Guides · By LeagueTables Editorial Team · Reviewed
Standings glossary
Plain-language meanings for the columns on a LeagueTables conference standings, plus a few labels you will see on other sites.
Keep the conference standings open beside this list. Start with points and matches played, then use the goal columns or match status when those answer the question in front of you. For how ranking and tiebreakers work in practice, see points, goal difference, and tiebreakers.
Columns on LeagueTables
- Rank Standings position
- Where the team sits in this conference standings right now. When two teams are close, the sort may use tiebreakers that are not obvious from the columns alone.
- PTS Points
- Points earned from completed games in these standings. In most soccer standings that means three for a win, one for a draw (tie), and none for a loss.
- PPM Points per match
- Points divided by matches played. Useful when teams have not played the same number of games. Treat it as an explanatory statistic, not an official tiebreaker, unless the league says otherwise.
- MP Matches played
- How many completed games the team has in these standings. Check MP before you panic about a gap in the standings; uneven schedules are common in youth soccer.
- W Wins
- Completed matches the team has won in these standings.
- T Ties
- Games that ended even. On LeagueTables this column is labeled T; each tie usually gives both teams one point.
- L Losses
- Completed matches the team has lost in these standings.
- GF Goals for
- Goals scored in completed matches included in these standings.
- GA Goals against
- Goals allowed in completed matches included in these standings.
- GD Goal difference
- Goals for minus goals against. If a team has scored 10 and allowed 7, its goal difference is +3.
Same idea, different letters
- GP Games played
- Same meaning as MP. Some sites use GP instead.
- PLD Played
- Another short label for matches played. Same idea as MP and GP.
- D Draws
- Same as ties. Many soccer standings use D; LeagueTables uses T for the same column.
Labels around the standings
- Conference League grouping
- The regional group or division for that age band. Names change by league and sometimes by season.
- Age group Competitive age label
- The age band for the standings. Current MLS NEXT, ECNL, and ECNL RL pages usually use labels like U15; older seasons and some club materials still use birth years like B2010. See MLS NEXT and ECNL age groups.
- Match status Completed, upcoming, or changed
- Whether a game is final, still upcoming, or has changed. Only completed games with a final score should affect the standings.
Official source still wins
LeagueTables makes the public standings easier to read. The league still has the final word on tiebreakers, corrections, forfeits, and other official changes. If a ranking question affects a real decision, confirm it with the league or club.