Fortnite custom matches give players a clean way to run private Battle Royale games for scrims, community events, and practice. They also help creators control who enters a lobby, which makes matches feel more organized and fair. Many players search for “how to make a custom match in Fortnite” because they want a private game without random teammates or unwanted opponents.

Still, custom matchmaking does not work like a normal public queue. Fortnite locks hosting behind specific account access, and the game also requires the right mode and settings. Once you know the rules, setup takes less than a minute

What is a custom match in Fortnite?

A custom match is a private Battle Royale lobby that uses a Custom Matchmaking Key. Players enter the same key to queue into the same match. The host starts the match manually to play Fortnite.

Custom matches work best for:

• Scrims and practice games
• Tournament-style community events
• Streamer games with invited viewers
• Private testing with a controlled group

How to make a custom match in Fortnite

Use these steps to host a custom match:

1. Open Fortnite and stay in the Lobby.
2. Select Battle Royale as your game mode.
3. Set the same server region as your participants.
4. Open the mode screen and find Custom Key in the bottom-right area.

5. Enter a Custom Matchmaking Key:
   1. Use 4–16 characters
   2. Use letters and numbers only
   3. Avoid special characters
6. Click Accept, then click Play.

7. Share the key with your group and tell everyone to queue right away.
8. Click Start Match when you are ready.

Quick hosting tips:

• Hide the key on stream to reduce unwanted joins.
• Use a unique key that people cannot guess.
• Ask everyone to ready up before you start.

How to do private 1v1 in Fortnite

Most players run private 1v1s through Creative or UEFN islands, since custom matchmaking hosting needs special access. You can check out our Fortnite maps guide to find the best 1v1 map.

A simple private 1v1 flow:

1. Invite your friend to your party.
2. Set party privacy to Private or Friends Only.
3. Load a 1v1 island from Discovery or an island code.
4. Start the game and reset rounds as needed.

This setup still counts as a custom-style game for practice, even if it does not use a Battle Royale custom key.

Why can’t I make a custom match in Fortnite?

Custom matches fail for a few common reasons. Fixes usually take minutes once you isolate the cause.

Your account lacks custom matchmaking access

Some accounts cannot host custom matches, even if they can join them.

Fix

1. Check if your account has the required creator or developer access.
2. Complete any setup steps tied to that access.
3. Restart Fortnite and look for the Custom Key option again.

You use the wrong mode or server region

Fortnite only allows custom keys in Battle Royale, and regions must match.

Fix

1. Switch to Battle Royale in the lobby.
2. Open Settings and set the same Matchmaking Region for everyone.
3. Re-enter the key and queue again.

Your matchmaking key fails validation

Keys follow strict rules, and players must enter them exactly.

Fix

1. Create a new key with 4–16 characters.
2. Use only letters and numbers.
3. Share the key in a copyable format and remind players about exact case.
4. Ask players to queue before you start the match, since late joins often fail