How to select your lineup in Squadd

The Lineup Builder is where you set your formation, place players in their positions, choose your bench, and plan substitutions. Squadd auto-suggests a starting lineup based on availability and player positions — you can accept it, tweak it, or start from scratch.

Getting to the Lineup Builder

  1. Go to the Fixtures tab.

  2. Tap the fixture you want to build a lineup for.

  3. On the Fixture detail screen, tap "View Lineup".

    [Screenshot: Fixture detail screen with the "View Lineup" button visible. Red box around the "View Lineup" button.] Tap "View Lineup" from the Fixture detail screen to open the Lineup Builder.

💡 Tip — Check your Cover by Position panel before opening the lineup builder. If any positions are showing SHORT, chase your outstanding availability responses first — the lineup builder works best when it knows who's actually coming. See Cover by Position — understanding positional shortfalls.

Step 1 — Choose a formation

The FORMATION section at the top of the Lineup Builder shows six preset formation options plus a Custom option.

[Screenshot: Lineup Builder screen showing the FORMATION section — six formation chip buttons in a horizontal scroll row: 2-2-2 Classic (selected, green), 2-3-1 Midfield heavy, 3-2-1 Defensive, 1-3-2 Attacking, 3-1-2 Counter-attack, Custom. Below the chips, slot composition text reads "1 GK · 2 DEF · 2 MID · 2 FWD".] Tap a formation chip to select it. The slot composition shown below updates to match your choice.

Formation Label in Squadd Shape
2-2-2 Classic Balanced
2-3-1 Midfield heavy Extra midfielder
3-2-1 Defensive Three at the back
1-3-2 Attacking Three midfielders, two forwards
3-1-2 Counter-attack Narrow and direct
Custom Your own Set your own slot numbers

The slot composition updates beneath the chips as you select — for example, "1 GK · 2 DEF · 2 MID · 2 FWD" — so you can see exactly how many players are in each position band before committing.

Tap the formation chip that best fits how your team plays. You can switch formations at any point before saving.

📝 Note — These formation names are specific to Squadd and may differ from the formations you use in coaching sessions. The numbers refer to outfield slots only — the goalkeeper is always in addition.

Step 2 — Review the auto-suggested lineup

After you select a formation, Squadd places your available players into the pitch positions automatically based on their assigned positions in your squad.

[Screenshot: Lineup Builder showing the full pitch view — green football pitch graphic with player cards placed across the formation. GK card shown in amber at the bottom. Outfield player cards shown in white with initial letter avatar, first name, and position label. One player card shows a padlock icon (🔒). The ⚽ Pitch toggle is selected green in the view switcher.] The pitch view — players placed by Squadd based on their squad positions. The GK is padlocked by default (amber card).

Each player card shows:

  • An initial letter avatar
  • The player's first name
  • Their position label (GK / DEF / MID / FWD)
  • A 🔒 padlock icon if they are locked into that slot

The GK is padlocked by default — this stops the auto-suggest from rotating your goalkeeper into outfield positions. You can unlock the GK manually if needed by tapping the padlock.

📝 Note — Check the auto-suggested lineup carefully before accepting it. If you don't have enough players in a particular position, Squadd may place a player in an unfamiliar role to fill the slot. Always verify positions look right before saving.

Step 3 — Swap players between positions

To move a player into a different position:

  1. Tap the first player card — it highlights to show it is selected.
  2. Tap a second player card — the two players swap positions.

[Screenshot: Lineup Builder pitch view with one player card highlighted/selected (slightly elevated or bordered). An arrow or annotation indicating the tap-to-swap interaction.] Tap to select a player, then tap another to swap them. The on-screen instruction text at the bottom of the pitch section confirms this.

💡 Tip — The instruction text printed on the pitch graphic reads: "Tap a player to select, then tap another to swap." If you lose track of which player is selected, tap anywhere on the empty pitch to deselect and start again.

Repeat this for any players you want to move. There is no limit to how many swaps you can make.

Step 4 — Lock players into position

If you want a player to stay in their position regardless of any auto-rotation, tap the 🔒 padlock icon on their card to lock them in.

A locked player:

  • Stays in their slot when you reset to the auto-suggested lineup
  • Is skipped in automatic rotation suggestions
  • Displays the padlock icon on their card as a visual reminder

To unlock a player, tap the padlock again.

📝 Note — The GK is locked by default. This is intentional — it prevents the auto-suggest from rotating your goalkeeper into outfield positions. Unlock the GK only if you specifically want to change who is in goal.

Step 5 — Set your bench

Scroll down below the pitch to the BENCH section. Players listed here are selected as available substitutes — they are not starting but can come on during the match.

[Screenshot: Lineup Builder scrolled to show the BENCH section below the pitch view — player rows with name and padlock icon.] The bench — players here are available as substitutes. Tap the padlock to lock a bench player into their bench slot.

Bench players can also be padlocked. A padlocked bench player stays on the bench during any auto-rotation suggestions.

