Modern sports data has become an important part of business, analytics, and entertainment. Developers, sports media, betting platforms, and analysts face the need to quickly and accurately obtain information about matches, players, and transfers. This is where sports APIs come to the rescue — tools that allow for the automation of data collection and integration into applications, websites, and analytical platforms.
API-sport service offers reliable and structured access to sports information, including live scores, statistics, team lineups, and transfer history. For sports professionals and developers, this is an indispensable tool for analysis, forecasting, and building data visualizations.
Who it is useful for:
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Developers — create applications, widgets, bots with up-to-date sports information.
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Betting platforms — use data to calculate odds and monitor matches.
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Sports media — publish fresh news and analytics in real-time.
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Analysts and researchers — build forecasts, reports, and visualizations based on historical data.
What is API and API-sport?
API (Application Programming Interface) — is an interface that allows programs to interact with each other and obtain structured data. In the sports field, APIs are used to obtain information about matches, players, teams, and transfers without the need to manually collect data from websites.
API-sport — is a platform, providing a full range of sports information. The service is known for its reliability and popularity among developers, analysts, and betting companies.
What is available through API-sport:
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Live data – match results, goals, substitutions, cards.
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Player and team statistics – number of goals, assists, season metrics.
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Archive data – results of past seasons, transfer history, player rankings.
The features of API-sport lie in its versatility, speed, and accuracy. Firstly, it is a universal tool: the same API allows access to data across dozens of sports, from football and hockey to tennis and esports, which significantly simplifies the work of developers and analysts. Secondly, the API ensures a high speed of information updates in real-time, allowing users to always receive up-to-date results, team lineups, and transfer data. And finally, the accuracy of the data is guaranteed by the fact that the information comes exclusively from official sources and verified partners, making the API a reliable tool for professional projects, betting, and analytics.
Transfermarkt API: how to obtain data on transfers and player values
With the Transfermarkt API via API-sport, you can obtain:
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Information on player transfers, including dates, clubs, and amounts.
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Current market value of players.
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Team lineups, match results, and player statistics.
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Data for calculating rates, coefficients, and forecasts.
Supported sports
Although Transfermarkt specializes in football, data for other sports can be obtained through API-sport:
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Football
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Hockey
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Basketball
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Tennis
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Cyber sports and eSports
Technologies and formats
API-sport supports modern technologies for integration:
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REST API — the standard for requests and data retrieval.
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WebSocket — for receiving live updates without constant polling of the server.
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JSON and XML — data formats for convenient use in applications.
How to access the API?
You can officially obtain data on transfers and player values through the Transfermarkt API using the platform API-sport. This method is the most reliable and secure, as it provides direct access to up-to-date information without intermediaries.
To get started, you need to register on the platform. The registration process is simple: just provide your contact details and create an account. After that, you will have the ability to manage your API keys and rates.
The next step is to obtain a unique API key. This key allows you to identify yourself as a user and control access to the data. With it, you can connect applications, websites, and analytical systems to the API, receive live results, information about transfers, player and team statistics.
After registration and obtaining the key, it is necessary to choose a suitable tariff. The platform offers free and paid options:
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Free tariffs provide limited access to data. Typically, the number of requests per minute or hour is limited, and updates may occur with a slight delay. This tariff is suitable for testing the API, small projects, or educational purposes.
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Paid subscriptions provide full access to live data, extended statistics, transfer history, and archival data. There are no significant limitations on the number of requests, and the speed of information updates is maximally high. This option is optimal for professional projects, large sports portals, analytical platforms, and betting companies.
10. RapidAPI, SportRadar, and other platforms provide access to BetsAPI and Livescore API through their channels. This is convenient for developers who need ready-made integrations and reliable SLAs.
If official access is unavailable or additional data sources are needed, third-party aggregators can be used:
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RapidAPI combines several sports APIs, including data on transfers, matches, and statistics. However, it has limitations on the number of requests, and extended access is provided for a fee.
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SportRadar is a reliable source of information for professional projects. The platform provides high-quality and up-to-date data, but the subscription can be expensive, and integration requires experience with APIs.
17. Number of requests per minute/hour
Even with official access, it is important to consider limits and restrictions:
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There is a maximum number of requests per minute or hour, which depends on the chosen tariff.
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The use of live data may be limited in free plans, so for projects with instant updates, it is better to use a paid tariff.
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The speed of information updates directly depends on the type of subscription: the higher the tariff, the more frequently and quickly new data arrives.
Thus, official access through API-sport provides a reliable, fast, and accurate way to integrate the Transfermarkt API into your projects, while allowing you to choose a tariff for specific needs — from test solutions to professional applications with live data.
API Integration
Connection examples
Python:
import requests
url = «https://api-sport.pro/transfermarkt/player/transfer»
headers = {«X-API-Key»: «your_key»}
response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
data = response.json()
print(data)
JavaScript:
fetch(«https://api-sport.pro/transfermarkt/player/transfer», {
headers: {«X-API-Key»: «your_key»}
})
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => console.log(data));
Integration into CMS and mobile applications
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WordPress — you can display widgets with transfer data and player values.
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Android/iOS — data can be easily integrated via REST API or WebSocket for live updates.
Using live data via WebSocket
Using WebSocket allows for instant updates, which is beneficial for:
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betting platforms, where every minute counts;
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sports applications, so users can see transfers and changes in player values in real time.
Where is it used?
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In betting and odds scanners — for calculating chances and monitoring results.
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In sports analytics and forecasts — building models and visualizations.
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In media and fan applications — publishing current news.
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In Fantasy Sports and esports — managing rosters and forecasts.
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In BI systems and Big Data projects — integration into analytics and reports.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of using API-sport are obvious and make it a valuable tool for professional projects. Firstly, the service provides extensive coverage of sports and transfers, allowing access to data not only for football but also for hockey, basketball, tennis, and even esports. Secondly, the high speed of data updates ensures that information about matches, team lineups, and transfers is always current. And finally, the accuracy of the information is confirmed by the fact that the data comes exclusively from official sources and verified partners, making it reliable for analytics, forecasts, and media.
On the other hand, there are some limitations. Paid plans can be expensive for small projects or startups, which should be considered when planning the budget. Free plans have limits on the number of requests, and there may be delays in updating information. Finally, API integration can be challenging for beginners who lack experience with programming interfaces and data formats such as REST or WebSocket.
API alternatives
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SportRadar — reliable but more expensive, suitable for large projects.
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RapidAPI — a convenient aggregator, but with limits and restrictions.
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The Odds API — optimal for odds and betting.
The use of alternatives is justified if specific local coverage or exclusive data not available in API-sport is needed.
In summary
Transfermarkt API through API-sport — is a reliable tool for obtaining data on transfers and player values, statistics, team lineups, and live results. The service is suitable for both professional developers and betting platforms, media, analysts, and fans.
To access the API, register on the official platform: Registration
Follow updates and news through our Telegram channel: Our TG channel.
FAQ
Is there free access to the Transfermarkt API?
Yes, a basic free plan with limitations on the number of requests and updates is available through API-sport.
What sports are supported?
Football, hockey, basketball, tennis, esports, and others.
Is the API suitable for betting and predictions?
Yes, data on transfers, team compositions, and player statistics are actively used for predictions and calculating odds.
How to connect the API to the application?
Through REST requests or WebSocket for live data, you can use Python, JavaScript, as well as integrations in CMS and mobile applications.
Can the API be used for analytics and BI?
Yes, API-sport provides structured data suitable for building reports, dashboards, and Big Data projects.
How often is the data updated?
The update speed depends on the plan: live data is updated almost instantly on paid plans, archived data with a slight delay.
