
| 10 | 3 teams | 4, 3, 3 |
| 25 | 5 per team | 5 teams of 5 |
| 23 | 4 per team | 6 teams: 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3 |
| 11 | 2 per team | 6 teams: five pairs and one person alone |
When the names do not divide evenly, the extra people go to the first teams. With “people per team”, the number of teams is rounded up so nobody is left out.
Why random teams?
- Fairness: nobody is picked last, and nobody can accuse the organizer of stacking a team.
- Mixing: in classrooms and workshops, random groups break up cliques and help people meet.
- Speed: no more five-minute debates before the game starts.
Balancing skill
Pure random teams can be uneven in sport. Two quick fixes: generate teams for strong players first and then for everyone else, combining the lists; or pick one captain per team and randomize only the rest. Press Shuffle again as often as you like before you announce the result.
How the shuffle works
The list is mixed with the Fisher–Yates shuffle using your browser’s cryptographic random generator, which gives every possible order the same chance. The names are then dealt to the teams in turn.
Related tools: Spin the Wheel, Random Number Generator and Flip a Coin.
Frequently asked questions
How do I split a list of names into random teams?
Paste the names one per line, choose the number of teams or people per team and press Make teams.
What happens if the names don’t divide evenly?
Some teams get one extra person. Team sizes never differ by more than one.
How many names can I enter?
As many as you like, one per line. You need at least two names to make teams.
Can I make pairs?
Yes. Choose People per team and enter 2. With an odd number of names, one person is on their own.
Is the team generator really random?
Yes. It shuffles with a cryptographically secure random source, so every arrangement is equally likely.
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