Guides
Short, clear answers to the questions that come up while you follow a match: how offside works, when a game goes to extra time, what xG tells you, how teams level on points are separated. Every guide is based on the official laws and competition regulations, with the sources listed at the end.
Laws of the game
- Added time, extra time and penalty shoot-outs explainedThe difference between added time, extra time and a penalty shoot-out, how each one works under the Laws of the Game and when competitions actually use them.
- HT, FT, AET, PEN: what match statuses on a live score meanWhat HT, FT, AET, PEN (AP), Postponed, Suspended, Abandoned and 45+2' mean on a football live score, with the exact labels ScoreMondo shows for each.
- The offside rule explained, with simple examplesWhat is offside in football? A plain-English guide to Law 11 – offside position, when it becomes an offence, what VAR checks and the myths fans still repeat.
- VAR explained: when the video referee can step inHow VAR works in football – the four situations it can review, on-field and VAR-only reviews, semi-automated offside and why a live score can change afterwards.
- Yellow cards, red cards and suspensions explainedWhat yellow and red cards mean in football, how a second yellow works, and why the length of a suspension depends on the competition rather than the Laws.
League and tournament formats
- Albania and Kosovo league formats 2026/27 explainedHow Albania's Kategoria Superiore and Kosovo's Superliga work in 2026/27: the new Albanian play-off with halved points, relegation, cups and European places.
- Bundesliga format 2026/27: relegation play-off explainedHow the Bundesliga works in 2026/27 - 18 clubs, 34 matchdays, tiebreakers, the relegation play-off, European places and the key dates of the season.
- Champions League format explained: how the league phase worksHow the UEFA Champions League works in 2026/27: 36 clubs in one table, eight matches each, the knockout phase play-offs, seeding, tiebreakers and key dates.
- Conference League format explained: six games, one tableHow the UEFA Conference League works in 2026/27: 36 clubs, six league phase matches each, knockout phase play-offs, tiebreakers, key dates and the Istanbul final.
- Europa League format explained: league phase to the finalHow the UEFA Europa League works in 2026/27: 36 clubs in one table, eight matches each, knockout phase play-offs, seeding, tiebreakers, key dates and the final.
- LaLiga format 2026/27: tiebreakers, relegation, EuropeHow Spain's LaLiga works in 2026/27: 20 clubs, 38 matchdays, head-to-head tiebreakers, three relegated, European places, key dates and the cups.
- League table tie-breakers: who finishes higher on equal pointsHow football league tables separate teams level on points – goal difference or head-to-head – with the 2026/27 rules for the Premier League and other leagues.
- Ligue 1 format 2026/27: relegation play-off and European placesHow Ligue 1 works in 2026/27: 18 clubs, 34 matchdays, tiebreakers, two automatic relegation spots, the play-off for 16th place and France's European places.
- Premier League format 2026/27: how the season worksHow the Premier League works in 2026/27: 20 clubs, 38 matches each, three relegated, the tiebreaker order, European places and the key dates of the season.
- Saudi Pro League format 2026/27: how the league worksHow the Saudi Pro League works in 2026/27: 18 clubs, 34 rounds, head-to-head tiebreakers, three relegated, foreign player limits and the revised calendar.
- Serie A format 2026/27: title play-off, relegation, EuropeHow Italy's Serie A works in 2026/27: 20 clubs, 38 rounds, an asymmetric fixture list, title and survival play-offs, head-to-head tiebreakers and European places.
- Süper Lig format 2026/27: teams, relegation, European placesHow Türkiye's Süper Lig works in 2026/27: 18 clubs, 34 matchweeks, three relegated, head-to-head tiebreakers, European places, squad rules and key dates.
- UEFA Nations League format: leagues, promotion and finalsHow the UEFA Nations League works in 2026/27: four leagues, groups, promotion and relegation, play-offs, the four-team finals and the link to EURO 2028.
- World Cup 2026 format explained: 48 teams, 12 groups, round of 32How the first 48-team FIFA World Cup worked in 2026: 12 groups of four, the eight best third-placed teams, the new round of 32, tie-breakers and 104 matches.
Statistics and data
- How to read football match stats: possession, shots and xGWhat possession, shots on target, corners, fouls and xG really tell you about a football match, and how to read the numbers together instead of one by one.
- Player ratings explained – how the ScoreMondo 1–10 score worksHow the ScoreMondo player rating is calculated – every player starts at 6.0 and gains or loses fixed points per action. Full weight table and a worked example.
- What Is xG? Expected Goals Explained, Shot by ShotExpected goals (xG) is the chance that a shot becomes a goal. How to read it on a match page, why 2.1 xG can mean no goals, and how ScoreMondo works it out.
Other sports
- American football explained: downs, scoring and overtimeA plain guide to American football for live-score readers: downs, scoring values, quarters, NFL and college overtime, and how to read a line score.
- Basketball rules basics: FIBA vs NBA and reading a live scoreGame length, the 24-second shot clock, foul limits, team fouls and overtime under FIBA and NBA rules, plus how to read quarter scores on a live scoreboard.
- Handball rules explained: halves, 7-metre throws and suspensionsHandball rules for live-score readers: two 30-minute halves, 7-metre throws, 2-minute suspensions, passive play, extra time and the 7-metre shoot-out.
- Ice hockey basics: periods, overtime, shootouts and power playsHow an ice hockey score works: three 20-minute periods, NHL and IIHF overtime and shootout rules, standings points, power plays, empty net, icing and offside.
- Tennis scoring explained: points, games, sets and tie-breaksHow tennis scoring works: 15, 30, 40, deuce and advantage, sets to six games, the tie-break, the 10-point match tie-break and how to read a live score.
- Volleyball Scoring Explained – Sets, Points and the Tie-BreakHow volleyball scoring works – rally points, sets to 25, a fifth set to 15, rotation, time-outs, video challenges and how to read a live volleyball score.
Using ScoreMondo
- Favourites and alerts on ScoreMondo, how to follow your teamsHow to follow teams, leagues and matches on ScoreMondo without an account, choose when goal alerts reach you, move favourites to a new phone and install the app.
- How live scores work – and why a goal can changeHow live scores get from the pitch to your screen, why they run a few seconds behind, why a goal can be corrected and how to follow matches on ScoreMondo.