Hockey API and KHL API: data on hockey matches

Sports products — from live feeds on the website to automated betting — depend on accurate and timely data. Sports APIs solve this problem: they provide results, statistics, team lineups, real-time events, and historical archives in a format that is convenient for programmatic processing.

In this article, we discuss API-sport — a popular platform that aggregates data across multiple sports (including hockey and KHL), provides REST endpoints and WebSocket pushes, and offers pricing from free trials to corporate plans.

Who it is useful for:

  • Application and website developers — for displaying match cards, tables, and statistics.

  • Betting platforms and arbitrage services — for comparing lines and calculating odds.

  • Sports media — timely news and visualizations.

  • Analysts and data scientists — backtesting, forecasts, analytical dashboards.

What is an API?

API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of rules and endpoints through which external applications access the data and functionality of a service. In the sports field, the API provides structured data about matches, players, teams, and bets — usually in JSON or XML.

API-sport — is a commercial platform/aggregator of sports data gaining popularity due to its wide coverage of leagues, clear documentation, and combination of REST + WebSocket. The history of the service — from a statistics aggregator startup to a multi-sport platform with several pricing plans and SDK. Important advantages of API-sport:

  • A wide range of data: live events, detailed match statistics, historical archives.

  • Convenient documentation and examples.

  • The ability to access different sports simultaneously through a single subscription.

What data is available (in general and at API-sport):

  • Live events (goals, penalties, substitutions, periods).

  • Scores and match chronology.

  • Player and team statistics (shots, throw-in percentage, time in attack, etc.).

  • Lineups, substitutions, injuries, and transfers.

  • Odds (in a number of integrations / through partners).

  • Match archives and tournament tables.

Features of API-sport compared to others

The feature API-sport compared to other providers is its versatility and well-thought-out structure. The platform offers a unified, standardized access to several sports at once — from football and hockey to esports disciplines. As a result, developers do not need to connect dozens of different sources: all data is available through one ecosystem and the same endpoints.

In addition, API-sport combines two approaches to data transmission — classic REST for historical and statistical queries, and WebSocket for real-time event updates. This solution allows the service to be used for both analytics and report generation, as well as for live projects where minimal latency and update accuracy are important.

The pricing system deserves special attention. API-sport allows you to start with a free trial level and then smoothly transition to paid plans as the project grows. This makes the platform flexible and accessible — for both small startups and large commercial systems working with large volumes of data.

Hockey API and KHL API: data on hockey matches

The Hockey API is created with a focus on maximum detail for each hockey match. It is not limited to just the final score — the system allows you to get results for each period separately, tracking the dynamics of the match over time. Inside the match, a step-by-step chronicle of events is available: goals scored, penalties, fouls, and even disciplinary sanctions until the end of the period or match. This makes the Hockey API a valuable tool for both analysts and live feed developers.

Special attention is given to individual player statistics: number of goals, assists, playing time, shot conversion percentage. For goalkeepers, a separate set of metrics is collected — saves, number of saves, save percentage, and goals conceded. In addition, the API transmits information about team lineups, line changes, as well as injuries and suspensions.

The historical data layer is no less important — the API provides access to match archives, results of past meetings between teams (head-to-head), tournament tables, schedules, and playoff structure. For projects related to betting, the Hockey API can additionally provide odds through partner integrations, as well as extended analytical metrics similar to xG, which help calculate outcome probabilities and assess team effectiveness.

Supported sports

  • Football, hockey, basketball, tennis, volleyball.

  • Esports (CS, Dota, LoL, etc.).

  • Focused niches: rugby, baseball, American football, etc.

Technologies and formats

  • REST-API (HTTP GET/POST) — a universal format for requests and obtaining historical data.

  • WebSocket — push events for live (better for minimal latency).

  • Response formats: JSON (standard), sometimes XML upon request.

  • Authentication: usually an API key in the header (for example X-API-KEY or Authorization: Bearer).

Official access

Usually, the scheme is simple: registration on the platform → obtaining an API key → selecting a tariff plan (trial/free, paid). Tariffs differ in request limits, response time, depth of historical data, and access to WebSocket.

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.

In addition to API-sport, hockey and KHL data can be obtained through:

  • Aggregators on marketplaces (RapidAPI).

  • Large providers like SportRadar — they are focused on the premium segment and the betting market.

  • Local/niche providers that specialize specifically in hockey or regional leagues.

