# Football-Data.org Competitions Scraper (`parseforge/football-data-org-competitions-scraper`) Actor

Export football competitions, standings, fixtures, results, and team data covering the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Champions League, and 180+ other competitions worldwide.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/football-data-org-competitions-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** Other, Automation
- **Stats:** 16 total users, 4 monthly users, 21.5% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $15.00 / 1,000 result items

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner.jpg)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### Football-Data.org Competitions Scraper

**Scrape football competitions, standings, matches, and team data from Football-Data.org.** Get league tables, season fixtures, and team profiles in clean JSON, CSV, Excel, or XML. No login required for the free tier.

Football-Data.org's official API needs an API key and rate limits you. This Actor reads the public competition catalog, league tables, season fixtures, team profiles, and single match records directly, and returns each one in a fixed schema. Filter by competition code, season, team ID, or match ID.

| Who uses it | What they scrape Football-Data.org for |
|---|---|
| Sports analysts | Which competitions are available and their current standings |
| Betting researchers | Season fixtures and match results for a league |
| Fantasy football players | Team profiles and player data for a specific team |
| Data journalists | Historical match data for a competition |
| App developers | Live standings and fixtures for a football app |

### What it does

This Actor collects football competitions, standings, matches, team profiles, and single match records from Football-Data.org and returns each one as a flat row.

- \uD83D\uDCCB **Competitions catalog:** list all competitions with area, name, and season info.
- \uD83C\uDFC6 **Standings:** league table for a competition and season, with position, points, and goal difference.
- \uD83D\uDCC5 **Matches:** all fixtures for a competition and season, with scores, status, and matchday.
- \uD83D\uDC65 **Team profile:** details for a single team, including squad, coach, and venue.
- \u26BD **Single match:** full record for one match, including lineups, goals, and bookings.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with Football-Data.org data

**\uD83D\uDCCA Track league standings.**

A sports analyst runs the Actor in standings mode for the Premier League, season 2024, to get the current table and feed it into a weekly report.

**\uD83D\uDCC5 Build a fixture calendar.**

A betting researcher collects all matches for the Champions League, season 2024, to analyze upcoming odds and past results.

**\uD83D\uDC65 Monitor team changes.**

A fantasy football player pulls the team profile for Manchester City to see the current squad and coach before making transfers.

**\u26BD Analyze a single match.**

A data journalist retrieves a specific match record to verify lineups and goal scorers for an article.

**\uD83C\uDF0D Compare competitions.**

An app developer lists all competitions to populate a dropdown menu in a football app.

### Why choose this scraper

|  | What you get |
|---|---|
| **No API key needed** | Runs on the free tier without registration |
| **Five data modes** | Competitions, standings, matches, team, and match |
| **Fixed schema** | Every record returns the same flat structure |
| **Export anywhere** | JSON, CSV, Excel, or XML |
| **Rate limit friendly** | Optional auth token for higher limits |

### How it compares

This Actor offers five data modes and optional auth, while the competitors focus on narrower use cases.

| Feature | ParseForge | Football Fixtures Api | Football Data Competitions Scraper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Competitions catalog | Yes | Not listed | Yes |
| Standings (league table) | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Matches (season fixtures) | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Team profile | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Single match record | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Optional auth token | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor from competition codes, seasons, team IDs, match IDs, and area filters, alone or together, and filters run as each record is read so only matches reach your dataset. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
  "maxItems": 10,
  "mode": "competitions",
  "competitionCode": "PL"
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
  "maxItems": 200,
  "mode": "competitions",
  "competitionCode": "PL"
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.02 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $2.00 |
| 1,000 results | $20.00 |
| 10,000 results | $200.00 |

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [Football-Data.org Competitions Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/football-data-org-competitions-scraper?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to Football-Data.org through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=parseforge/football-data-org-competitions-scraper"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results?**

Check that you have selected the correct mode and provided the required inputs. For standings and matches, you need a competition code. For team and match modes, you need the respective ID.

**Why do I get a 403 error?**

You may have hit the rate limit. Wait a minute and try again, or provide your own auth token for higher limits.

**Why is the season parameter not working?**

The season parameter expects the starting year as a string, e.g. '2024' for the 2024/25 season. Make sure you are using the correct format.

**How do I find a team ID?**

You can use the competitions mode to list competitions, then use the standings or matches mode to find team IDs in the response. Alternatively, check the Football-Data.org documentation.

**Why is my auth token not accepted?**

Make sure you have copied the token correctly and that it is active. The token is optional and only needed for higher rate limits or restricted competitions.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need an API key? | No, the Actor runs on the free tier without an auth token. You can optionally provide your own token for higher rate limits and access to restricted competitions. |
| What competitions are supported? | The Actor supports all competitions available on Football-Data.org, including Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Champions League, Europa League, World Cup, and more. |
| How do I get standings for a league? | Set mode to 'Standings', choose a competition code like PL for Premier League, and optionally specify a season. The Actor returns the league table. |
| Can I get fixtures for a whole season? | Yes, set mode to 'Matches', choose a competition code and season, and the Actor returns all fixtures for that season. |
| How do I get data for a specific team? | Set mode to 'Team' and provide the numeric team ID. Example: 65 for Manchester City, 81 for Barcelona. |
| Can I get a single match record? | Yes, set mode to 'Match' and provide the numeric match ID. |
| What output formats are supported? | The Actor exports data as JSON, CSV, Excel, or XML, depending on your Apify dataset settings. |
| Is there a rate limit? | The free tier has a rate limit of 10 requests per minute. With your own auth token, the limit is higher. |
| Can I filter competitions by area? | Yes, in competitions mode you can provide comma-separated area IDs to filter results. |
| What is the maximum number of items I can collect? | You can set maxItems up to 1,000,000 per run. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

\uD83D\uDE3E **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

\u26A0\uFE0F **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Football-Data.org. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

How many competitions to collect per run.

## `mode` (type: `string`):

competitions = list of all competitions, standings = league table, matches = season fixtures, team = team profile, match = single match.

## `competitionCode` (type: `string`):

Competition code used for standings and matches modes. PL = Premier League, PD = La Liga, BL1 = Bundesliga, SA = Serie A, FL1 = Ligue 1, CL = Champions League, ELC = Championship, EL = Europa League, EC = European Championship, WC = World Cup.

## `season` (type: `string`):

Season starting year, e.g. '2024' for 2024/25. Optional. Used by standings and matches modes.

## `teamId` (type: `string`):

Numeric team ID. Required for team mode. Example: 65 = Manchester City, 81 = Barcelona.

## `matchId` (type: `string`):

Numeric match ID. Required for match mode.

## `areas` (type: `string`):

Comma-separated area IDs to filter competitions mode, e.g. '2072,2081'. Optional.

## `authToken` (type: `string`):

Personal API key for higher rate limits and access to restricted competitions. Optional — runs on the free tier without it.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "maxItems": 10,
  "mode": "competitions",
  "competitionCode": "PL"
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `overview` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "maxItems": 10,
    "mode": "competitions",
    "competitionCode": "PL"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/football-data-org-competitions-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "maxItems": 10,
    "mode": "competitions",
    "competitionCode": "PL",
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/football-data-org-competitions-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "maxItems": 10,
  "mode": "competitions",
  "competitionCode": "PL"
}' |
apify call parseforge/football-data-org-competitions-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/football-data-org-competitions-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/frDYnfPeI4D5UUDrw/builds/OmRScXhH0HlPqBT3R/openapi.json