- What data do football clubs use for match analytics
- Sports events API: what it is and what data it provides
- What metrics and statistics can be obtained through the sports data API
- How top clubs use APIs for tactical and game analytics
- Integration of sports events API into club analytics systems
- Limitations, security, and cost of using sports statistics API
What data do football clubs use for match analytics
A modern football club relies on dozens of layers of data. The basic level is advanced match statistics: shots on goal, passes by zones, ball possession, tackles, duels, fouls, set pieces. On top of this, game contexts are analyzed: in which half and at what score moments are created, how the team enters the final third, who most often makes decisions under pressure. The most advanced clubs complement this with tracking data (coordinates of players and the ball), GPS load indicators, and medical information, but even without their own tracking, deep analytics can already be obtained if one works correctly with a quality sports events API.
Through specialized APIs, football analytics departments receive structured data for each match in near real-time. This includes lineups and formations, event chronology, detailed statistics by halves and periods of play. For example, in the response of the endpoint /v2/football/matches/{matchId} available fields currentMatchMinute for monitoring the course of the match, array liveEvents with goals, cards, and substitutions, as well as a block matchStatistics, where team statistics on possession, shots, passes, duels, and actions in the penalty area are collected. This data allows analysts to accurately describe the team’s playing style and its strengths and weaknesses.
Clubs build internal dashboards for the coaching staff, automatic reports on opponents and their own matches, and models for evaluating the effectiveness of game schemes based on such data. It is important that the API provides a historical slice: one can analyze entire seasons, filter matches by tournaments and opponents, and track the dynamics of indicators. This approach is available not only to top clubs — it is enough to connect a stable data source and integrate it into their analytical processes.
Example of obtaining detailed match statistics for football
fetch('https://api.api-sport.ru/v2/football/matches/14570728', {
headers: {
Authorization: 'YOUR_API_KEY'
}
})
.then(response => response.json())
.then(match => {
console.log('Текущая минута:', match.currentMatchMinute);
console.log('Live-события:', match.liveEvents);
console.log('Статистика матча:', match.matchStatistics);
})
.catch(console.error);
Sports events API: what it is and what data it provides
The sports events API is a programming interface that returns structured data about matches, tournaments, teams, players, and betting odds in JSON format upon an HTTP request. Instead of manually collecting information from various sources, the analytics department or club developers make a request to a single entry point and receive clean, normalized data ready for loading into databases and BI systems. This approach reduces infrastructure costs, eliminates the human factor, and allows focusing on models and conclusions.
The platform Sports events API covers popular sports: football, hockey, basketball, tennis, table tennis, esports, and other disciplines. Through a single API, one can obtain a list of sports (/v2/sport), categories and tournaments, their seasons, as well as matches with complete statistics and live updates. Additionally, fields are available oddsBase with bookmaker coefficients and highlights with video highlights, which is important for clubs working with partner integrations and media content.
The key advantage of the API is that the data comes in a predictable schema: each field is documented, and the format does not change from match to match. This simplifies the development of complex analytical solutions — from scouting tools to internal tactical evaluation systems. As the service evolves, new features are added, including WebSocket support for instant updates and AI-based analytics modules, allowing clubs to build solutions with minimal latency and more accurate forecasting models.
Example of a request for a list of available sports
fetch('https://api.api-sport.ru/v2/sport', {
headers: {
Authorization: 'YOUR_API_KEY'
}
})
.then(response => response.json())
.then(sports => {
sports.forEach(sport => {
console.log(sport.id, sport.name, sport.slug, sport.apiBasePath);
});
})
.catch(console.error);
What metrics and statistics can be obtained through the sports data API
Through a professional sports data API, clubs receive much more than just «score and shots on goal.» In the block matchStatistics dozens of metrics are available, broken down by groups and periods of the match. For example, in football, one can analyze ball possession, the number and types of shots (on target, off target, blocked, from inside the box and outside it), the quality and volume of passes, entries into the final third, crosses, and long passes. These metrics allow for assessing how moments are created, how the team controls the ball, and how effectively it utilizes possession.
No less important is the block of duels and defensive actions. The API returns the number and percentage of won duels, tackles, interceptions, recoveries, and clearances, as well as goalkeeper statistics (saves, exits, goal kicks), and discipline — fouls, yellow and red cards. The data is structured by periods (for example, 1ST, 2ND, ALL), which allows for comparing the first and second halves, assessing the impact of substitutions, and changes in the game plan during the match.
Through the same endpoints, analysts obtain a detailed profile of teams and players: positions, age, preferred foot, physical parameters, market value, as well as events in the match through liveEvents. An additional layer of information is provided by the block oddsBase, which contains bookmaker lines: current and starting odds, the dynamics of their changes, and market status. This data allows for building advanced models that combine sports statistics with market expectations.
An example of a team’s match sample with advanced statistics
const date = '2025-09-03';
const teamId = 195801; // ID команды
fetch(`https://api.api-sport.ru/v2/football/matches?date=${date}&team_id=${teamId}`, {
headers: {
Authorization: 'YOUR_API_KEY'
}
})
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => {
console.log('Всего матчей:', data.totalMatches);
data.matches.forEach(match => {
console.log('Соперник:', match.awayTeam?.name || match.homeTeam?.name);
console.log('Статистика (ALL):', match.matchStatistics?.find(s => s.period === 'ALL'));
console.log('Коэффициенты:', match.oddsBase);
});
})
.catch(console.error);
How top clubs use APIs for tactical and game analytics
Top clubs build entire cycles of match preparation around the API. Before the game, analysts download all recent meetings of the opponent through parameters team_id, tournament_id и season_id . According to the data matchStatistics It is assessed where the team creates the greatest threat (through the flanks or center, through crosses or penetrating passes), how often they counterattack, and how many shots they allow from the penalty area. Additionally, liveEvents the timeline is analyzed: in which segments of the match the opponent is most vulnerable, when the coach most often makes substitutions, and how the style of play changes with different scores.
