# ESPN Soccer Data Scraper (`ahmed_hrid/espn-soccer-data-scraper`) Actor Extract structured soccer data from ESPN's live data infrastructure β€” the same feed that powers ESPN's website and app. No API key required. One run delivers standings, match results, team rosters, top scorers, player stats, and news across any major league in the world - **URL**: https://apify.com/ahmed\_hrid/espn-soccer-data-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Ahmed hrid](https://apify.com/ahmed_hrid) (community) - **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools, News - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $5.00 / 1,000 league scrapeds This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. 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. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use 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 ## ⚽ ESPN Soccer Data Scraper β€” Live Scores, Standings & Stats from 70+ Leagues Extract structured soccer data from ESPN's live data infrastructure β€” the same feed that powers ESPN's website and app. No API key required. One run delivers standings, match results, team rosters, top scorers, player stats, and news across any major league in the world. **Perfect for:** developers building sports apps, data scientists, fantasy platforms, sports media teams, and betting analytics. --- ### πŸ“Œ What This Actor Does This Actor scrapes live soccer data directly from ESPN's public data feed. For each league you provide, it returns a clean, structured dataset record with all requested data types nested inside β€” ready to use without any transformation. **Supported data types per league:** | Data Type | What You Get | |-----------|-------------| | `standings` | League table with W/D/L, points, goals for/against | | `scoreboard` | Match results and upcoming fixtures with scores | | `teams` | Full team list with logos, colors, and links | | `news` | Latest news articles for the league | | `leaders` | Season statistical leaders (goals, assists, etc.) | | `athletes` | Player roster with positions, nationality, age | | `rankings` | Competition rankings where available | No authentication needed. No browser automation. Fast and reliable. --- ### ✨ Key Features - **70+ leagues worldwide** β€” Premier League, Champions League, MLS, Copa Libertadores, Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liga, and many more - **7 data types per run** β€” get everything you need in one call - **Optional full match details** β€” per-match possession, shots, fouls, and complete player lineups - **Pay-per-event pricing** β€” pay from $0.05/league, nothing more - **Human-readable league names** β€” just type "Premier League", no slug lookup needed - **Proxy support** β€” built-in Apify proxy integration for reliable production runs - **Free tier** β€” try 1 league with standings + scoreboard at no cost --- ### 🧠 Why This Actor is Different Most soccer data APIs charge €50–€300/month regardless of usage. This Actor gives you the same ESPN data quality with true pay-as-you-go pricing. - **No subscription** β€” pay $0.05 per league scraped, nothing when you don't run - **7 data types bundled** β€” competitors charge separately per endpoint - **Clean nested output** β€” one dataset record per league, no flattening required - **70+ competitions** β€” including niche leagues often absent from commercial APIs --- ### βš™οΈ Input Configuration #### Required | Field | Type | Description | |-------|------|-------------| | `leagues` | `string[]` | Leagues to scrape. Accepts human-readable names or ESPN slugs. | #### Optional | Field | Type | Default | Description | |-------|------|---------|-------------| | `dataTypes` | `string[]` | `["standings","scoreboard"]` | Which data types to collect per league | | `includeMatchData` | `boolean` | `false` | Fetch full stats + lineups per match (requires `scoreboard`) | | `maxItemsPerLeague` | `integer` | `50` | Max records per data type. Set `0` for no limit. | | `proxyConfiguration` | `object` | Direct | Proxy settings. Residential recommended for large runs. | #### Example Input ```json { "leagues": ["Premier League", "UEFA Champions League", "MLS"], "dataTypes": ["standings", "scoreboard", "teams", "news"], "includeMatchData": false, "maxItemsPerLeague": 50, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"] } } ```` #### Supported League Names (Sample) | Name | ESPN Slug | |------|-----------| | Premier League | `eng.1` | | UEFA Champions League | `uefa.champions` | | La Liga | `esp.1` | | Bundesliga | `ger.1` | | Serie A | `ita.1` | | Ligue 1 | `fra.1` | | MLS | `usa.1` | | Copa Libertadores | `conmebol.libertadores` | | FIFA World Cup | `fifa.world` | | Saudi Pro League | `ksa.1` | > **Tip:** You can also pass ESPN slugs directly (e.g., `"jpn.1"` for J.League) if a league isn't in the name list. *** ### πŸ“€ Output Format One dataset item per league. Each item contains the `league` name, `slug`, `scrapedAt` timestamp, and an array for each requested data type. #### Sample Output ```json { "league": "UEFA Champions League", "slug": "uefa.champions", "scrapedAt": "2026-06-26T10:30:00.000Z", "standings": [ { "team": "Real Madrid", "abbreviation": "RM", "logo": "https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/soccer/500/86.png", "stats": { "gamesPlayed": "10", "wins": "8", "losses": "1", "ties": "1", "points": "25", "pointsFor": "22", "pointsAgainst": "8" } } ], "scoreboard": [ { "id": "699001", "name": "Real Madrid vs Manchester City", "date": "2026-06-20T19:00:00Z", "status": "Final", "venue": "Santiago BernabΓ©u", "homeTeam": "Real Madrid", "homeScore": "2", "awayTeam": "Manchester City", "awayScore": "1", "url": "https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/699001" } ], "teams": [...], "news": [...], "leaders": [...], "athletes": [...], "rankings": [...] } ``` #### Field Reference **Top-level:** - `league` β€” Name you provided as input - `slug` β€” ESPN slug used internally - `scrapedAt` β€” ISO 8601 timestamp of the run **`standings[]`:** `team`, `abbreviation`, `logo`, `stats{}` (varies by league β€” GP, W, D, L, Points, GF, GA, GD) **`scoreboard[]`:** `id`, `name`, `date`, `status`, `venue`, `homeTeam`, `homeScore`, `awayTeam`, `awayScore`, `url` β€” plus optional `stats{}` and `lineups{}` when `includeMatchData: true` **`teams[]`:** `id`, `name`, `shortName`, `abbreviation`, `location`, `logo`, `color`, `url` **`news[]`:** `id`, `headline`, `description`, `published`, `url`, `image` **`leaders[]`:** `category`, `value`, `athleteName`, `athleteId`, `teamName`, `teamAbbreviation` **`athletes[]`:** `id`, `name`, `position`, `nationality`, `teamName`, `teamAbbreviation`, `age`, `photo` **`rankings[]`:** `rankingName`, `rank`, `previousRank`, `teamName`, `points`, `firstPlaceVotes` *** ### ▢️ How to Use #### Option 1: Apify Console (No Code) 1. Open the Actor in the Apify Store and click **Try for free** 2. In the **Input** tab, add your leagues (e.g., `"Premier League"`, `"MLS"`) 3. Select the data types you need 4. Click **Start** β€” results appear in the **Output** tab within seconds #### Option 2: Apify API ```bash curl -X POST \ "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/YOUR_ACTOR_ID/runs?token=YOUR_TOKEN" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "leagues": ["Premier League", "La Liga"], "dataTypes": ["standings", "scoreboard"], "maxItemsPerLeague": 50 }' ``` #### Option 3: JavaScript SDK ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; const client = new ApifyClient({ token: 'YOUR_TOKEN' }); const run = await client.actor('YOUR_ACTOR_ID').call({ leagues: ['Premier League', 'Bundesliga'], dataTypes: ['standings', 'teams', 'leaders'], maxItemsPerLeague: 100, }); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); console.log(items); ``` *** ### πŸ“ˆ Use Cases #### Fantasy Sports Platforms Pull weekly standings, top scorers (`leaders`), and player rosters (`athletes`) across multiple leagues β€” without locking in to a monthly API subscription. #### Sports Media & Newsletters Automate your match results digest. Schedule the Actor to run nightly, then pipe `scoreboard` + `news` into your newsletter tool or CMS. #### Betting Analytics Build scoreboard datasets for prediction models. Combine match results with team standings for feature engineering across dozens of leagues. #### Fan Apps & Dashboards Power a multi-league standings dashboard with live data. The nested output structure maps directly to frontend state β€” no join queries needed. #### Academic & Sports Research Study performance trends, league parity, or player career trajectories across seasons with structured, citation-ready data. *** ### πŸ› οΈ Advanced Tips #### Reduce Costs on Large Runs - Use `dataTypes: ["standings", "scoreboard"]` as a baseline β€” most use cases only need these two - Set `maxItemsPerLeague` to cap scoreboard size for leagues with large fixture lists - Leave `includeMatchData: false` unless you specifically need per-match stats β€” it adds one extra HTTP request per game #### Proxy Configuration Direct requests work for small runs. For 10+ leagues or scheduled production runs, enable residential proxies: ```json { "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"] } } ``` #### Scheduling Use Apify's **Scheduler** to keep your dataset fresh. A daily run at 6 AM costs under $0.50 for 5 leagues β€” fully automated, no infrastructure required. *** ### πŸ’° Pricing Pay-per-event β€” you're only charged when data is actually collected. | Event | Price | |-------|-------| | League scraped | $0.05 | | Match detail fetched | $0.01 per match | **Example costs:** - 5 leagues, standings + scoreboard β†’ **$0.25** - 5 leagues + full match details (20 matches each) β†’ **$1.25** **Free tier:** 1 league, standings + scoreboard, up to 20 records β€” no credit card needed. *** ### ❓ FAQ **Do I need an ESPN account or API key?** No. The Actor uses ESPN's public data feed β€” no authentication required. **How fresh is the data?** Scoreboard data updates in near real-time during live matches. Standings and other data reflect the most recently completed state on ESPN. **Can I get historical season data?** The Actor returns current-season data as served by ESPN's live endpoints. Historical seasons are not currently supported. **A league I need isn't in the name list β€” can I still use it?** Yes. Pass the ESPN soccer slug directly (e.g., `"por.1"` for Primeira Liga). Find slugs in the ESPN website URL for that league's page. **Why did a data type return 0 records?** Some data types aren't populated for all competitions. `rankings` is rarely available for club leagues, and `leaders` may be empty for tournaments between seasons. These return `[]` without failing the run. **Is this suitable for production use?