# FootballAPIs

> Compare 17 football data APIs: prices, free plans, league coverage and data types, in plain English, from each provider's public pages. Facts as of 2026-10-19; verify on the vendor's page before relying on them. Nobody pays for position. The data is free under CC BY 4.0 (credit "FootballAPIs.com").

It's data about football data APIs, not match scores. No sign-up and no key for the API or the MCP server.

Every page is also available as Markdown: add `index.md` to its URL (https://footballapis.com/compare/index.md, https://footballapis.com/index.md for the home page), or request the page with `Accept: text/markdown`. Everything in one file: [llms-full.txt](https://footballapis.com/llms-full.txt).

## For AI agents

- [How to use and cite this data](https://footballapis.com/agents/): data date, "verify on the vendor page", confidence levels, licence, corrections
- [llms-full.txt](https://footballapis.com/llms-full.txt): every provider's full facts, sources and check dates, the league matrix, guides and FAQ in one Markdown file
- [OpenAPI 3.1 spec](https://footballapis.com/api/v1/openapi.json): the static JSON endpoints and their schemas
- [MCP server card](https://footballapis.com/.well-known/mcp/server-card.json): transport, URL and tools
- [API catalog](https://footballapis.com/.well-known/api-catalog): RFC 9727 linkset
- [Sponsorship offers (JSON)](https://footballapis.com/api/v1/sponsor.json): prices and rules; rankings and data are never for sale

## Pages

- [Compare all 17 APIs](https://footballapis.com/compare/): one table (cards on phones); free plans first, then A–Z
- [How we check](https://footballapis.com/how-we-check/): where the facts come from, what "verified" means, daily reachability and live API checks, corrections
- [Free API and MCP server docs](https://footballapis.com/api/): endpoints, MCP setup for Claude, Cursor and ChatGPT, record fields

## Data

- [API index](https://footballapis.com/api/v1/index.json): every JSON endpoint, the MCP URL and the licence
- [MCP server](https://footballapis.com/mcp): Streamable HTTP, read-only, no authentication (POST JSON-RPC; a browser GET shows an error)
- [providers.csv](https://footballapis.com/data/providers.csv): one row per provider
- [Licence: CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/): free to use, including commercially, with credit to FootballAPIs.com

## Providers

- [API-Football (API-Sports)](https://footballapis.com/p/api-football-api-sports/): free plan yes; from $19/mo
- [football-data.org](https://footballapis.com/p/football-data-org/): free plan yes; from €12/mo
- [Highlightly](https://footballapis.com/p/highlightly/): free plan yes; from $9.49/mo
- [OpenLigaDB](https://footballapis.com/p/openligadb/): free plan yes; free only, no paid plans
- [SportDevs](https://footballapis.com/p/sportdevs/): free plan yes; from €19
- [Sportmonks](https://footballapis.com/p/sportmonks/): free plan yes; from €29/mo
- [SportsGameOdds](https://footballapis.com/p/sportsgameodds/): free plan yes; from $99/mo
- [StatsBomb Open Data (Hudl)](https://footballapis.com/p/statsbomb-open-data-hudl/): free plan yes; free only, no paid plans
- [TheSportsDB](https://footballapis.com/p/thesportsdb/): free plan yes; from $9/mo
- [Data Sports Group (DSG)](https://footballapis.com/p/data-sports-group-dsg/): free plan trial only; paid plans by quote
- [Entity Sports](https://footballapis.com/p/entity-sports/): free plan trial only; from $250/mo
- [FootballAnt](https://footballapis.com/p/footballant/): free plan not confirmed; paid price not confirmed
- [Goalserve](https://footballapis.com/p/goalserve/): free plan trial only; from $150/mo
- [iSports API](https://footballapis.com/p/isports-api/): free plan trial only; from $299/mo
- [Sportradar](https://footballapis.com/p/sportradar/): free plan trial only; paid plans by quote
- [SportsDataIO (Soccer)](https://footballapis.com/p/sportsdataio-soccer/): free plan trial only; paid plans by quote
- [Stats Perform (Opta)](https://footballapis.com/p/stats-perform-opta/): free plan no; paid plans by quote

## Guides

- [Fantasy football app](https://footballapis.com/guides/fantasy-football-app/): Player stats, lineups and injuries for a fantasy game.
- [Live score app](https://footballapis.com/guides/live-score-app/): Today's matches and scores that update during the game.
- [Betting odds model](https://footballapis.com/guides/betting-odds-model/): Bookmaker odds and past results to test a model.
- [Stats dashboard](https://footballapis.com/guides/stats-dashboard/): Match events, player stats and xG for charts and tables.
- [Football manager game](https://footballapis.com/guides/football-manager-game/): Real fixtures, players and club badges for a manager game.
- [What's an API key?](https://footballapis.com/guides/api-keys/): A password your app uses to get data. How to get one and keep it safe.

