Floodlit 5-a-side football pitch at night

Getting Started

Welcome to Capo! You've just created your group — here's how to get your first game set up and your mates involved. It only takes a few minutes.

New to Capo?

Watch the complete setup walkthrough

A 22-minute video covering everything from your first match to full automation. Skip to any chapter.

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Use it your way

Capo can be as simple or as advanced as you want it to be. You don't have to use every feature from day one — start with what you need and add more over time:

•Solo admin — Track matches yourself and share stats or match reports with your group via WhatsApp. Nobody else needs to download the app.
•Invite players — Get them on the app so they can view their own stats, profiles and leaderboard positions whenever they want.
•RSVP mode — Let players book their own spot through the app instead of you chasing replies on WhatsApp.
•Payments & passes — Collect match fees automatically and offer season passes for your regulars.

Most groups start simple and grow into the features that suit them.

What happens when you sign up

When you create a Capo group, you become the admin. That means you're in charge of inviting players, setting up matches, and choosing how teams get balanced. Don't worry — it's all pretty straightforward, and Capo handles the heavy lifting.

You'll see a simple dashboard with your next steps. The goal is to get your first match set up so everyone can see what Capo does.

Tip

There are two views in the app — Admin and Player. Most admins also play, so you can switch between them using the hamburger menu at the top of the screen. Admin view is where you manage matches and settings. Player view is what your players see.

Your first four steps

Here's the quick checklist for getting started. You can do these in any order, but this flow works well for most groups:

Invite your players

Share your group's invite link or club code with the lads. They can sign up and join without you needing to add them manually. You can also add players yourself if you prefer.

Create a season

Seasons are how Capo groups your matches for leaderboards and stats. Most groups run January to December, or split into two half-seasons. You can start tracking stats from day one.

Set up your first match

Head to Matches and tap New Match. Pick a date, set your team size (5-a-side, 6-a-side, etc.), and you're ready. Players will see the upcoming game on their dashboard.

Balance and play

On matchday, open the Match Control Centre. Add players to the pool, tap Lock & Balance, and Capo sorts the teams. After the game, enter the score to start building everyone's stats.

Tip

You don't need loads of players to start. Even 6 players is enough to run your first match and see how Capo works.

After your first match

Once you've completed a match and entered the score, things start to come alive:

•Stats appear — Players can see their games played, goals, win rate, and more on their personal dashboard.
•Leaderboards update — The season table shows who's top of the pile.
•Balancing improves — Capo starts learning who works well together and who's on form.
•Streaks and milestones unlock — Win a few in a row? Players get "On Fire" badges. Hit 50 games? Capo celebrates it.

The more matches you run through Capo, the smarter the team balancing gets and the more your stats tell a story.

Good to know

For the first few matches, team balancing uses "random" mode or ability ratings you set. Once Capo has 5+ matches of data, performance-based balancing kicks in automatically.

Optional: Customise your group

Once you're up and running, you might want to tweak a few things:

•Team names — Change "Orange" and "Green" to whatever your bibs actually are.
•Fantasy points — Adjust how many points you get for a win, draw, or goal.
•Voting — Turn on Man of the Match and Donkey of the Day voting after games.
•RSVP mode — Let players book their own spot instead of you chasing everyone on WhatsApp.

All of these live in Settings in your admin menu. None of them are required — Capo works great out of the box.

You're all set

That's genuinely it. Get a few mates in, run a match, enter the score — and you'll see why groups love Capo. If you get stuck, check the other help articles or join our Discord.

Inviting Players →Creating a Match →Setting Up Seasons →Match Control Centre →