Standards · Transparency
Editorial Policy
Football statistics and transfer news are easy to get wrong. This page explains how Goat Arena researches its content, checks its numbers, chooses its sources and fixes mistakes, so you can judge how far to trust what you read here.
Last updated: October 31, 2026
What Goat Arena Publishes
Goat Arena publishes football comparisons, player and team statistics, honours and records, transfer listings, quizzes, news and analysis articles, and community voting. This policy explains how that content is researched, checked and corrected.
We separate two kinds of content: factual reporting and data (statistics, honours, transfers, match facts) and analysis or opinion (comparisons, the GOAT debate, rankings and commentary). Factual content must be sourced. Analysis can interpret the facts, but it is presented as analysis.
How Articles and News Are Researched
News and articles are based on official announcements, match reports and statistics from competition organisers and clubs, and on reporting from established news organisations. Where a news story relies on specific sources, we list them on the article.
We aim to attribute claims to where they came from, to avoid presenting one outlet's report as settled fact, and to say plainly when information comes from a single source.
How Statistics Are Verified
The statistics, honours and records on Goat Arena are maintained by hand in our own database rather than pulled automatically from a feed. Important totals are checked against more than one source, and when sources disagree we investigate before publishing.
If a figure is not available or has not been verified, we show it as unavailable instead of estimating it or showing a zero. Statistical definitions can differ between providers (for example how assists or appearances are counted), so we show the category and competition behind a number wherever we can.
Where a page shows a date for when its data was last reviewed, that is the date we last cross-checked it, not a guarantee that nothing has changed since.
How We Select Sources
We give the most weight to primary sources: the governing bodies, competitions and clubs themselves (for example FIFA, UEFA, league and club websites). Established statistical databases and recognised news organisations are used to cross-check and to fill gaps where no primary source exists.
We do not treat social media posts, forums, fan accounts or unattributed claims as sufficient evidence on their own. The organisations we most often reference are listed on our About page.
Transfers: Confirmed vs Reported
Every transfer on our transfers page shows its evidence. A transfer is marked Confirmed only when we can link to an official announcement from a club or competition. It is marked Reported when credible media report the deal and we link to those reports. Transfers we cannot source are not published.
Fees are reported figures. They can include add-ons, differ between outlets and be quoted in different currencies, so we show the currency used and say when a fee is reported rather than official. The date shown is the announcement date.
News vs Rumour
We try to keep rumour, speculation and confirmed fact clearly apart. Language such as "reported", "understood to be" or "up to" is used for unconfirmed or conditional information, and "confirmed" or "official" is kept for matters backed by an official source.
We do not publish transfer or injury rumours as established fact, and we update or remove them if they turn out to be wrong.
Analysis, Comparisons and Opinion
Comparison pages, GOAT debate content and rankings combine data with judgement. We show the categories behind a comparison so readers can see what is being counted, and we state that a category tally does not prove who is the better footballer. Greatness is debated; statistics inform the debate but do not settle it.
Corrections and Updates
If you spot a factual error, tell us through the Contact Us page or at hello@goatarena.org. A link to a source helps us act faster.
We check corrections against the source. When a correction is confirmed, we fix it and log the change. Where a correction materially changes an article's meaning, we update the article and say so rather than silently altering it.
Independence and Advertising
Advertising and sponsorship do not influence our statistics, comparisons, rankings or editorial conclusions. Advertising is shown separately from editorial content, and we do not accept payment to change a statistic or a comparison result.
Contact the Editorial Team
Questions about this policy, a correction request or a source we should consider: hello@goatarena.org or the Contact Us page. See also our Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions and About Goat Arena.