## Leagues

- [League coverage matrix](https://footballapis.com/leagues/): 17 providers × 9 leagues
- [Premier League](https://footballapis.com/leagues/premier-league/): 8 of 17 providers confirm coverage
- [Championship](https://footballapis.com/leagues/championship/): 2 of 17 providers confirm coverage
- [LaLiga](https://footballapis.com/leagues/laliga/): 6 of 17 providers confirm coverage
- [Serie A](https://footballapis.com/leagues/serie-a/): 5 of 17 providers confirm coverage
- [Bundesliga](https://footballapis.com/leagues/bundesliga/): 6 of 17 providers confirm coverage
- [Ligue 1](https://footballapis.com/leagues/ligue-1/): 6 of 17 providers confirm coverage
- [Primeira Liga](https://footballapis.com/leagues/primeira-liga/): 2 of 17 providers confirm coverage
- [MLS](https://footballapis.com/leagues/mls/): 6 of 17 providers confirm coverage
- [Champions League](https://footballapis.com/leagues/champions-league/): 7 of 17 providers confirm coverage

## Comparisons

- [All head-to-heads](https://footballapis.com/vs/)
- [football-data.org vs API-Football (API-Sports)](https://footballapis.com/vs/football-data-org-vs-api-football-api-sports/): free plan, price, leagues, data types and check dates side by side
- [API-Football (API-Sports) vs Sportmonks](https://footballapis.com/vs/api-football-api-sports-vs-sportmonks/): free plan, price, leagues, data types and check dates side by side
- [football-data.org vs Sportmonks](https://footballapis.com/vs/football-data-org-vs-sportmonks/): free plan, price, leagues, data types and check dates side by side
- [API-Football (API-Sports) vs Highlightly](https://footballapis.com/vs/api-football-api-sports-vs-highlightly/): free plan, price, leagues, data types and check dates side by side
- [TheSportsDB vs API-Football (API-Sports)](https://footballapis.com/vs/thesportsdb-vs-api-football-api-sports/): free plan, price, leagues, data types and check dates side by side
- [Sportmonks vs Sportradar](https://footballapis.com/vs/sportmonks-vs-sportradar/): free plan, price, leagues, data types and check dates side by side

## Quick answers

### What is the best free football API?

As of 2026-10-20, 9 of the 17 providers we track have a free plan: API-Football (API-Sports), football-data.org, Highlightly, OpenLigaDB, SportDevs, Sportmonks, SportsGameOdds, StatsBomb Open Data (Hudl) and TheSportsDB. OpenLigaDB and StatsBomb Open Data (Hudl) are free only, with no paid plans; the others also sell paid plans. 6 more offer a free trial only. Which is best depends on the leagues and data types you need: see the guides by use case or the league coverage pages.

### What is the cheapest football data API?

As of 2026-10-20, the cheapest clear monthly paid price we list is €12/mo in euros (football-data.org) and $9/mo in US dollars (TheSportsDB). We don't convert between currencies. 4 providers sell paid plans by quote only: Data Sports Group (DSG), Sportradar, SportsDataIO (Soccer) and Stats Perform (Opta). Free-only providers aren't counted as paid. Prices change, so check the provider's own pricing page.

### Which football APIs include odds?

As of 2026-10-20, 9 of the 17 providers list odds data. By cheapest paid plan, in euros, football-data.org (€12/mo, odds as a paid add-on), SportDevs (from €19) and Sportmonks (€29/mo); in US dollars, Highlightly ($9.49/mo), API-Football (API-Sports) ($19/mo), SportsGameOdds ($99/mo), Goalserve ($150/mo), Entity Sports ($250/mo) and iSports API ($299/mo). The cheapest plan may not include odds; some providers only offer them on higher tiers. Each provider page has the details.

### Which football APIs cover the Premier League?

As of 2026-10-20, 8 of the 17 providers confirm the Premier League on their public pages: API-Football (API-Sports), Entity Sports, football-data.org, Goalserve, OpenLigaDB, Sportmonks, SportsDataIO (Soccer) and StatsBomb Open Data (Hudl). For the other 9 it isn't confirmed either way, which doesn't mean no. Coverage can depend on the plan. Full list: football data APIs for the Premier League.

### Is this data independent?

Yes. Vendors can't buy rankings, placement or a better description. Sponsored slots and newsletter sponsorships may exist in future. They will always be clearly labelled as sponsored. Every value comes from a provider's public pages: pricing, coverage and documentation. No accounts, no private info. If we can't find something, we mark it "Not confirmed" (or "?" in tables). We never guess. Read the independence policy and how we check.