12. Free plans usually include limited access to historical data and basic statistics. Paid subscriptions unlock:

  • Free plans are often limited: a small number of requests per minute, update delays, limited access to archives, and partial league coverage.

  • Paid plans unlock: high request limits, WebSocket pushes, full archive, SLA, and commercial support.

17. Number of requests per minute/hour

  • Number of requests per minute/day.

  • Limitation on the number of parallel WebSocket connections.

  • Speed of live data updates (in paid plans — minimal delay, in free plans — greater lag).

  • Geographic or licensing restrictions on certain leagues (sometimes data rights for broadcasts are limited).

API Integration

Python (REST, requests)

import requests

API_KEY = «YOUR_API_KEY»
BASE = «https://api.api-sport.ru/v1» # approximate structure

headers = {
«Authorization»: f»Bearer {API_KEY}»,
«Accept»: «application/json»,
}

# Example: get a list of KHL matches on a date
resp = requests.get(f»{BASE}/hockey/matches», params={«league»: «khl», «date»: «2025-11-13»}, headers=headers)
data = resp.json()
print(data)

JavaScript (fetch)

const API_KEY = «YOUR_API_KEY»;
const BASE = «https://api.api-sport.ru/v1»;

fetch(`${BASE}/hockey/matches?league=khl&date=2025-11-13`, {
headers: {
«Authorization»: `Bearer ${API_KEY}`,
«Accept»: «application/json»
}
})
.then(res => res.json())
.then(data => console.log(data))
.catch(err => console.error(err));

WebSocket (example in JS) — for live events:

const token = «YOUR_API_KEY»;
const ws = new WebSocket(`wss://stream.api-sport.ru?token=${token}`);

ws.addEventListener(‘open’, () => {
// subscribe to a match or tournament
ws.send(JSON.stringify({action: «subscribe», sport: «hockey», league: «khl»}));
});

ws.addEventListener(‘message’, (msg) => {
const payload = JSON.parse(msg.data);
console.log(«Live event:», payload);
});

Integration into CMS and mobile applications

  • WordPress: plugins/small plugin modules that periodically cache REST responses and render match widgets.

  • Android / iOS: mobile clients use REST for historical data and WebSocket for live updates; it is important to consider power consumption and reconnection when losing network.

  • CI/CD: store keys in secrets (env vars), caching and queues to protect against exceeding limits.

Using live data via WebSocket

The use of WebSocket ensures minimal latency: events arrive instantly, without waiting for server polling. Only changes are transmitted, which reduces traffic and load. Additionally, WebSocket maintains the correct order of events, which is important for live betting. Polling is suitable only in the absence of WebSocket or for simple regular updates.

Where is it used?

  • In betting and odds scanners — line monitoring, betting triggers, and arbitrage.

  • In sports analytics and forecasts — backtesting, probability models, value bet assessment.

  • In media and fan applications — interactive match cards, highlights compilations.

  • In Fantasy Sports — points calculation, live updates of rosters.

  • In BI systems and Big Data projects — building analytics on large volumes of matches and metrics.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

  • Wide coverage of leagues and matches (including KHL when rights are available).

  • Speed and capability of live pushes (WebSocket).

  • Ease of integration (JSON, SDK/sample code).

  • Unification of data across different sports.

Cons:

  • Cost for professional use (especially for bookmakers).

  • Limitations in free plans (latency, limits).

  • Possible difficulties with licensing and rights for broadcasts/data for media.

  • The necessity of proper caching and error handling (retry/backoff) during integration.

In summary

Hockey API and KHL API provide a rich set of data necessary for creating modern hockey products — from live feeds to analytical panels and betting services. API-sport is one of the convenient options due to combined access to different sports, REST + WebSocket interfaces, and clear pricing. The choice of provider depends on the required data depth, latency, and budget.

Registration and additional resources:

FAQ

Is there free access?
Yes — most aggregators offer trial/free plans with limited limits and update latency.

What sports are supported?
Almost all major platforms support football, hockey, basketball, tennis, and esports; the specific list depends on the provider.

Is the API suitable for betting?
Suitable, but for real bookmaker operations, low latency, high reliability, and often paid plans with SLA are needed.

How to connect the API to the application?
Get the key, study the documentation, implement REST requests and/or WebSocket for live, set up caching and error handling.

Can the API be used for predictions?
Yes — historical data and events provide raw material for training models and backtesting hypotheses.

How to reduce limit consumption?
Cache responses, use WebSocket for live, aggregate requests, and apply exponential backoff on errors.

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