Step 6 — Be careful with the refresh icon

⚠️ Warning — The 🔄 refresh icon in the top-right corner of the screen header resets the entire lineup to the auto-suggested starting point. All manual swaps, locks, and bench changes are lost immediately. There is no confirmation prompt and no undo. Tap it only if you want to start completely from scratch.

[Screenshot: Lineup Builder header showing the Back arrow, "Lineup" title, ? help icon, and the 🔄 refresh icon. Red box around the 🔄 icon with a warning callout.] The 🔄 icon resets your lineup entirely. Treat it with caution once you've made manual changes.

Step 7 — Plan substitutions (optional)

Below the bench, the SUB ROTATIONS section lets you pre-plan substitutions with specific minute windows. This feeds into the PROJECTED MINUTES and Fairness % calculations.

[Screenshot: Lineup Builder scrolled further to show the SUB ROTATIONS section — rows with green minute chips (e.g. 20'), an up arrow (player coming on), and a down arrow (player going off). PROJECTED MINUTES section visible below with player names and minute counts. FAIRNESS badge visible.] Sub Rotations let you plan who comes on and when. Projected Minutes and the Fairness % update as you add rotation windows.

For a full guide to planning substitutions and understanding Projected Minutes, see Planning substitution rotations and Understanding Projected Minutes and the Fairness percentage.

Step 8 — Save your lineup

When you're happy with the lineup and bench:

  1. Scroll to the bottom of the screen.
  2. Tap "Save Lineup & Rotation".

[Screenshot: Bottom of the Lineup Builder screen showing the full-width green "Save Lineup & Rotation" button.] Tap "Save Lineup & Rotation" to confirm your lineup. You can return and edit it at any time before the match starts.

Your lineup is saved and attached to the fixture. You can return to the Lineup Builder at any time before the match starts to make changes.

What happens next

Once your lineup is saved, return to the Fixture detail screen. On match day, tap the green button to start the live match — your saved lineup carries through automatically. See Recording a live match.

Tips

💡 Tip — Build your lineup a day or two before match day while you still have time to think. Then open it again on the morning of the match to make any last-minute changes based on who has confirmed.

💡 Tip — If a player's name appears in a position that doesn't match their usual role, they may be set to "All" in their squad profile — meaning they're counted as available for every position. Check their profile in the Squad tab if the lineup consistently places them incorrectly.

💡 Tip — Squadd remembers your last saved lineup for each fixture. If you make changes and then reset with 🔄, you lose everything since the last save — not just recent changes. Tap "Save Lineup & Rotation" regularly while making adjustments.

📝 Note — The List view (≡ icon in the view toggle) is an alternative way to see your starting players without the pitch graphic. The same swap and padlock interactions apply. Use whichever view you find easier.

Troubleshooting

I can't move the goalkeeper. The GK is padlocked by default. Tap the padlock icon on the GK card to unlock them first, then swap as normal.

A player is appearing in the wrong position. The auto-suggest places players based on their position in the squad. If a player is set to "All" in their profile, they can appear anywhere. Manually swap them into the correct slot after auto-suggest runs. To fix this long-term, update the player's position in the Squad tab.

I tapped the refresh icon and lost all my changes. The refresh resets to the last auto-suggested lineup — it cannot be undone. You'll need to manually redo your swaps. Going forward, save frequently with "Save Lineup & Rotation" as you make changes.

The "Large minute spread" warning banner is showing. This appears when the projected playing time is spread unevenly across your squad — some players are set to play significantly more minutes than others. Add more substitution windows in the SUB ROTATIONS section to even things out. See Planning substitution rotations.

My squad isn't showing in the lineup builder. Make sure players have been added to your squad in the Squad tab. Players without confirmed availability may not appear in the auto-suggest. See Setting availability for a fixture.

I can't find the Save button. Scroll to the very bottom of the screen — past the Sub Rotations and Projected Minutes sections. The "Save Lineup & Rotation" button is a full-width green button at the bottom.

Frequently asked questions

Can I change the lineup after saving it?

Yes. Return to the Fixture detail screen and tap "View Lineup" at any time before starting the match. Make your changes and tap "Save Lineup & Rotation" again to update.

What happens if I don't save a lineup before the match?

You can still start the match — the lineup builder is not required before going live. However, starting without a saved lineup means Squadd won't have pre-planned sub rotations or projected minutes to guide you during the game.

Can I use the Lineup Builder during the match?

No — the Lineup Builder is a pre-match planning tool. Once a match is started, substitutions are managed from the Live Match screen. See Recording a live match.

What does the Fairness % mean?

The Fairness % measures how evenly playing time is distributed across your squad. A lower percentage means time is more evenly spread; a higher percentage means some players are getting significantly more minutes than others. See Understanding Projected Minutes and the Fairness percentage.

Can I have more than one formation saved per fixture?

No — one lineup is saved per fixture at a time. Saving a new lineup overwrites the previous one.

What is the Custom formation option?

Custom lets you set your own slot numbers for each position band — useful if you use an unconventional shape. Tap Custom and adjust the GK / DEF / MID / FWD counts to match your formation.

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