Simple choices. Random order.
Random Team Generator
Paste the names, choose how many teams or how many players per team, and get balanced random teams in one click. Nothing leaves your browser.
Your list 0 items
One item per line. Blank entries are ignored.
Repeated entries are kept unless you choose to remove them.
Your random order
A fresh order starts here
Add your list on the left, then shuffle, pick a few items or create groups.
Copy and downloads include every result, even when the preview spans several pages.
Ready when you are. Free to use, with up to 100,000 items.
What is a random team generator?
A random team generator shuffles a list of players and deals them into teams, like dealing cards around a table. Every name lands on exactly one team and team sizes differ by at most one. You can split by the number of teams you need, or by how many players each team should have, which is handy for five-a-side, pub quizzes, relay races and breakout rooms.
How to use the random team generator
- 1
Enter or open your list
Paste your names or items, one per line, or choose Open File to read a local text file. For separated text, choose commas, semicolons or tabs. Check the entry count before continuing.
- 2
Choose what to randomize
Use Shuffle all for a complete random order, Pick items for a random subset, or Create groups to distribute every entry across balanced groups. Set the number of picks or groups where needed.
- 3
Review duplicate entries
Blank entries and surrounding whitespace are removed. Repeated entries stay by default. Enable Remove duplicates if you want one entry per distinct name, and optionally ignore letter case.
- 4
Randomize and save the result
Press the main button, then copy the result or save TXT or CSV. Numbering can be switched off for plain-text exports. Undo restores the previous result from the same list and settings.
Make 5-a-side teams from 17 players
Paste 17 names, choose Create teams, switch Split by to People per team and enter 5. The generator makes four teams: one of five and three of four, because 17 players cannot fill four teams of five. Use Number of teams instead when the count of pitches, tables or rooms is fixed.
- Remove duplicate names first so nobody is placed on two teams.
- Teams are balanced by headcount, not skill. To balance skill, run separate lists for strong and newer players and combine team 1 with team 1, and so on.
- Save the CSV to keep a record of who was on which team.
A private, practical way to randomize a list
Your list stays in your browser
Files are read locally and lists are held only for this page session. There is no account, remote randomization service or automatic list storage.
One workspace, three useful results
Create a full random order, take a random sample or form teams. Large shuffles run in a background worker so you can keep using the page.
Make duplicate handling explicit
See repeated-entry counts before randomizing. Keep intentional entries or remove duplicates, with optional case-insensitive matching.
Results you can use elsewhere
Copy a numbered or plain list, save a text file, or export group and position columns as CSV. Undo can recover the previous shuffle without changing your input.
Common uses for randomized lists
- Classroom speaking order
- Shuffle a roster once and follow it from top to bottom so each entry gets a turn.
- Workshops and game teams
- Divide attendees into random groups with sizes that differ by no more than one.
- Tasks and study prompts
- Reorder practice questions, chores or brainstorming ideas to vary your routine.
- Random samples and shortlists
- Select several entries without selecting the same entry twice within that draw.
How the random order is generated
The tool uses the Fisher–Yates algorithm: starting at the end of the list, it swaps each entry with a randomly chosen entry from the remaining positions. Random indices come from the browser’s Web Crypto API. Values that would introduce a modulo bias are rejected and sampled again.
A fair shuffle gives each entry an equal chance at every position. With 10 entries, any particular entry has a 1 in 10 chance of coming first. If one name appears twice, it owns two entries and has a 2 in 10 chance. Removing duplicates changes those odds by changing the input list.
Random order does not mean every entry must move. Repeating a result is possible, especially with short lists. Groups are balanced by size only. This tool provides local randomization; it does not certify a draw or publish an independently verifiable record.
Working with text files and spreadsheet lists
Choose Open File for a plain-text .txt, .list, .csv or .tsv file. New lines keep each row together. Commas, semicolons and tabs split entries on that separator and on line breaks. Quoted CSV fields are not parsed as spreadsheet columns, so use one name per line for names containing commas.
The CSV export includes Group, Position and Item columns. Entries that could be interpreted as spreadsheet formulas are prefixed with an apostrophe. TXT exports preserve the entry text, with optional numbering. Copying and exporting always use the complete result.
5 frequently asked questions about random teams
How do I split a list of names into random teams?
Paste one name per line, choose Create teams, set the number of teams (or players per team) and press Create random teams. Every name is shuffled with the browser's cryptographic random generator and dealt into balanced teams.
Can I choose how many players are on each team?
Yes. Set Split by to People per team and enter a size. The generator works out how many teams are needed. When the players do not divide evenly, some teams have one person fewer.
Are the teams fair?
Team membership is random: every player has the same chance of joining every team, using a Fisher–Yates shuffle with Web Crypto randomness and rejection sampling to avoid bias. Teams are balanced by size only, not by skill or experience.
Is this team generator free and private?
Yes. It is free with no account or sign-up, and your list is shuffled in your browser. Names are not sent to a server or saved in browser storage.
How many teams and players can I use?
Up to 100 teams and 100,000 names. Results can be copied, saved as a text file, or exported as CSV with Team, Position and Item columns.