What is Group Draw Randomizer?

This tool splits teams or players into tournament groups with a fair random draw — like a World Cup group stage. Enter the names, choose how many groups, and optionally seed teams into pots so top seeds land in different groups. An animated draw reveals assignments one by one.

Between 2 and 16 groups are supported, with up to 200 names. In seeded mode the first block of names becomes Pot 1, the next block Pot 2, and so on, so the order you paste them in is the seeding. Draws use the operating system random source rather than a plain shuffle, and the CSV records which pot each name came from.

How to use

1. Paste team or player names, one per line, and choose the number of groups.
2. Optionally enable seeding pots — Pot 1 teams are spread across groups before Pot 2 is drawn.
3. Run the draw to reveal each assignment, then copy the groups or download them as CSV.

When to use

• Splitting a five-a-side tournament into balanced groups on the pitch.
• Drawing a FIFA or Mario Kart night into groups without arguments.
• Assigning students to project teams where nobody picks their own friends.

Result

For a 16-team FIFA tournament, paste the players, set 4 groups, and put the 4 best players in Pot 1 — the draw spreads them into Groups A–D and fills the rest randomly, just like a real group stage.

FAQ

How does the tool work out which names belong to which seeding pot?

It slices your list in the order you paste it. With four groups, names one to four are Pot 1, five to eight are Pot 2, and so on. Put the strongest entries at the top and they end up spread across separate groups.

Is the draw genuinely random, or does it favour certain positions?

It pulls from the operating system random source, and a value is thrown away and redrawn if it lands in the range that would bias a modulo. Group order is reshuffled for every pot, so slot A has no advantage.

What if my names do not divide evenly by the number of groups?

The last pot comes up short, so some groups end up with one fewer name. Which ones is decided by the draw rather than by list position, and the results panel shows the sizes so you can add a name and run it again.

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