Bteams

Bteams (often written as B teams) refers to secondary squads linked to a parent organization, typically designed for development, depth, and continuity. The concept is most common in sports, especially football (soccer), where B teams operate as reserve or development teams that train with the first team and compete in their own leagues. Their purposes include giving game time to young prospects, preserving fitness for injured players, and testing tactical ideas away from the first squad. B teams can help a club identify talent for promotion to the main team and provide a structured pathway for youth players to progress.

In football, B teams usually compete in national or regional leagues that are separate from the top division. Rules in different countries vary; in many leagues, B teams are not permitted to play in the same division as their parent club, and there may be age or squad composition limits. Well-known examples include Real Madrid Castilla and FC Barcelona B in Spain, which have spent time in the Segunda División and Primera Federación, respectively, while remaining ineligible for top-tier promotion if it would place them in the same division as their senior side.

Outside football, B teams also appear in other sports and in esports where a main organization fields a secondary roster, often labeled as an academy or development team. In business or project contexts, the term can describe a backup or contingency team designed to assume responsibilities if the primary team cannot continue.