FotMob Scraping Issue: Schedule Data Retrieval Failure

Hey everyone! 👋 If you're here, chances are you've bumped into a bit of a snag while trying to snag some sweet schedule data from FotMob using the soccerdata library. This article is all about dissecting that pesky KeyError: 'matches' error, figuring out why it's popping up, and how you might be able to get things back on track. We'll dive deep into the problem, explore the code causing the trouble, and brainstorm potential solutions. Let's get started, shall we?

The Bug: Why FotMob Schedule Scraping is Failing

So, what's the deal? The main issue is that the code is unable to successfully scrape the schedule information from FotMob. This is preventing us from accessing the crucial match data we need. This problem is particularly frustrating because it used to work, which strongly implies a change on the FotMob side that our script hasn't caught up with. The error message KeyError: 'matches' is the smoking gun, pointing directly to a problem in how the code is trying to read the JSON response from FotMob. Specifically, it's saying that the expected key, labeled as “matches,” isn't present in the data the scraper is receiving. This absence is the core reason for the failure, and we will try our best to fix it.

Now, let's break down the problem further. The code snippet provided uses the soccerdata library to fetch the schedule for the English Premier League for the 2025/2026 season. The error occurs when the read_schedule() function is called. This function is designed to parse the JSON data returned by the FotMob API and extract the schedule information. However, due to the KeyError, the process falls apart. The traceback indicates that the issue arises within the fotmob.py file, specifically at line 298. Here, the code attempts to access the “matches” key within the JSON data. If this key is missing, a KeyError is raised, causing the script to crash. This could be due to several reasons, such as changes in the FotMob API structure or the unavailability of schedule data for the specified season.

Impact on Scraping

This error significantly impacts the ability to scrape schedule information. Without a functional schedule scraper, users cannot access crucial match data, including dates, times, and team matchups. This limitation renders the data extraction process ineffective, preventing users from obtaining essential information for analysis or data-driven applications. Moreover, the failure to scrape schedule data can disrupt data pipelines and automated workflows, leading to inefficiencies and data gaps. Ultimately, this problem hinders the utilization of the valuable information provided by FotMob and impedes the user's ability to create data-driven analyses. The impact of this error extends to various applications reliant on real-time and historical soccer data.

Affected Scrapers and Code Example

As the report indicates, the issue specifically affects the FotMob scraper within the soccerdata library. This is the only scraper directly involved in this bug report. The code example provided in the bug report illustrates how the error occurs. Let's take a closer look at that code again:

import soccerdata as sd
fotmob = sd.FotMob(leagues='ENG-Premier League', seasons='2025/2026', no_cache=True)
schedule = fotmob.read_schedule()
league_table = fotmob.read_league_table()

This script snippet is straightforward. It begins by importing the soccerdata library, then initializes a FotMob object, specifying the league (English Premier League) and the season (2025/2026). It also sets no_cache=True, which means that it forces a fresh download of the data, rather than using a cached version. The read_schedule() function is then called to attempt to fetch the schedule. Finally, the read_league_table() is called, but the script will likely never reach this line because the error happens earlier. The critical line is schedule = fotmob.read_schedule(). This line is where the scraper attempts to retrieve and parse the JSON data from FotMob's API. The KeyError: 'matches' indicates that the expected key doesn't exist within the JSON response at this step.

Debugging Steps

To troubleshoot the code, there are several steps you can take:

1. Inspect the API Response: First and foremost, you should investigate the raw JSON data that the API returns. Modify the fotmob.py file, specifically the read_schedule() function, to print the raw JSON data. This will help you to verify whether the 'matches' key even exists in the actual response. If the key is missing or the structure has changed, this confirms that the API structure has changed.
2. Verify League and Season: Make sure the league and season are correct. FotMob's API might have specific requirements for how leagues and seasons are specified. Double-check that the league identifier ('ENG-Premier League') and the season ('2025/2026') are valid and supported by the API.
3. Check for API Updates: Always keep an eye on whether FotMob has made changes to its API. Review any API documentation or release notes that FotMob provides. These updates may include changes to data structures, endpoints, or authentication methods. Changes in the API often lead to scraping failures.
4. Check for Rate Limiting: Some APIs implement rate limits to prevent abuse. If you are making too many requests in a short period, the API might block you or return an error. You may have to add delays between requests or implement error handling and retry mechanisms.

