English

Complexity of the Feedback Vertex Set Problem in Tournaments with Forbidden Subtournaments

Combinatorics 2026-01-27 v1 Discrete Mathematics

Abstract

In this paper, we consider the complexity of the minimum feedback vertex set problem (MFBVS) for tournaments with forbidden subtournaments. The MFBVS problem in general tournaments is known to be NP-complete. We prove that the MFBVS problem for W5W_5-free and U5U_5-free tournaments is in P, and for T5T_5-free tournaments it remains NP-complete. Moreover, we prove a necessary condition for all HH such that the MFBVS problem for HH-free tournaments is in P. We also show that the necessary condition is not sufficient.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2601.17169,
  title  = {Complexity of the Feedback Vertex Set Problem in Tournaments with Forbidden Subtournaments},
  author = {Sophie Spirkl and Yun Xing},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2601.17169},
  year   = {2026}
}