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 -free and -free tournaments is in P, and for -free tournaments it remains NP-complete. Moreover, we prove a necessary condition for all such that the MFBVS problem for -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}
}