4on4

4on4 is a competition format defined by two teams of four players each competing against one another. The term is used across a range of activities, including physical sports played on smaller courts or fields and digital, team-based multiplayer games. In physical versions, 4on4 replaces larger-team formats to create more space and faster decision-making, while maintaining the core objectives of the standard game. Games are typically shorter than full-scale matches, and rules may be modified to suit the smaller lineup, such as shorter halves, adjusted substitutions, or altered goal sizes. The style of play often emphasizes speed, close ball control, quicker transitions, and coordinated teamwork.

In video games and eSports, 4on4 refers to matches in which four players form each team. This format supports strategic coordination and role specialization depending on the game, with teams organizing around attackers, defenders, supports, or other duties. Maps and game modes are commonly designed to balance four-player teams and to encourage coordinated assaults, defense, and objective control. Tournaments frequently use formats such as best-of-one or best-of-three series, along with standard seeding or double-elimination structures in larger events.

The term 4on4 may be written as 4v4 or four-on-four and is applied flexibly according to local rulesets and governing bodies. See also: 3on3 and 5on5.