Authentication

Sports Stack API uses Bearer token authentication. Include your API key in the Authorization header for all requests.

Getting Your API Key

Log in to your Sports Stack account
Navigate to Settings → API Keys
Click "Generate New API Key"
Copy the key immediately (it won't be shown again)

Using Your API Key

Include your API key in the Authorization header:

curl -X GET "https://api.sportsstack.io/api/v1/teams" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

import requests

headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
}

response = requests.get(
    "https://api.sportsstack.io/api/v1/teams",
    headers=headers
)

const fetch = require('node-fetch');

const response = await fetch(
  'https://api.sportsstack.io/api/v1/teams',
  {
    headers: {
      'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY'
    }
  }
);

Security Best Practices

1. Keep Your API Key Secret

Never commit API keys to version control
Never share API keys in public forums or chat
Never expose API keys in client-side code

2. Use Environment Variables

# Set environment variable
export SPORTS_STACK_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"

# Use in code
curl -X GET "https://api.sportsstack.io/api/v1/teams" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SPORTS_STACK_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

api_key = os.environ.get('SPORTS_STACK_API_KEY')

headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}"
}

3. Rotate Keys Regularly

Generate new API keys periodically
Revoke old keys that are no longer needed
Monitor API key usage in your dashboard

4. Use Different Keys for Different Environments

Use separate API keys for development, staging, and production
Rotate keys when team members leave
Monitor key usage for suspicious activity

Error Responses

401 Unauthorized

{
  "error": "Unauthorized",
  "message": "Invalid or missing API key"
}

Causes:

Missing Authorization header
Invalid API key
Expired API key

Solution: Check your API key and ensure it's correctly formatted in the header.

403 Forbidden

{
  "error": "Forbidden",
  "message": "Insufficient permissions"
}