What this tool does
The Random Team Generator divides your list of names into balanced teams - sizes never differ by more than one person - with completely random membership.
How the randomness works
Your names are shuffled with the unbiased Fisher-Yates algorithm from a cryptographically random seed, then dealt into teams round-robin, like dealing cards. Because the shuffle is unbiased and the dealing is mechanical, no person is more likely to land on any particular team, and no clique effect creeps in from list order.
Read more about fairness and receipts on RandomEveryth.ing.
When to use it
- Classroom group assignments without accusations of favoritism
- Pickup sports and rec league team splits
- Party games and trivia nights
- Dividing volunteers or coworkers into work groups
Frequently asked questions
- What happens when names don't divide evenly?
- Teams differ by at most one person. With 11 names in 3 teams you get 4/4/3, with the earlier team numbers holding the extra members. Who lands on which team is completely random.
- Can students tell I didn't rig the teams?
- Every generation includes a fairness receipt with the random seed used. Anyone can replay the draw from that seed and confirm the teams match.
- Can I keep certain people together or apart?
- Not yet - constraint options are on our roadmap. For now, a common workaround is to enter pairs as a single line (“Sam & Riley”) so they stay together.