Help
Rules & how it works
What is szoccer.com?
You predict results of football matches in a season or tournament. Points are awarded after each match. In the leaderboards you can see how you compare to other players.
- League prediction game (e.g. Bundesliga): matches are grouped by matchdays.
- Tournament prediction game (e.g. World Cup/Euros): matches are grouped by phases (group stage, knockout rounds, final).
You can tell which type is running on the home page and in the prediction game menu. The base scoring (outcome, goal difference, exact score) is the same in both cases. In tournament knockout rounds (phase name contains “Finale”, e.g. round of 16 through final) and in placement matches there are additional bonus points (see below).
Language (German / English)
szoccer.com is available in German and English. On your first visit the language is chosen from your browser language (and optionally country via the server); if neither German nor English fits, you start in English. Your choice applies to the menu, buttons, messages and most pages – including this help page.
- Switching: under Profile → Settings (when signed in). Guests: DE / EN in the top bar (desktop) or in the burger menu (mobile).
- Remembered: your choice is stored in a cookie. When signed in it is also saved to your account – you will be welcomed back in that language on your next visit (even without a cookie).
- Rules & help: this page is shown in German or English according to your selection.
- Prediction board & profile: labels such as “All players’ tips”, season profile statistics and loading messages when expanding others’ predictions follow your language.
- Live activity: system messages (e.g. kick-off, new results) are translated; leaderboards, others’ predictions and the feed show usernames only, never the legal/full name. Your own predictions and page visits do not appear as live toasts for you.
- Admin messages: admins can optionally write system messages and news in both languages; you see the matching version (fallback: English, then German).
Some areas (e.g. certain admin screens or very new features) may still be German only for a while – the interface is being extended step by step.
Create account & profile
Registration
- Via Register enter username (3–40 characters), email and password (at least 10 characters).
- Consents: privacy policy (/datenschutz), rules & help as terms of use, and confirmation of minimum age – all three are required.
- Optional: first name, last name, date of birth, favourite club – can also be added later under Profile.
- You receive an email with a confirmation link. Only then can you sign in.
- Sign in with Login. “Stay signed in” is optional.
Forgot password? Under Forgot password you can request a reset link.
Profile (/profil)
Here you maintain optional details – they do not affect match points:
- Core data: first name, last name, date of birth, favourite club – suggestions from teams in all league prediction games; you may also type your own club name
- Visibility: optionally show your full name on your public tipper profile page (season profile); leaderboards and others’ predictions always use your username only. You can stay anonymous in the live feed.
- Avatar: default image or your own photo (leaderboards, chat, profile)
- Rivals (Profile → Settings): mark up to 10 players – add via search, remove as chips, save with Save rivals. Rivals only filter on the prediction board (others’ predictions) and the overall leaderboard.
- Password change at any time
- Prediction groups create and manage
Joining a season
A website account does not automatically enrol you in every prediction game. On your first visit to a season in the current session a prompt appears: “Join this prediction game?” (once per sign-in and season). On the prediction board there is also a “Confirm participation” button. Only then are you an active predictor for that season: your predictions are scored and you appear on the leaderboard.
Without active participation you can usually view matches and leaderboards but not predict. You also cannot join a prediction group, accept group invitations or submit a membership request (see Prediction groups).
Without signing in to the website the same applies for viewing only: predicting is not possible. When logged in you reach the current prediction game via Predictions (mobile in the burger menu, desktop by clicking your profile picture) or via the home page.
League and tournament prediction games
League (league mode)
Navigation via matchday 1, 2, 3 …
You predict the result after 90 minutes (regular time including stoppage time). Scoring compares your prediction with the official 90-minute result (no extra time or penalties in base scoring).
Maximum 4 points per match from outcome, goal difference and exact score (★★★★).
Additionally there are matchday bonuses for the best daily scores (see below).
Tournament (tournament mode)
Navigation via phases (group stage, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, third-place play-off, final).
Group stage matches are scored like league matches (90 min. only).
In knockout rounds (phase name contains “Finale”: round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, final) and in placement matches extra questions on how the match ends and the winner are possible – up to 6 points per match.
