Cookie Policy

FootballPlazza uses one essential cookie to keep you signed in, stores a few things in your browser that you ask for, and loads Stripe's cookies only when you pay. Analytics and advertising-measurement cookies (Google Analytics through Google Tag Manager) are used only while we have switched them on and you accept them; the cookie banner lists these categories only while that is the case. We use no social media tracking, and without that consent we load no fonts or scripts from third-party servers on ordinary pages.

Cookies are small files a website saves in your browser. Browser storage ("local storage") is similar but is only read by scripts on the same website and is never sent to our server automatically. The law (the ePrivacy rules) allows strictly necessary storage without consent; everything else needs your permission.

• __Host-fp_session (called fp_session on development servers) — a cookie that keeps you signed in after you choose to sign in. It contains only a random token, is HttpOnly, Secure and SameSite=Lax, lasts up to 7 days, is renewed daily while you use the site and is removed when you sign out.
• fp:consent:v1 (browser storage) — remembers the choice you made in the cookie dialog, so we do not ask again. Kept until you change your choice or clear your browser data.
• fp:watchlist:v1 (browser storage) — the fixtures you chose to save. It exists only because you asked us to remember them, so it counts as strictly necessary. If you sign in, they are added to your account once (see the Privacy Policy).
• fp:watchlist:synced:… (browser storage) — notes that this device's saved fixtures were already added to your account, so they are not added twice.
• fp-announcement-dismissed:… (browser storage) — remembers that you closed a site announcement, so it stays closed.
• fp-markets-slip (browser storage) — the selections you added to the slip builder, for the same reason.

With your permission, FootballPlazza remembers convenience settings in your browser, such as filters, your time zone and display preferences. These are stored under keys that start with fp:pref: and never leave your device.

If you choose Essential only, these preferences are not stored, and any that were saved before are removed. The site still works; it just will not remember those settings between visits.

Whether these are used at all depends on a site setting. The cookie banner lists Analytics and Marketing only while we have switched on Google Tag Manager. If it shows no such switches (it then says that we do not use analytics or advertising cookies), FootballPlazza does not use analytics, advertising, retargeting or social media cookies, tracking pixels or fingerprinting, and nothing from Google is loaded.

When they are offered, nothing from Google loads until you accept Analytics or Marketing. We use Google's Consent Mode in its "basic" form: before your choice no Google script runs and no data is sent to Google, and if you refuse it stays that way.

• Google Tag Manager — a tag loader from www.googletagmanager.com, provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. It is loaded only after you accept Analytics or Marketing and loads the tools below.
• Analytics: Google Analytics 4 — counts visits and how pages and features are used (pages viewed, searches, sign-ups, checkouts and memberships bought, votes and similar events) so we can improve the site. Cookies: _ga (tells visitors apart with a random ID, 2 years) and _ga_<container ID> (keeps the state of your visit, 2 years). Google receives your IP address, browser and device details and the pages and events above; we never send your name, email address, account ID or payment details. Event data is kept for the retention period set in our Google Analytics property, at most 14 months.
• Marketing: Google advertising measurement — lets Google measure whether our own adverts on other websites lead to visits and memberships, and use this for ad personalisation. Cookies: _gcl_au and, after you click one of our Google adverts, _gcl_aw or _gcl_dc (90 days). We show no adverts on FootballPlazza.

Legal basis: your consent (GDPR Article 6(1)(a) and the ePrivacy rules). Roles: for Google Analytics, Google Ireland Limited is our processor; for advertising measurement, Google may act as an independent controller. International transfers: Google may process the data in the United States; transfers to Google LLC are covered by the EU–US Data Privacy Framework (Google LLC is certified) and by Standard Contractual Clauses. More detail is in the Privacy Policy.

Withdrawing: choose Cookie settings at the bottom of any page, then Reject all or switch off a category. We then tell Google's tags that consent is denied, delete the _ga, _gid and _gcl cookies set for this site, stop sending data and reload the page so nothing from Google keeps running. Withdrawal does not affect processing before it.

If we switch analytics on, or change these tools, we update this policy and its version first, and the cookie banner asks you again when new categories appear.

When you start a payment or update your payment details, the page loads Stripe.js, Stripe's secure payment form. Stripe may then set its own cookies, such as __stripe_mid and __stripe_sid, to prevent fraud and process the payment securely. These are strictly necessary for paying and are controlled by Stripe; see Stripe's cookie policy. Stripe is not loaded on other pages.

Use Cookie settings in the footer of any page to change your choice at any time. If you are signed in, we also keep a record of your choice with its date and the policy version, as proof of consent.

You can also delete cookies and site data in your browser settings. Deleting the session cookie signs you out; deleting browser storage removes saved fixtures, your slip and preferences on that device.