1. Create the server
- In Discord, click the + (Add a Server) button at the bottom of the server list.
- Choose Create My Own, then For a club or community.
- Name it so people searching for Minecraft find it — for example "Minecraft LFG" plus your region or language — and upload an icon.
- Open Server Settings → Enable Community. This unlocks Onboarding, a rules screen and announcement channels, which the next steps use.
2. Set up Minecraft channels
Create a category for each group below. Voice channels get a user limit that matches a real Minecraft party size, so lobbies don't overfill.
Start Here
| #rules | Rules, including sharing server IPs only in LFG channels. |
| #announcements | Server news and community build events. |
LFG
| #survival-lfg | Finding players for survival worlds and SMPs. |
| #minigames-lfg | Groups for minigame and public servers. |
Community
| #builds | Screenshots of builds and projects. |
Voice
| Group of 4 | Four-player group. User limit: 4 |
| Group of 6 | Six-player group. User limit: 6 |
3. Create rank and role roles
Minecraft matchmaking isn't rank-based, so skip rank roles and use roles that help people find the right group instead.
Use interest roles instead: Survival, Building, Redstone, Minigames, Modded, plus Java and Bedrock edition roles since the two can't always play together.
Let members pick their own roles in Server Settings → Onboarding: add one question per role group so new members choose when they join. Onboarding needs at least 7 default channels, 5 of which @everyone can post in — the layout above covers that once you add a general chat channel or two.
4. Permissions and moderation
- Make #rules and #announcements read-only for
@everyone(deny Send Messages). - Turn on slowmode (30–60 seconds) in LFG channels so posts don't get buried.
- Open Server Settings → Safety Setup: set the verification level to at least Medium, and under AutoMod block spam, mention spam and harmful links.
- Create a Moderator role with Manage Messages and Timeout Members, and give it to a few trusted regulars.
Minecraft servers draw a wide age range. Use a higher verification level, enable AutoMod's explicit-content presets, and require that shared server IPs only go in LFG channels so unknown servers can't be spammed everywhere.
5. Add Matchmaker so your server isn't empty
The hardest part of a new LFG server is that nobody is online to play with yet. Matchmaker fixes that: it connects your server to one shared queue with Minecraft players from every other server using the bot.
- Add Matchmaker to your server — it's free.
- Members run
/joingameand pick Minecraft, a mode. Supported modes: Casual. - When a match forms, every player gets a ready-check DM to accept or decline.
- Once everyone accepts, a private voice channel is created automatically for the lobby.
6. Grow your Minecraft server
- Add Java and Bedrock roles — edition is the first thing that decides who can play together.
- Host a monthly community build challenge with a theme.
- Keep a pinned list of trusted community SMPs.
- Let long-running groups get their own private text channel.
FAQ
Do Minecraft LFG servers need rank roles?
No. Minecraft isn't ranked, so interest roles (Survival, Building, Redstone, Minigames, Modded) and edition roles work much better.
Can Matchmaker find Minecraft players?
Yes. It runs a casual queue matched by group size, from 2 to 6 players.
Should a Minecraft Discord separate Java and Bedrock?
Yes, with roles at least. Players on different editions often can't join the same world, so it saves wasted invites.
How do I stop server-IP spam in a Minecraft Discord?
Allow IPs only in LFG channels and add an AutoMod rule that blocks them elsewhere.