3 Team Round Robin Schedule: Rounds, Games and a Printable Chart
A 3 team round robin takes 3 rounds and 3 games. Every team plays 2 games and sits out one round with a bye.
Below is the full 3 team schedule, round by round, checked so every team meets every other team exactly once. Use it as written, print it, or adapt it for a double round robin.
The 3 team round robin schedule
Number your teams 1 to 3 (a random draw keeps it fair), then play the rounds in order. The first team listed in each game is the home team. In sports without a home side, it serves first or picks the end.
| Round | Game 1 | Bye |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Team 3 vs Team 2 | Team 1 |
| 2 | Team 1 vs Team 3 | Team 2 |
| 3 | Team 2 vs Team 1 | Team 3 |
Download the printable 3 team round robin schedule (PDF)
The printable version has space for team names and scores. You can also print this page directly; the schedule prints cleanly without the site navigation.
How many games and rounds
- Total games: 3. The formula is n × (n − 1) ÷ 2, so 3 × 2 ÷ 2 = 3.
- Rounds: 3. With an odd number of teams, you need one round per team, because one team sits out every round.
- Games per team: 2.
- Games per round: 1 (one team has a bye).
How the byes work
With 3 teams, one team is off every round. Each team gets exactly one bye across the 3 rounds, so nobody is favored. If you would rather not have idle teams on a league night, add a practice court, schedule the bye team as officials for another game, or recruit a 4th team to remove byes altogether.
Running it on your courts or fields
With one court or field, each round is a single game, so the whole round robin takes 3 time slots.
For a league, play one round a week and the season lasts 3 weeks. For a one-day event, keep games short and add a break every two or three rounds.
Double round robin
Play the schedule twice and swap home and away in the second half. A 3 team double round robin is 6 rounds and 6 games, with 4 games per team. It suits a longer league season and evens out any home advantage.
Breaking ties
Teams often finish level on wins. Decide the tiebreakers before the first game and share them with every team. A common order is head-to-head result, then point or goal difference, then points allowed. See the full guide: round robin tournament.
What to do after the round robin
Many leagues use the final standings to seed a playoff. The top two can meet in a final, or all three can play a short double-elimination bracket. See the single elimination and double elimination guides.
Frequently asked questions
How many games are in a 3 team round robin?
A 3 team round robin has 3 games. Each team plays 2, and the formula is n × (n − 1) ÷ 2.
How many rounds does a 3 team round robin take?
It takes 3 rounds, because one team has a bye every round. With 1 court, each round fits in a single time slot.
How many games are in a 3 team double round robin?
A double round robin is 6 games over 6 rounds, with each team playing 4 games, once home and once away against every opponent.
How do you break a tie in a round robin?
Agree the tiebreakers before play starts. A common order is head-to-head result, then point or goal difference, then points allowed.