Division 1

How the Elo rating works

Every manager starts at 1500. Results move ratings by opponent strength and margin of victory.

Elo is a head-to-head rating system (the same idea used in chess and world football rankings). It measures strength of results, not just points won — so beating a strong opponent is worth more than beating a weak one.

• Everyone starts at 1500. Before any games are played, every manager sits on the same baseline rating.
• Win and you take points from your opponent. After each match, points move from the loser to the winner. A draw still shifts the rating toward whoever was the underdog.
• Upsets move the needle more. The rating predicts each result from the gap between the two ratings. Beating a higher-rated manager earns more than beating a lower-rated one; losing to a weaker manager costs more.
• Margin of victory matters. A two-goal win counts for more than a one-goal win, and a blowout more again — so dominant results are rewarded.
• Why it differs from the table. The league table rewards total points across every game. Elo rewards who you beat and by how much, so a manager can rank higher here than on the table by consistently beating strong opponents.