Error Analysis: Deep Dive into the 'matches' Key

Let's zero in on the KeyError: 'matches' message. It means that the JSON response from FotMob doesn't have a top-level key named “matches”. This is the heart of the problem. This missing key prevents the pd.json_normalize function from correctly parsing the data. Understanding why this key is missing or not accessible is very important in resolving this issue. Here are some of the potential reasons and how to address them:

1. API Structure Changes: The most likely culprit is a structural change in the FotMob API. They might have changed the way they structure the JSON response. Perhaps the “matches” data is nested differently, or maybe they've renamed the key or moved the data to a different part of the response. The solution is to update the scraper code to match the new API structure.
2. Season Availability: It's possible that the schedule data for the 2025/2026 season is not yet available, or that FotMob is displaying data differently. It might be in a different format. You need to investigate the API to confirm the season data and ensure it's accessible through the same endpoint. Check the current season's availability on FotMob to verify whether the schedule exists and is accessible. If there's no data for the chosen season, the 'matches' key may be missing.
3. API Endpoint Changes: The API endpoint used by the scraper might be outdated. FotMob could have changed the URL or the way they serve their data. Confirm that the scraper uses the correct endpoint. Inspect the code to make sure it's requesting the correct API URL for schedule data. If the endpoint is incorrect, the server won't return data as expected.
4. Error Handling Issues: The scraper might not handle errors correctly. Sometimes, the API will return an error message instead of the expected data structure. If the scraper doesn't catch these errors, it will try to parse the error message as JSON, which would then lead to the KeyError. Enhance the scraper to handle different types of responses.
5. Data Filtering: FotMob might be applying filters to the data. Verify that the filters in your code (such as the league and season) are correctly configured and that they don’t inadvertently filter out the data. Review the soccerdata library’s documentation to ensure the filters are applied as expected.

Possible Solutions and Contributor Action Plan

Here are some possible solutions to address the KeyError and steps in the Contributor Action Plan:

• Inspect the API Response: As stated before, the first step is to check the raw JSON returned by the API to pinpoint the exact issue. Modify the scraper code to print the raw JSON response and analyze its structure. This will reveal whether the “matches” key is present and how data is structured.
• Update the Scraper Code: The core solution is to modify the scraper code within soccerdata.py to match the new API structure. This means updating the code to parse the data correctly. The specific modifications will depend on the changes in the API. Update the way the code accesses and processes the JSON data to reflect the current API structure.
• Check the API Documentation: Consult FotMob’s API documentation or any available documentation for the soccerdata library. Make sure that the scraper is using the correct API endpoints and that the data is fetched properly. Verify that the API is set up correctly to retrieve the data.
• Add Error Handling: Enhance error handling in the scraper to catch exceptions and handle unexpected responses gracefully. Implement try-except blocks to catch potential errors during the JSON parsing and data retrieval process. Provide informative error messages.
• Test with Different Seasons: Test the scraper with different seasons. It is possible that the error only affects specific seasons. Check whether it impacts multiple seasons. This will help to determine the root cause of the error and verify the fix.
• Submit a Pull Request: If you identify a fix, submit a pull request to the soccerdata library repository. Share your solution with the community. This will ensure that others can also use the scraper without encountering the same issue.

The user who reported the bug indicated that they were not able to fix the issue. Therefore, the task of resolving the error will likely fall to another contributor. It's a matter of exploring the JSON data, adapting the code, and ensuring compatibility with FotMob’s current API. The goal is to restore the scraper’s ability to correctly pull schedule data, enabling users to continue extracting the necessary information. Hopefully, with the troubleshooting steps, potential solutions, and action plan outlined, we can fix the FotMob schedule scraping error and restore its functionality.