Balla StatsAll Tutorials

Fixture Management

Master the four methods for managing fixtures: automatic generation, manual creation, CSV import, and template copying.

Intermediate
15 minutes

Prerequisites

Before managing fixtures, you need:

  • A season with at least 2 teams added
  • Admin or Owner role in the group
Four Ways to Manage Fixtures

Balla Stats offers a flexible hybrid fixture management system. You can use any combination of these four methods to create the perfect schedule for your competition.

Auto-Generate

Automatically create fixtures based on season format

Manual Create

Add or edit individual fixtures with full control

CSV Import

Bulk import fixtures from spreadsheets

Copy Template

Copy fixtures from another season

What You'll Learn
  • Auto-generate fixtures for any format
  • Manually add and edit fixtures
  • Import fixtures from CSV files
  • Copy fixtures from previous seasons
  • Create matches from fixtures
  • Lock fixture dates to prevent changes
1
Automatic Generation

The fastest way to set up your schedule. The system generates fixtures based on your season type and team count.

  1. 1Navigate to your season's Fixtures tab
  2. 2Click "Generate Fixtures"
  3. 3Configure scheduling options (start date, days between rounds, kick-off time)
  4. 4Review and confirm the generated fixtures

Supported Formats

  • Round Robin: Every team plays every other team (home and away if enabled)
  • Single Elimination: Knockout bracket where losers are eliminated
  • Double Elimination: Teams must lose twice to be eliminated
  • Swiss System: Teams with similar records are paired each round
  • Multi-Stage: Group stage followed by knockout rounds

Automatic generation creates a balanced schedule. For round-robin, it ensures each team has roughly equal home and away matches.

Warning: Regenerating fixtures will delete all existing fixtures and any matches created from them. This action cannot be undone.

2
Manual Fixture Creation

For complete control, add fixtures one at a time. This is ideal for special scheduling needs like derby matches or TV-scheduled games.

Adding a Fixture

  1. 1Click "Add Fixture" on the Fixtures tab
  2. 2Select the home team and away team
  3. 3Set the round number, date, time, and venue
  4. 4Optionally add notes for the fixture

Editing Fixtures

  1. 1Click the edit icon next to any fixture
  2. 2Modify the date, time, venue, or notes
  3. 3Toggle the "Lock Date" option if needed
  4. 4Save your changes

Lock Date Feature

Lock a fixture's date to prevent it from being changed during regeneration. This is useful for matches with confirmed venues or TV schedules that cannot be moved.

3
CSV Import

Import fixtures from spreadsheets for bulk scheduling. This is perfect for migrating from other platforms or importing schedules from league organizers.

Step 1: Download the Template

  1. 1Click "Import CSV" on the Fixtures tab
  2. 2Download the CSV template with your team names pre-filled
  3. 3Open the template in your spreadsheet application

CSV Format

The CSV file should contain the following columns:

  • Round: Round number (integer)
  • Home Team: Must match an existing team name exactly
  • Away Team: Must match an existing team name exactly
  • Date: Match date (YYYY-MM-DD format)
  • Time: Kick-off time (HH:MM format, optional)
  • Venue: Match location (optional)
  • Notes: Additional notes (optional)

Step 2: Upload Your File

  1. 1Fill in the template with your fixture data
  2. 2Click "Upload CSV" and select your file
  3. 3Review the validation results for any errors
  4. 4Confirm the import to add fixtures

CSV import adds fixtures to your existing list. It does not replace or delete current fixtures. You can import multiple times to build up your schedule.

4
Copy from Previous Season

Reuse fixture schedules from previous seasons. This is ideal for recurring competitions that follow the same structure.

  1. 1Click "Copy Fixtures" on the Fixtures tab
  2. 2Select the source season to copy from
  3. 3Configure copy options

Copy Options

  • Date Offset: Shift all fixture dates by a number of days (e.g., +365 for next year)
  • Team Mapping: Map source teams to current season teams
  • Preserve Times: Keep the original kick-off times from the source season
  1. 4Preview the fixtures before applying
  2. 5Confirm to add the copied fixtures
Creating Matches from Fixtures

Once your fixtures are set up, create match records so you can track lineups, events, and statistics.

Bulk Match Creation

  1. 1. Click "Create Matches" on the season page
  2. 2. The system creates matches for all fixtures that don't already have one
  3. 3. Monitor the progress bar as matches are created
  4. 4. Review the results showing successes, failures, and skipped fixtures

Single Match Creation

You can also create matches individually by clicking the match icon next to any fixture in the list.

Tips

Generate First, Edit Later

Use automatic generation as a starting point, then manually adjust individual fixtures as needed.

Use CSV for Large Schedules

For competitions with many teams and complex scheduling, CSV import is the fastest method.

Lock Important Dates

Lock dates for fixtures with confirmed venues or broadcast schedules to prevent accidental changes.

Create Matches Early

Create match records from fixtures before matchday so teams can review lineups and prepare.

Common Issues

Can't Generate Fixtures

  • Ensure at least 2 teams are added to the season
  • Check that you have admin or owner permissions
  • If fixtures already exist, you'll be warned about overwriting them

CSV Import Errors

  • Team names must match existing team names exactly (case-sensitive)
  • Date format must be YYYY-MM-DD
  • Round numbers must be positive integers
  • Check for extra whitespace or special characters in team names

Can't Edit a Fixture

  • Fixtures with created matches cannot be deleted (only edited)
  • Locked fixtures cannot have their dates changed
  • Ensure you have admin or owner permissions

Was this article helpful?