How SimuMatch calculates scenarios

General engine logic

The engine works from match data. For a league, it reads each fixture, checks whether a score exists, applies the result to both teams, and builds a standings table. A generated scenario is therefore not a separate table pasted onto the page; it is recalculated from the underlying results.

For tournament formats, the same principle applies: completed results determine group tables or knockout winners, and the next stage is built from those outcomes.

Standings, fixtures, and points

League standings use the configured points system, normally three points for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss. The table also tracks played matches, wins, draws, losses, goals for, goals against, goal difference, and total points.

Fixtures remain the source of truth. If a match has no score, it is unplayed. If you enter a score manually, that score becomes part of the scenario. If you ask SimuMatch to simulate remaining matches, only unplayed fixtures are filled.

Tie-breakers

After points are calculated, the standings are sorted using configured tie-breakers. Common tie-breakers include goal difference, goals scored, and additional competition-specific rules where they are modeled. Tie-breakers matter because a scenario can leave teams level on points while still changing their final order.

The current league pages prioritize the tie-breakers represented in the local competition configuration. Where a real competition has deeper administrative rules, SimuMatch may simplify them until those rules are explicitly modeled.

Team ratings and strength

When SimuMatch auto-simulates a match, it uses relative team strength as one input. A stronger team is more likely to win, but the result is still variable. This keeps scenarios from becoming deterministic while preserving the basic idea that team quality affects outcomes.

International competitions currently use FIFA-based rating inputs where available. Club competitions use internal or approximate strength ratings for now. A more robust club rating source is planned for a later iteration.

Limits of the current ratings

The ratings are not live power rankings. They do not automatically adjust for injuries, suspensions, transfers, fixture congestion, home tactical changes, or recent form streaks. They are intentionally simple inputs for scenario generation.

That means a simulated match should be treated as one possible outcome, not a claim that the result is likely to happen. Manual score editing remains the most precise way to test a specific football assumption.

Further reading