Data Sources & Methodology

Live scores, match status, and results are sourced from a third-party football data provider via a real-time API. This covers all 104 World Cup 2026 matches — 72 group-stage games and 32 knockout matches. We do not manually enter scores or results; data flows automatically once the provider syncs it after each match event.

The data pipeline works as follows: the provider updates their system from stadium feeds, our server polls the provider API at intervals, the new data is stored in a shared cache, and pages display the most recent cached snapshot. Cached snapshots refresh every 10 seconds during live matches and every 90 seconds when no matches are in progress.

During live matches, a page will show scores within approximately 30–90 seconds of the actual match event, depending on the upstream provider's own update cycle and network conditions. We do not guarantee real-time accuracy to the second.

Goal scorer and match event data (bookings, substitutions) come from an additional enrichment source that supplements our primary match data. Scorer data may lag scores by several minutes — it is common for a goal to appear before the scorer's name is attributed.

We apply a reconciliation process to verify that the number of goal events recorded matches the final score. Where discrepancies exist, we prioritise score accuracy over scorer data. If a scorer is listed incorrectly, we apply known corrections from our verified corrections file and accept reports from users for further fixes.

Group standings are computed by our own code from completed, synced match results. We do not use a pre-computed standings feed from our provider — instead, we calculate points, goal difference, goals scored, and tiebreaker criteria from scratch using our result data. This means standings only update once match results are marked as complete by the provider.

Each group page shows a "Standings last synced" timestamp to indicate the freshness of the data. Third-place ranking is computed by the same logic, across all 12 groups simultaneously.

Fixture schedules (dates, kickoff times, venues, group assignments) are hardcoded into the site from official pre-tournament information published by FIFA. Kickoff times are stored in UTC and converted to local time zones on the client side. Squad lists are sourced from officially announced squads and are static — they do not update during the tournament.

Prize money figures are sourced from FIFA's publicly published financial breakdown. All-time World Cup records shown in the Statistics section are sourced from publicly available historical records and are not live data.

If the live data feed is unavailable, the site falls back to the last successfully cached snapshot. In this state, a "Live data unavailable" banner appears on affected pages, and scores shown may not reflect current match state. We do not fabricate or estimate scores during outages — only confirmed synced data is displayed.

WorldCupMatchDay is an independent fan project. We are not affiliated with FIFA, any national football federation, any stadium, broadcaster, or official sponsor. Our content is produced independently and is not influenced by any commercial or official relationship with tournament bodies.

If you see a score, scorer name, venue, or any other piece of data that appears incorrect, please email us at worldcupmatchday@proton.me. Include:

• The match name (e.g. "France vs Senegal, Group I")
• What you see that appears incorrect
• The correct information, with a source reference if possible

We review reports and aim to respond as promptly as we can during the tournament period (11 June – 19 July 2026). Confirmed corrections are applied to our verified corrections file and take effect on the next data sync.