How Many Teams per Scrum Master

I am often asked, how many teams can a Scrum Master support? Like so many things in Scrum, the answer is that it depends. The maturity of the teams, the organizational structure, the priority of the work and even the seniority of the Scrum Master are all factors to consider. There is no single, "right" answer.

But here are a few key factors to consider.

1. Team Maturity

Highly Mature Teams → 3 Teams

When a team is experienced with Scrum and able to self-manage effectively, the Scrum Master’s focus shifts from daily coaching to fostering continuous improvement. In this case, the Scrum Master may be able to support three Scrum teams (assuming that they are all in the same area of business supporting the same product using a simple scaling framework like Nexus to manage communications.) However, even if they are supporting multiple mature teams, a Scrum Master can typically focus on performance improvements for only one or two teams at a time. Improvement work tends to be deep and requires attention, observation, and intentional coaching.

New or Struggling Teams → 1 Team Only

When a team is new to Scrum or going through significant challenges, the Scrum Master’s involvement increases dramatically:

• Coaching the basics

• Helping the team form working agreements

• Educating the Product Owner and stakeholders

• Removing impediments daily

• Reinforcing Scrum roles and accountabilities

In these situations, it is common—and often necessary—for a Scrum Master to focus on one team exclusively until they reach a stable level of maturity.

2. Supporting Multiple Teams Is Easier When They Work on the Same Product

There is a substantial difference between supporting multiple teams on the same product versus multiple products.

Teams Supporting the Same Product (e.g., Nexus)

When several teams work toward a single Product Goal, the Scrum Master benefits from:

• Shared context

• Consistent stakeholders

• Unified metrics

• A single product vision

• Easier cross-team alignment

In frameworks like Nexus, where teams coordinate around one product, a Scrum Master may effectively support two or three teams - or sometimes even more - assuming they are reasonably mature.

Teams Supporting Different Products

Supporting teams on separate products introduces more variables:

• Different product visions

• Different Product Backlog refinement cadences

• Different stakeholders and environments

• More context switching for the Scrum Master

In this scenario, the realistic limit is usually two or three teams—even for a seasoned Scrum Master.

3. Additional Responsibilities Reduce Team Capacity

If the Scrum Master Also Leads the Nexus Integration Team (NIT)

The Nexus Integration Team requires:

• Oversight of integration practices

• Facilitating cross-team refinement

• Ensuring Done increments each Sprint

• Guiding teams on dependency resolution

Because of this workload, a Scrum Master in the NIT role may only have capacity to support one additional Scrum team, depending on the level of integration challenges and the size of the Nexus.

If the Scrum Master Is Also a Project Manager

When someone is simultaneously:

• Managing project timelines

• Reporting project status

• Handling budget or scope discussions

• Coordinating with stakeholders

• Facilitating Scrum events

…the workload can be substantial. A dual Project Manager–Scrum Master typically can support only one Scrum team—especially in complex or high-visibility projects.

4. Seniority and Skill Level Matter

A seasoned Scrum Master has:

• A stronger coaching toolkit

• Better facilitation skills

• Experience removing complex impediments

• Better stakeholder and organizational navigation skills

As a result, senior Scrum Masters may comfortably support more teams, while newer Scrum Masters often need to focus more deeply on fewer teams.

5. The Most Common Case in Most Organizations

In practical, real-world environments:

• A Scrum Master can support two or three teams effectively in most situations.

• Even if both teams need improvement, two is often manageable—though demanding.

• One team receives focused improvement attention at a time, while the other receives baseline support.

This balance maximizes effectiveness without overwhelming the Scrum Master or compromising team performance.

What do leaders say about this?

Here's what leaders and Scrum Masters have to say about the Scrum Master accountability.

"Too often, Scrum Masters are relegated to administrative tasks (scheduling meetings, moving Jira tickets, etc.) rather than being empowered to drive real change. When fully leveraged, Scrum Masters become catalysts for continuous improvement, not just facilitators of ceremonies. While they can guide multiple mature teams, meaningful transformation requires focused attention. The most effective model I’ve seen is to embed a Scrum Master with a team until it reaches maturity (typically 9 to 12 months) before shifting focus to a new team. As they transition, their role evolves into coaching and advisory support for the mature team, ensuring sustained growth while igniting progress elsewhere.” - Chris Diller, Product Leader and Certified Team Coach"

“Through my journey as a Scrum Master, the max number of teams I supported at a time was three. It was short lived, and one team was removed because of the level of attention each team needed, and I advocated for my own sanity and well-being. I was thankful for supportive supervision who allowed us to communicate about workload balance instead of just piling the work on. When joining a team, I want to make sure I can give my best effort to support them on all levels (individual to organization), while also feeling stretched, and two teams was (and still is) the right fit for me.” Cameron Clinton-Earl, IT Scrum Master 3, WPS Health Solutions

Conclusion

There is no single correct number of teams a Scrum Master can support. However, these guidelines help frame realistic expectations:

Team Situation	Max Teams a Scrum Master Can Support
Very new team / major coaching needed	1
Teams supporting different products	2
Mature teams working on same product (e.g., Nexus)	3
Scrum Master also leads the Nexus Integration Team	1–2 total
Scrum Master doubling as Project Manager	1
Most standard real-world cases	2

The goal isn’t to maximize the number of teams per Scrum Master—it’s to maximize team performance and delivery of value. The right number is the one that ensures teams are supported, impediments are removed, and continuous improvement actually happens.

Or you could just ask the Scrum Master in question how many teams that they feel comfortable supporting in this environment - and why. The answer should be very illuminating!

Rebel Scrum is the host of the upcoming Scrum Day Agile conferences in Houston, Texas, and Madison, Wisconsin.