Each phase has its own phase ranking with podium bonuses (see below).
Submitting predictions
When and how?
- You predict every match on the selected matchday or in the selected phase.
- You enter the exact result after 90 minutes (home and away goals).
- Predictions are possible until kick-off. The kick-off time stored in the prediction game and server time (Europe/Berlin) apply.
- After kick-off the match is locked for predictions; your entry becomes visible to others (others’ predictions only from kick-off).
- You can change predictions before kick-off at any time while the deadline has not passed.
- Standard view: two fields for home and away goals (0–20), save via button.
- Compact view (toggle on the board): one digit 0–9 per team.
- No prediction: for a match without your prediction you receive 0 points after scoring.
Others’ predictions & odds
You see others’ predictions only from kick-off – not before. Under “All players’ predictions” you can filter; in prediction groups also by group. With rivals saved you can also use Rivals only.
From 6 submitted predictions per match the board shows community odds: how many tips exist, the average score and the distribution of outcomes (1 / X / 2).
Extra prediction in tournament KO / placement
Applies only in rounds whose phase name contains “Finale” (e.g. round of 16, semi-finals, final) or in placement matches. The extra fields appear on the prediction board only when your main prediction is a draw (e.g. 1:1). Then you must specify:
- Ends after: extra time or penalty shoot-out (not “90 min.” – that contradicts a draw prediction)
- Winner: home or away team
If you predict no draw (e.g. 2:1), automatically: no extra time/penalties in the prediction and the winner follows from your 90-minute result.
Scoring – league & tournament group stage
The same base rules apply to every scored match (league mode and tournament group stage). The official result after 90 minutes is compared. Point weights may vary per season; typical defaults are:
| Code | Rule | Points |
|---|---|---|
| T | Correct outcome (home win, away win or draw) | 2 |
| D | Correct goal difference (e.g. +1 for 2:1 and prediction 3:2) | +1 |
| E | Correct result (both goal counts match) | +1 |
Maximum 4 points per match (2 + 1 + 1). Stars on the match show up to four components achieved.
After scored matches you can click the stars (“Show scoring”)
for the breakdown (e.g. T·2 + D·1 + E·0 = 3).
Scoring – KO & placement (tournament)
In knockout rounds (phase name contains “Finale”) and placement matches, in addition to T, D and E (still only for 90-minute goals) these extra criteria apply:
| Code | Rule | Points |
|---|---|---|
| ZS | Correct overall match winner (including after extra time or penalties) | +1 |
| ZE | Correctly predicted how the match ends: with your prediction without a draw, “ends after 90 min.” counts; with a draw prediction extra time or penalties must match | +1 |
Maximum 6 points per KO match (4 + 1 + 1). In the final, for example, 9 points are possible if you also earn 1st place in the phase ranking (6 + 3 podium bonus).
Leaderboards & automatic scoring
Under Predictions → Leaderboards you find the season’s overall rankings. Results and points are updated automatically as soon as a match is officially scored (including via match results from OpenLigaDB, every minute/daily in the background).
Predictor leaderboard (overall)
All active participants with at least one prediction. With many participants: Search predictors field (filters the table instantly) and – with rivals in your profile – Rivals only. The top three places are visually highlighted. Sort order:
- Total points (match points from individual games plus matchday/phase bonuses 3/2/1)
- Outcomes (number of correct outcomes)
- Exact scores (number of exact results)
- Goal differences (number of correct goal differences)
- on tie: earlier activation in the prediction game
In the profile under “All matches” you see the breakdown into match points and bonus points (podium places per matchday/phase).
Prediction group leaderboard
Comparison of prediction groups – only groups with at least three active members (see Prediction groups). Groups with one or two members are listed separately, without public group ranking.
On player profiles (click the name in leaderboard or others’ predictions) you find among other things: total points, exact scores, outcomes, avg. points per match, form curve (points per matchday/phase, cumulative and rank history, horizontally scrollable with many rounds), podium places (how often places 1–3 in a round) and the last scored predictions.
