Background

Opta is a sports data and analytics company that collects, processes, and distributes performance statistics across professional football, cricket, rugby, and other sports. Founded in 1996 in the United Kingdom, it is now part of Stats Perform, a global sports data business. Opta's statistical outputs are widely used by broadcasters, clubs, coaches, journalists, and betting operators. In football, Opta data is treated as the industry standard for match-by-match performance metrics, historical records, and real-time live data feeds.

Opta data is cited throughout coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the source of record for historical and in-match statistics. Opta confirmed that Scotland's four-goal first half in a 4-0 win over Bolivia on 6 June 2026 was 'the first four-goal first half in Scotland's international history'. The same data infrastructure tracks the opening-match records and statistical novelties that emerge across the 48-team tournament, including Mexico's historical record in World Cup openers.

In a 104-match tournament generating the largest volume of World Cup match data in history, Opta's role as the statistical source of record for broadcasters and journalists has grown correspondingly. Their real-time feeds power television graphics, web platforms, and post-match analysis across the tournament's multiple host cities.

Common Questions

What is Opta and why is it cited in football?

Opta is a sports data company founded in 1996 and now part of Stats Perform. It is the industry-standard source for football statistics, used by broadcasters, clubs, and journalists worldwide to verify records and performance data.

Who owns Opta?

Opta is owned by Stats Perform, a global sports data and technology business formed from the merger of Stats LLC and Perform Group in 2019.

What historical football records did Opta confirm at the 2026 World Cup?

Opta confirmed that Scotland's 4-0 win over Bolivia on 6 June 2026 featured the first four-goal first half in Scotland's international history. Opta data is used throughout the tournament to verify records across the 48-team format.Source: Opta

How the World Sees Them

Football clubs

Teams use Opta performance data in scouting, opposition analysis, and contract negotiations, making the company's analytics infrastructure part of the modern game's operational fabric.

Betting industry

Opta's real-time feeds underpin live betting markets across the World Cup; the accuracy and latency of their data directly affects the product quality of major bookmakers.

Broadcast / media

Opta data is treated as the reference standard for on-screen graphics and editorial fact-checking; a 'per Opta' attribution signals a statistic has been verified against the full historical record.