During the match, data from the API allows the coaching staff to make decisions faster. The field currentMatchMinute and live statistics help to understand whether the team is truly implementing the planned strategy: whether they manage to contain the opponent’s shots, whether they have succeeded in shifting the game to the desired area, and how set pieces are working. Combined with future support for WebSocket from the data provider, this allows for updates to be received almost instantly, without constant polling of servers, and to display fresh figures on coaches’ tablets or analytical screens in real time.
After the final whistle, clubs automatically generate reports for each match: they compare expected and actual metrics, evaluate the effectiveness of specific tactical decisions, and track progress throughout the season. Based on player and team endpoints, scouting reports are created, where statistical profiles of players are compared by position, age, and value. All this is only possible with a reliable API that consistently provides equally structured data across different tournaments and countries.
Example of preparing a report on the opponent’s recent matches
const opponentTeamId = 195800;
fetch(`https://api.api-sport.ru/v2/football/matches?team_id=${opponentTeamId}`, {
headers: {
Authorization: 'YOUR_API_KEY'
}
})
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => {
const lastMatches = data.matches.slice(0, 5);
lastMatches.forEach(match => {
const statsAll = match.matchStatistics?.find(s => s.period === 'ALL');
console.log('Матч:', match.tournament?.name, match.dateEvent);
console.log('Владение мячом:', statsAll?.groups?.[0]?.statisticsItems?.find(i => i.key === 'ballPossession'));
console.log('Удары всего:', statsAll?.groups?.find(g => g.groupName === 'Shots'));
});
})
.catch(console.error);
Integration of sports events API into club analytics systems
For effective use of sports data, it is important for clubs to properly integrate the API into the existing infrastructure. This usually looks like a chain: data service → intermediate layer (scripts, microservices) → database or storage → BI panels and internal web applications. Regular update tasks are performed on a schedule or in «almost real-time» mode, and the future emergence of WebSocket allows for a gradual transition to a fully event-driven architecture, where data reaches analytical screens immediately after a change on the provider’s side.
Through the personal account on the platform Sports data API the club receives an API key, which is used in the header Authorization for each request. Developers then configure services that retrieve the necessary endpoints: a list of sports and tournaments, matches, events, players, and teams. This data is stored in their own repository, where analysts, coaches, and scouts can access it without overloading the external API with unnecessary requests.
Internal interfaces are built on top of the storage: dashboards for matches and seasons, reporting on load and game metrics, panels for the scouting department and commercial divisions. Using data from Sports events API, the club can combine game metrics, betting odds, video highlights, and its own tags into one system. In the future, connecting AI modules will allow for automatic recognition of game patterns and the formation of recommendations for tactics or player selection.
Example of server integration with saving matches to the database
// Пример на Node.js с использованием fetch (Node 18+)
import fs from 'node:fs/promises';
async function loadTodayMatches() {
const res = await fetch('https://api.api-sport.ru/v2/football/matches', {
headers: {
Authorization: process.env.SPORT_API_KEY
}
});
const data = await res.json();
// В реальном проекте здесь вместо файла будет база данных
await fs.writeFile('./matches-today.json', JSON.stringify(data, null, 2));
console.log('Сохранено матчей:', data.totalMatches);
}
loadTodayMatches().catch(console.error);
Limitations, security, and cost of using sports statistics API
When working with any external sports statistics API, clubs need to consider technical and legal limitations. The service usually imposes limits on the number of requests per unit of time to ensure stability for all clients. Therefore, the architecture should be designed with caching and preloading of data in mind: storing already obtained information about tournaments, seasons, and teams in its own database, and updating only current matches, events, and odds through the API.
Security is ensured through API key authorization and the use of the secure HTTPS protocol. The key is transmitted in the header Authorization and should be stored in a secure place: in environment variables or secret storage, not in client code. Additionally, it is important to comply with data usage requirements: licenses for statistics and video, rules for displaying bookmaker odds, geographical restrictions. Professional providers, such as the platform Sports events API, document these aspects and help clubs establish correct data usage.
The cost of using the API usually depends on the number of sports, the depth of history, the frequency of updates, and the volume of requests. For small clubs and academies, there are plans with a limited number of calls and a basic set of data available, while professional organizations have extended plans with priority support, access to live statistics, betting odds, and future WebSocket/AI capabilities. By planning consumption wisely, one can achieve a level of data comparable to that used by top clubs at reasonable costs.
Example of a secure authorized request to the API
// Никогда не храните ключ в открытом виде в фронтенде
const apiKey = process.env.SPORT_API_KEY;
async function getMatchDetails(matchId) {
const res = await fetch(`https://api.api-sport.ru/v2/football/matches/${matchId}`, {
headers: {
Authorization: apiKey
}
});
if (!res.ok) {
throw new Error(`API error: ${res.status}`);
}
const match = await res.json();
return match;
}
getMatchDetails(14570728)
.then(match => console.log('Матч загружен:', match.id))
.catch(console.error);
