Why is Playfair free?
Because we feel passionately about ensuring fairness in grassroots sport. Every child and player deserves equal opportunity on the pitch, and cost shouldn't be a barrier to making that happen.
Is there an app?
Playfair is a web app first and foremost — nothing to download, nothing to install. That said, it's built as a Progressive Web App (PWA), which means regular users can install it to their home screen and it'll look and feel just like a native app. In Chrome, tap the three-dot menu and select 'Install app' (or 'Add to Home Screen'). On iPhone in Safari, tap the share icon and choose 'Add to Home Screen'.
Do I have to start from scratch every time?
No — Playfair saves your squad names and settings directly on your device, so they'll be there the next time you open it.
Does it work without an internet connection?
Once you've loaded the page, Playfair runs entirely in your browser. If you lose signal during a match, it will keep tracking time without interruption.
Can I use it for sports other than football?
Absolutely. Playfair works for any team sport where you rotate players — rugby, hockey, netball, basketball and more. The period and team-size settings are flexible enough to fit most formats.
Can multiple coaches use it at the same time?
Not yet — Playfair runs locally on one device at a time. For now, the best approach is for one person to manage it on the touchline. Shared access is something we'd love to explore in the future.
Will my data be shared or sold?
No. Everything you enter stays on your own device — Playfair doesn't send your squad names or match data anywhere. There are no accounts, no servers storing your information.
What happens if my phone screen locks mid-match?
Nothing to worry about — the timer keeps running in the background even if your screen locks. Just unlock your phone and you'll find everything exactly as you left it.
Can I track individual goal tallies for the season?
Playfair is intentionally focused on one thing: in-match fairness. There are great team management apps out there for tracking season stats, player development and the rest — we're not trying to replace them. Most managers we know are volunteers just trying to give the kids a good game, and the last thing they need is another system to maintain. So we've kept Playfair simple and match-day only — and that's where our focus will stay.