Predicted Lineups

Available on: Starter, Growth, Pro, Enterprise (legacy plans not included)

The predictedLineups include gives you an early estimate of a team's starting eleven and bench before the official lineup is released. Predictions are generated automatically using Sportmonks' own historical data, including previous lineups, known injuries, and suspensions.

Predicted lineups are estimates, not guarantees. They will be replaced by the official lineup once it is confirmed (typically around one hour before kick-off).

How it works

When you request fixture data with the predictedLineups include before a team's official lineup has been published, the API returns a data-driven prediction based on:

• Previous lineup selections for each team

• Known injuries and suspensions

• Historical formation and player preferences

Once the official lineup is confirmed, the lineup_confirmed flag in the metadata field is set to true, and the predicted lineup is replaced with the actual confirmed data.

Endpoints

Fixture include

Add predictedLineups as an include on the fixtures or livescores endpoints:

GET https://api.sportmonks.com/v3/football/fixtures/{id}
    ?api_token=YOUR_TOKEN&include=predictedLineups

By player

Returns predicted lineup history for a specific player across fixtures.

GET https://api.sportmonks.com/v3/football/predicted-lineups/players/{player_id}
    ?api_token=YOUR_TOKEN

Example request

GET https://api.sportmonks.com/v3/football/predicted-lineups/players/10990678
    ?api_token=YOUR_TOKEN

Example response

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 200605,
      "sport_id": 1,
      "fixture_id": 19427211,
      "player_id": 10990678,
      "team_id": 9,
      "formation_field": "4:3",
      "position_id": 158,
      "detailed_position_id": 158,
      "type_id": 111384,
      "formation_position": 8,
      "player_name": "Antoine Semenyo",
      "jersey_number": 42
    },
    {
      "id": 179700,
      "sport_id": 1,
      "fixture_id": 19699726,
      "player_id": 10990678,
      "team_id": 9,
      "formation_field": "4:1",
      "position_id": 158,
      "detailed_position_id": 158,
      "type_id": 111384,
      "formation_position": 8,
      "player_name": "Antoine Semenyo",
      "jersey_number": 42
    }
  ]
}

By team

Returns predicted lineup data for a specific team across fixtures.

GET https://api.sportmonks.com/v3/football/predicted-lineups/teams/{team_id}
    ?api_token=YOUR_TOKEN

Example request

GET https://api.sportmonks.com/v3/football/predicted-lineups/teams/9
    ?api_token=YOUR_TOKEN

Example response

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 126759,
      "sport_id": 1,
      "fixture_id": 19680776,
      "player_id": 4536500,
      "team_id": 9,
      "formation_field": "2:3",
      "position_id": 148,
      "detailed_position_id": 148,
      "type_id": 111384,
      "formation_position": 4,
      "player_name": "Marc Guéhi",
      "jersey_number": 15
    },
    {
      "id": 129243,
      "sport_id": 1,
      "fixture_id": 19680776,
      "player_id": 10990678,
      "team_id": 9,
      "formation_field": "4:1",
      "position_id": 27,
      "detailed_position_id": 27,
      "type_id": 111384,
      "formation_position": 11,
      "player_name": "Antoine Semenyo",
      "jersey_number": 42
    },
    {
      "id": 126765,
      "sport_id": 1,
      "fixture_id": 19680776,
      "player_id": 37623459,
      "team_id": 9,
      "formation_field": "2:4",
      "position_id": 148,
      "detailed_position_id": 148,
      "type_id": 111384,
      "formation_position": 3,
      "player_name": "Abdukodir Khusanov",
      "jersey_number": 45
    }
  ]
}

Response fields

Field	Type	Description
id	integer	Unique identifier for this predicted lineup entry
sport_id	integer	Sport type identifier (1 = football)
fixture_id	integer	Associated fixture ID
player_id	integer	Unique player identifier
team_id	integer	Team identifier
formation_field	string	Player's predicted position in formation (e.g. "4:1")
position_id	integer	Player's position type ID
detailed_position_id	integer	Player's detailed position type ID
type_id	integer	Lineup entry type identifier
formation_position	integer	Sequential formation position number
player_name	string	Player's name
jersey_number	integer	Player's jersey number

Usage

Add predictedLineups as an include on the fixtures or livescores endpoints:

GET https://api.sportmonks.com/v3/football/fixtures/{id}
?api_token=YOUR_TOKEN&include=predictedLineups

Predicted vs Premium Expected Lineups

Sportmonks offers two pre-match lineup features. The right choice depends on your use case and plan:

	predictedLineups	expectedLineups (Premium)
Availability	All plans (legacy excluded)	Growth and above (add-on required)
Data source	Historical data and previous lineups	Live monitoring by analysts reviewing news, press conferences, and injury reports
Update method	Automated	Human-curated
Best for	General pre-match display	Fantasy, betting, and time-sensitive use cases

For more information on the premium option, see Premium Expected Lineups.