Live Score Glossary: Common Terms Explained
HT, FT, AET, agg, xG and more. A quick-reference glossary of the abbreviations and terms you'll meet while following live scores.
Live scoreboards rely on a shorthand that can be confusing if you are new to it. This glossary collects the terms you are most likely to run into, with plain-language explanations.
Match status
HT (half-time) marks the interval; FT (full-time) marks the end of normal play. AET means "after extra time", used when a tie is decided in an additional period. Pen or pens indicates the match went to a penalty shoot-out. Postp. signals a postponed fixture, while Abd. means a match was abandoned before completion.
Aggregate and two-legged ties
In knockout rounds played over two matches, agg (aggregate) is the combined score across both legs. You may also see references to the away-goals rule in older competitions, where goals scored away from home served as a tie-breaker — though many tournaments have since retired it.
Numbers and metrics
GD is goal difference; GF and GA are goals for and against. Poss. is possession percentage. xG is expected goals, a measure of chance quality. CS stands for clean sheet, meaning a team conceded no goals. In tennis you will see set and game scores; in cricket, the score is shown as runs for wickets, such as 240/4.
Keep this page handy and the abbreviations stop being a barrier. Before long you will read them without thinking, and the scoreboard becomes a faster, richer way to follow the action.