Round Robin
A format in which every entrant plays every other entrant, with standings decided by results across all games.
Definition
In a round-robin each competitor or team meets every other one, usually once (single round-robin) or twice (double round-robin, often home and away). Because everyone faces the same set of opponents, the format is regarded as one of the fairest ways to rank a field, since a single bad result need not end a campaign.
Standings are built from points awarded per result, and where teams finish level the order is settled by tie-breakers such as head-to-head record or scoring difference. Round-robins are common in league seasons and in the group phase of larger tournaments, but they require many matches, so big fields are often split into smaller groups.
Where you’ll hear “round robin”
Sports that use this term:
Football
The world’s most popular team sport — endless running, teamwork and community in one game.
Tennis
A singles or doubles racquet sport that blends agility, strategy and stamina on court.
Volleyball
A non-contact team sport of rallies, jumps and teamwork — indoors or on the beach.
Badminton
A fast indoor racquet sport played with a shuttlecock that rewards agility and touch.
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Disciplines
- Individual medleyThe individual medley (IM) combines all four strokes in a set order — butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, then freestyle — testing all-round swimming across a single event.
- Standard (Olympic) DistanceStandard, or Olympic, distance triathlon pairs a 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike, and 10 km run, and is the format contested at the Olympic Games.
- Breaking (Gyeokpa)Gyeokpa is taekwondo's breaking discipline, in which practitioners strike through boards or other objects to demonstrate accuracy, focus, and effective technique.
- SprintSprint is a short-course race format decided over an individual qualifier and knockout heats, skied in either classic or skate technique.
- Traditional (Trad) ClimbingA lead format in which the climber places removable protection into the rock while ascending, and a partner removes it afterward, leaving no fixed gear behind.
Scoring systems
- Volleyball scoringVolleyball uses rally scoring, in which a point is won on every rally, and matches are decided over a best-of-five sets.
- Badminton scoringBadminton uses rally scoring to 21 points per game, with matches decided over the best of three games.
- Padel scoringPadel borrows tennis scoring, counting points as 15–30–40 within games and playing sets to six games decided by a tiebreak.
- Table tennis scoringTable tennis is scored on every rally to 11 points per game, won by two clear points, over a best-of odd number of games.
- Tennis scoringTennis is scored in points, games and sets, using the distinctive 15–30–40 point sequence and a win-by-two margin at every level.
Sport categories
Skills Academy
Facilities
- Multi-use games area (MUGA)A fenced outdoor hard-surface area marked for several sports, common in schools, parks and community facilities.
- Badminton courtA rectangular indoor court, divided by a high net, on which badminton is played as singles or doubles.
- Tennis courtA rectangular marked court, divided across the middle by a net, where tennis is played as singles or doubles.
- Swimming poolA water-filled basin, divided into lanes for competition, used for swimming and other aquatic sports.
- Football pitchThe large rectangular grass or artificial-turf field on which football (soccer) is played, with a goal at each end.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Term
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-08-04
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