** Yes. Failed data types return empty arrays without crashing the run, proxy support is built in, and runs are hosted on Apify's infrastructure with automatic retries. *** ### πŸ“ž Support - **Email:** - **Issues & feature requests:** Use the **Issues** tab on the Actor page in the Apify Store - **Community:** [Apify Community Forum](https://community.apify.com) # Actor input Schema ## `leagues` (type: `array`): Soccer leagues to scrape. Accepts human-readable names (e.g. FIFA World Cup, Premier League, Champions League) or raw ESPN slugs (e.g. fifa.world, eng.1). See espn-soccer.md for the full slug list. ## `dataTypes` (type: `array`): Which data to fetch for each league. ## `includeMatchData` (type: `boolean`): Only applies when 'scoreboard' is selected in Data types. For each game, also fetch full match stats (possession, shots, fouls) and player lineups. Makes one extra request per match. ## `maxItemsPerLeague` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of records per data type per league (applies to scoreboard, news, athletes). Set to 0 for no limit. ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): Proxy servers used to avoid rate limiting. Residential proxies recommended for production runs. ## Actor input object example ```json { "leagues": [ "FIFA World Cup" ], "dataTypes": [ "standings", "scoreboard" ], "includeMatchData": false, "maxItemsPerLeague": 50, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [ "RESIDENTIAL" ] } } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `dataset` (type: `string`): Each item contains a `league` name, `slug`, `scrapedAt` timestamp, and a key per requested data type holding an array of records. # 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 '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "leagues": [ "FIFA World Cup" ], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [ "RESIDENTIAL" ] } }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("ahmed_hrid/espn-soccer-data-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`πŸ’Ύ 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); }); // πŸ“š Want to learn more πŸ“–? Go to β†’ 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 '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "leagues": ["FIFA World Cup"], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": True, "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"], }, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("ahmed_hrid/espn-soccer-data-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("πŸ’Ύ Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # πŸ“š Want to learn more πŸ“–? Go to β†’ https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "leagues": [ "FIFA World Cup" ], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [ "RESIDENTIAL" ] } }' | apify call ahmed_hrid/espn-soccer-data-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=ahmed_hrid/espn-soccer-data-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "ESPN Soccer Data Scraper", "description": "Extract structured soccer data from ESPN's live data infrastructure β€” the same feed that powers ESPN's website and app. No API key required. One run delivers standings, match results, team rosters, top scorers, player stats, and news across any major league in the world", "version": "0.0", "x-build-id": "6cIXNwsdiJr8nCCQe" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/ahmed_hrid~espn-soccer-data-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-ahmed_hrid-espn-soccer-data-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/ahmed_hrid~espn-soccer-data-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-ahmed_hrid-espn-soccer-data-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/ahmed_hrid~espn-soccer-data-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-ahmed_hrid-espn-soccer-data-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "leagues" ], "properties": { "leagues": { "title": "Leagues", "minItems": 1, "type": "array", "description": "Soccer leagues to scrape. Accepts human-readable names (e.g. FIFA World Cup, Premier League, Champions League) or raw ESPN slugs (e.g. fifa.world, eng.1). See espn-soccer.md for the full slug list.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "dataTypes": { "title": "Data types to collect", "type": "array", "description": "Which data to fetch for each league.", "items": { "type": "string", "enum": [ "standings", "scoreboard", "teams", "news", "leaders", "athletes", "rankings" ] }, "default": [ "standings", "scoreboard" ] }, "includeMatchData": { "title": "Include full match details", "type": "boolean", "description": "Only applies when 'scoreboard' is selected in Data types. For each game, also fetch full match stats (possession, shots, fouls) and player lineups. Makes one extra request per match.", "default": false }, "maxItemsPerLeague": { "title": "Max items per league", "minimum": 0, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of records per data type per league (applies to scoreboard, news, athletes). Set to 0 for no limit.", "default": 50 }, "proxyConfiguration": { "title": "Proxy configuration", "type": "object", "description": "Proxy servers used to avoid rate limiting. Residential proxies recommended for production runs.", "default": { "useApifyProxy": false } } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```