How to Use the API-Football MCP in Claude

Get real-time match stats and league tables directly inside Claude Desktop without leaving your chat window.

See Vinkius in Action

Works with every AI agent you already use

…and any MCP-compatible client

MCP Servers - Free for Subscribers

Connect API-Football MCP to Claude Desktop

Create your Vinkius account to connect API-Football to Claude Desktop and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

GDPR Free for Subscribers

Setup API-Football with Claude Desktop

Ask AI about this MCP

ChatGPT

Claude

Perplexity

Track Live Matches in Claude Desktop

The `list_live_fixtures` tool pulls active match data directly into your Claude Desktop chat interface using this MCP server. You get real-time score updates, current match minutes, and live events without opening a browser tab. Your agent uses this live feed to analyze ongoing games as they happen. If you need to check how a specific team is performing mid-match, `get_fixtures` lets you pull their recent schedule to compare form instantly.

Analyze League Standings and Top Scorers

The `get_standings` tool retrieves current league tables directly inside your workspace. Claude Desktop parses the points, goal differences, and form guides to answer complex questions about title races or relegation battles. When you want to see who is driving those team results, `get_league_topscorers` delivers the current goal-scoring leaders. This lets your agent build detailed player profiles by combining league leaderboards with individual performance metrics.

Deep Dive into Player and Team Metrics

The `get_player_info` tool fetches detailed career statistics, injury updates, and match ratings for any active player through the MCP interface. Your Claude Desktop agent uses this data to compare players head-to-head or evaluate potential transfer targets. To see the bigger picture, `get_team_info` and `search_football_teams` allow you to look up squad depth, stadium details, and founding years. You can quickly map out a club's entire roster and historical context during your research sessions.

Setup guide

Set up API-Football MCP in Claude Web or Desktop

1

Open Claude Settings

Go to claude.ai, click your profile icon, then navigate to Customize → Connectors.
2

Add Custom Connector

Click the "+" button and select Add custom connector. Paste your Vinkius endpoint URL: https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your token from cloud.vinkius.com. For OAuth-protected servers, expand Advanced settings to add credentials.
3

Start a conversation

Open a new chat. The API-Football MCP tools are available immediately — no restart needed.

Endpoint URL

https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp

No configuration file needed — paste the URL directly in the Claude web interface.

Available on Free (1 connector), Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans.

Prerequisites

Claude Desktop installed (macOS or Windows)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open Claude Desktop Settings

Click the menu icon at the top-left corner, go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. This opens claude_desktop_config.json in your default text editor.
2

Paste the API-Football MCP configuration

Copy the JSON snippet on the right into the mcpServers object. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Restart Claude Desktop

Close and reopen the application. Claude needs a full restart to load new MCPs — refreshing a conversation is not enough.
4

Verify the connection

Open a new conversation. Click the 🔌 icon at the bottom of the message input. You should see tools listed under api-football-mcp.

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "api-football-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Get your connection token →

Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by API-Football. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

Why Choose Vinkius

Vinkius connects your tools to AI with real-time monitoring and automatic cost savings — all from one dashboard.

Connect API-Football now

Real-time monitoring

Live

visibility into every interaction

Connect your favorite tools to your AI and see exactly what's happening — every request, every response, in real time.

Built-in savings

60%

lower AI costs

Vinkius compresses data between your apps and your AI automatically. Lower bills every month — no configuration required.

Single dashboard

One

place for every integration

Every tool your AI connects to, managed from a single screen. One account, complete control.

Common questions about API-Football MCP in Claude Desktop

You add the server configuration to your local Claude Desktop JSON file. This lets your local agent call the football tools directly during your conversations.

Yes, you can. The desktop app calls the live fixtures tool to pull current match events straight into your chat.

You need an active API key from the data provider. The server handles the connection, while Claude Desktop executes the queries based on your subscription tier.

The server accesses historical standings and past matches. Your agent reads this historical data to identify trends over multiple seasons.

Your API credentials stay in your local configuration file. This server runs in a secure, isolated sandbox on Vinkius, meaning your queries and keys are never exposed to external third parties.

Use it with your favorite AI tools

Connect this server to Cursor, Claude, VS Code, and more.

OpenAI Agents SDK sdk-python

Google ADK sdk-python

Pydantic AI sdk-python

Vercel AI SDK sdk-typescript