Matchday bonuses (league prediction game)
In addition to individual match points, for each completed matchday there is a matchday individual ranking (matchday winner):
- Only matches on that matchday with a known result count.
- Per predictor the match points of the matchday are summed.
- On equal points, outcomes, exact scores and goal differences of the matchday decide.
| Place on matchday | Bonus points |
|---|---|
| 1. | 3 |
| 2. | 2 |
| 3. | 1 |
Equal points: if several predictors tie on a matchday (points, outcomes, goal differences, exact scores), they receive the same rank and the same bonus points. Places 2 and/or 3 may then be skipped for that matchday (e.g. two first places with 3 bonus points each, next place is then 3.).
A matchday is complete when all matches on that day have a result. Until then no matchday bonuses are awarded.
Under Leaderboards of a Bundesliga prediction game you find the Bundesliga table (matches, points 3/1/0, goal difference) per DFL competition rules.
Phase bonuses (tournament prediction game)
In tournaments phases are scored separately (not mixed across all phases):
- Group stage
- Round of 16 (if applicable)
- Quarter-finals
- Semi-finals
- Third-place play-off (if applicable)
- Final
Per phase the same logic as matchday bonus applies: sum of match points of all matches in that phase, predictor ranking, then bonus points:
| Place in phase | Bonus points |
|---|---|
| 1. | 3 |
| 2. | 2 |
| 3. | 1 |
Equal points and skipped places as for matchday ranking. In the final up to 9 points from one match are theoretically possible: 6 from the match (incl. extra prediction) plus 3 as phase winner.
Prediction groups
Private groups with friends, colleagues or family – independent of the official overall leaderboard. For all actions below you must actively participate in the respective season (see Participation).
- In Profile → Prediction groups create a group (name, optional image) – only as an active predictor of the season.
- As group creator invite other predictors from the same season (including those not yet actively participating). They receive a message in the inbox. Accepting is only possible after they have joined the prediction game.
- As an active predictor you can submit a membership request on a group’s group leaderboard; the group creator decides in the inbox or profile (accept, reject with feedback or dismiss silently).
- After acceptance (invitation or request) membership counts from join time; there is a group chat.
- Members can leave the group again; the creator manages the group (members, open invitations and requests).
- On the prediction board filter others’ predictions by group; under Leaderboards the public prediction group leaderboard and each group’s internal leaderboard.
Groups with fewer than three members
Groups with only one or two active members are fully usable (chat, others’ predictions filter, internal leaderboard), but do not appear on the public prediction group leaderboard. They are listed on the leaderboards page under “Prediction groups (not yet ranked)” until at least three active members are present.
Prediction group leaderboard scoring
Only groups with at least three active members appear on the public prediction group leaderboard.
- Per member: points average per scored match during membership (kick-off between join and leave). Missing predictions count as 0 points; matchday/phase bonuses (3/2/1) are added to the sum and divided by number of matches.
- Group value: sum of these member averages divided by number of active members.
- Display: group value × 1000, rounded to two decimal places (better readability on the leaderboard).
On the group-internal leaderboard the same calculation per member applies – regardless of the minimum member count for the public group leaderboard.
Chat, inbox & notes
- Chat: direct messages and group chats for prediction groups.
- Inbox: system messages (e.g. prediction group invitations, membership requests, prediction reminders). Unread messages from the last three days show NEW; after reading the badge disappears.
- Chat notifications: new messages appear as a short notice at the top of the screen while you are not in that chat room.
- Match detail: from the home page or prediction board (click the teams) – also for open predictions. OpenLigaDB info, live score, goals and result timeline when linked. Crests use szoccer logos; click → team match overview.
- Team matches: all fixtures for one team in the season; click the opponent to switch to their matches.
- Results: match scores are taken automatically from official sources (including OpenLigaDB) and scored regularly.
- Not gambling: no stakes or cash prizes – purely for fun and comparison with others.
- Fair play: multiple accounts for manipulation are not allowed.
- Technical issues: contact the season administration for login, email or scoring problems.