How Team Scores Are Calculated in Gymnastics Competitions

In gymnastics, team competitions are about more than just individual routines—they’re about how those routines come together to create one final score.

In team gymnastics, every routine contributes a single number to the team total, but that number comes from a dual scoring system. Each gymnast’s routine is evaluated using two key components:

Component	What it Measures	Range
D-score	Difficulty: Skill values, composition, and connection bonuses	Open-ended (no max limit)
E-score	Execution: Technique, form, artistry, and landings	Starts at 10.0, deductions reduce it

D-score (Difficulty): This is where gymnasts are rewarded for doing harder skills and combinations. There’s no upper limit—the more complex and risky the routine, the higher the D-score.

E-score (Execution): Judges start from a perfect 10 and subtract for errors like bent arms, poor form, missed handstands, and steps on landings. Falls usually result in a 1.0 deduction.

Neutral Deductions: These are not related to how well the skill was performed, but to rules violations—for example, going out of bounds, overtime, or improper attire. These are subtracted after the D and E scores are combined.

Final Routine Score Formula:

Final Score = D-score + E-score – Neutral Deductions

This single score is what gets plugged into the team scoring system. From local club meets to the Olympic stage, gymnastics team scoring follows different formats depending on the level.

Olympic & World Championships: How Team Scores Are Calculated

At the Olympic Games and FIG World Championships, team scoring is divided into two phases: Qualification and Team Final. Each phase uses a different team format.

Team Scoring Formats at a Glance

Phase	Roster Size	Compete per Apparatus	Scores That Count	Nickname
Qualification	5 gymnasts	4	Top 3	5–4–3 Format
Team Final	Same 5 gymnasts	3	All 3	3–3–3 Format

• 5–4–3 Format (Qualification): Each team brings 5 athletes. On each event, 4 compete, and the best 3 scores are added to the team total. One routine can be “dropped” per event.
• 3–3–3 Format (Team Final): Only 3 athletes compete per event, and all 3 scores count—no room for error. This format raises the pressure, as a single fall impacts the total with no backup.

Example: Paris 2024 Women’s Team Final

In the Paris 2024 Olympic Team Final, the United States Women’s Team won gold with a score of 169.262. Here’s what that looked like:

• 12 total counting routines (3 gymnasts × 4 events)
• Average score per routine: ~14.1
• Key factors: Higher difficulty (D-score) and consistent landings (E-score)

There were no dropped scores in the final, so every tenth of a point mattered.

Source: time.com

Why Drop a Score in Qualification?

The 5–4–3 format in qualifications allows teams to withstand a mistake or rotate lineups strategically. For example:

• If a gymnast has an off day, their score can be dropped.
• If someone is recovering from an injury, they can sit out certain events without hurting the team’s total.
• It rewards teams with greater depth, not just top-heavy talent.

By contrast, the 3–3–3 final demands perfection across the board—there’s nowhere to hide.

Collegiate Gymnastics Scoring (NCAA – United States)

In the U.S., NCAA gymnastics is one of the most popular formats, especially for women’s artistic gymnastics. Team scoring here is formatted for maximum excitement, with a focus on execution and consistency, not necessarily difficulty.

Here’s a breakdown of the team scoring format:

Division	Roster	Compete per Event	Scores Count	Result
Women	6 up	6	Best 5	20 routines → Score out of 200.000
Men	5 up	5	All 5	30 routines → No scores dropped

Sources: ncaa.com, collegegymnews.com

Women’s NCAA Gymnastics: 6 Up, 5 Count

• Team Format: On each of the four events (vault, bars, beam, and floor), six gymnasts compete, and the best five scores count.
• Total Routines: 4 events × 5 counting routines = 20 scores per team.
• Scoring Range: Each routine is scored out of 10.0 → Team total is out of 200.000.
• Elite Standard: A team scoring 198+ is considered championship-level; 199+ is elite territory.

Key Note: Most routines start from a perfect 10.0 (as opposed to the open-ended FIG D-score system), so execution becomes the primary focus. Judges use deductions from 10, making every detail—like stuck landings and pointed toes—critical.

Men’s NCAA Gymnastics: 5 Up, 5 Count

• Team Format: Five gymnasts compete per event (floor, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars, and high bar), and all five scores count.
• Total Routines: 6 events × 5 routines = 30 scores per team.
• No Drop Scores: This mirrors the pressure of FIG’s 3–3–3 team finals—every routine must hit.

Difficulty Caps: While men’s routines are still evaluated using FIG-style D + E scoring, NCAA rules often cap difficulty or standardize start values for scoring fairness. Execution is again the deciding factor.

USA Gymnastics Development & Xcel Team Scoring

In the USAG Development Program and Xcel levels, team scoring rules can vary slightly depending on the meet. However, most competitions follow two common patterns:

Common Team Formats

Meet Type	Max Athletes per Event	Scores Counted
Local/State/Regional Meets	Up to 6	Best 3 scores
National Team Competitions (e.g., Level 10 Westerns, DP Nationals)	Up to 6	Best 4 scores

Sources: static.usagym.org

Why This Format?

The goal is developmental:

• It encourages larger rosters and allows more gymnasts to compete.
• At the same time, it ensures fair comparison between gyms—whether they bring 3 athletes or 6—by only counting the top 3 or 4 scores per event.

This setup helps meet directors manage team awards fairly while promoting participation at all levels.

Other FIG Disciplines: Team Scoring at a Glance

While artistic gymnastics is the most well-known, other FIG disciplines like rhythmic and trampoline also have team formats—with very different scoring systems. Here’s a quick look:

Discipline	Team Concept	Scoring Method
Rhythmic Group	5 athletes perform together	One combined score per routine; team total = sum of two routines
Trampoline	Teams of 3 gymnasts per round	Based on ranking in each round: Points 5–4–3–2–1; lowest total wins

Source: gymnastics.sport

Tie-Break Procedures in Team Gymnastics

When two teams finish with the same total score, tie-breaking rules come into play. These rules differ slightly depending on the governing body.

FIG (International Competitions)

FIG uses a step-by-step system outlined in its Technical Regulations:

1. Compare total E-scores from all counted routines (execution).
2. If still tied, compare total D-scores (difficulty).
3. If the tie remains, both teams share the ranking (e.g., joint gold medal).

Source: gymnastics.sport

NCAA (U.S. Collegiate Gymnastics)

In NCAA team competitions, ties are broken with a different method:

1. Use the highest single dropped score (the 6th score not counted).
2. If still tied, compare the highest event total between teams.
3. If needed, look at head-to-head results from earlier in the season or competition.

Source: NCAA Championship Manuals