Did you know that the “live” football matches you watch on TV aren’t actually live?
Yep, there’s always a small delay between what happens on the pitch and when it appears on your screen.
A user on X recently pointed this out with a clip where Arne Slot is seen celebrating a Liverpool goal, while the TV behind him still shows Newcastle in possession.
And that set off a chain of reactions!
People started bringing up moments like…
Gündoğan’s FA Cup final goal in the first 10 seconds or Trent Alexander-Arnold’s quick corner against Barcelona.
One user even timed the delay – around 13 seconds.
And in the case of online streaming, it’s even worse – around 30 seconds.
So why is there a delay?
First off, it just takes time for the signal to reach your screen—live broadcasting is a complicated process.
But the real reason is that it’s intentional.
Broadcasters build in a delay so they have time to cut the feed in case of serious injuries, deaths, terrorist attacks, or explosions.
Basically, anything that just shouldn’t be aired live to millions of people
Football is supposed to be fun—no one signs up to watch a tragedy unfold in real time.
Then, there’s the betting angle.
That 13-second delay? Some bettors use it to their advantage.
People inside the stadium or with access to real-time data can see a goal, red card, or key event before it appears on TV—and place bets accordingly.
Fair? Not really.
Cheating? Yes.
And if you’ve ever wondered how those football apps notify you of a goal before you even see the ball hit the net? Now you know.
