A little bit of planning goes a long way. Before the shoot, track down a team roster. This will give you an idea of just how many players you need to place in the shot. Most teams can be assembled into a single photo by varying the height without props simply by varying the position. But, you don’t want to be blindsided by a football team with a big second string and no way to get them all into one photo. By planning ahead, you know if you need to move that photo to the bleachers to fit everyone in.
https://www.creativelive.com/blog/sports-teams-photography-tips/