The Sugar Apps ("we", "us", or "our") built the World Cup 2026 - Live Scores app to help fans follow tournament fixtures, results, standings, and news. This policy explains what information the app handles and how we use it.
World Cup 2026 - Live Scores is an independent fan app published by The Sugar Apps. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by FIFA, any national football association, or any tournament organizer.
Summary
We do not require an account and we do not sell your personal information. The app primarily displays publicly available sports data and stores preferences on your device so the app works offline, remembers your settings, and can send notifications you opt into. Some features use third-party services — for example, ads (Google AdMob), optional in-app purchases (Google Play), AI match assistance (Google Gemini and Groq), and anonymous crash reports (Firebase Crashlytics).
Information we collect
The app may process the following types of information:
- Public sports data — match schedules, scores, standings, team details, and news fetched from third-party sports data providers.
- On-device preferences — settings stored locally on your device, including notification choices, favorite teams, display theme (light/dark), per-match kickoff reminders, alert preferences, cached match and AI content, and whether you have purchased ad removal or an active rewarded ad-free trial.
- AI questions you ask — when you use the AI match assistant or tournament assistant, your question and relevant match or tournament context are sent to our AI providers to generate a football-related response. We do not require you to provide your name or contact details to use AI features.
- Purchase status — if you buy "Remove ads" on Android, Google Play processes payment and provides us with purchase confirmation so we can unlock the ad-free experience. We do not receive your full payment card details.
- Crash and diagnostic data — on Android, if Firebase Crashlytics is enabled, the app may send anonymous crash reports and basic device information (such as device model and OS version) to help us fix bugs.
- Support messages you send us — if you contact us by email, we receive whatever you choose to include in your message (for example, feedback, screenshots, or device details you share to help us troubleshoot).
We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal information such as government IDs or precise location history.
How we use information
- Display live scores, fixtures, standings, tournament news, and World Cup history content.
- Send local notifications you opt into, such as kickoff reminders and live score alerts.
- Power optional AI features — match previews, live updates, recaps, and tournament Q&A limited to football topics.
- Deliver and measure advertising, process optional in-app purchases, and honour ad-free access you have earned or purchased.
- Improve reliability, diagnose crashes, fix bugs, and respond to support requests.
Third-party services
The app retrieves sports content from external data providers (including ESPN) over the internet. Those providers may log standard network requests according to their own privacy policies. We do not control how third-party websites or APIs handle data outside our app.
The app also uses the following third-party services on Android:
- Google AdMob — advertising (see Advertising below).
- Google Play Billing — optional one-time "Remove ads" purchase.
- Google Gemini and Groq — AI-generated match and tournament responses. Groq is used only as a fallback when Gemini is unavailable. See AI features below.
- Firebase Crashlytics — anonymous crash and stability reporting.
Advertising
The Android app displays ads through Google AdMob. AdMob may use mediation partners such as Meta Audience Network and Unity Ads to serve ads. Ad formats include app open, interstitial, native, and optional rewarded video ads. These services may collect device identifiers, IP address, and ad interaction data to deliver and measure advertising. You can learn more in Google's Privacy Policy, Meta's Privacy Policy, and Unity's Privacy Policy.
You can remove ads permanently with a one-time in-app purchase (More → Premium), or watch an optional rewarded video ad for a temporary ad-free period. Ads are hidden while either option is active. You can limit ad personalization through your device's advertising settings (for example, "Opt out of Ads Personalization" on Android). The iOS app does not currently show ads.
In-app purchases
On Android, you may purchase a one-time "Remove ads" product through Google Play. Google handles payment processing and we receive only the information needed to confirm your purchase and restore it on reinstall or a new device signed into the same Google account. Purchase history is managed by Google according to the Google Privacy Policy. Refunds are handled through Google Play's refund policies.
AI features
The app offers optional AI assistance for match previews, live updates, recaps, and tournament questions. When you use these features, the app sends your question and relevant football context (such as team names, scores, or tournament stage) to Google Gemini. If Gemini is unavailable or rate-limited, the same request may be sent to Groq as a fallback. Responses are cached on your device to avoid repeat requests for the same match.
AI features are limited to football and World Cup topics. The app is designed to decline off-topic requests. We do not use AI conversations to build advertising profiles. Learn how these providers handle data in the Google Privacy Policy and Groq Privacy Policy.
Crash reporting
On Android, we use Firebase Crashlytics to collect anonymous crash reports and basic diagnostic information when the app stops unexpectedly. This helps us identify and fix stability issues. Crashlytics is operated by Google; see the Firebase Privacy Information.
Notifications
If you enable notifications, the app schedules alerts on your device using platform notification services. Notification content is generated locally based on match data. You can disable notifications at any time in the app settings or your device system settings.
Data retention
Cached match data, AI responses, and preferences remain on your device until you clear app storage or uninstall the app. Purchase status is stored on your device and can be restored through Google Play. Support emails are kept only as long as needed to resolve your request. Crash reports retained by Firebase are governed by Google's retention policies.
Children's privacy
The app is intended for a general audience and does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
Your choices
- Turn notifications on or off in the app.
- Choose whether to use AI features — they are optional.
- Remove ads with a one-time purchase or decline rewarded video ads.
- Clear cached data by clearing the app's storage or reinstalling.
- Limit ad personalization in your device settings.
- Contact us to ask questions or request deletion of information you sent us directly.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the app after changes means you accept the updated policy.
Contact us
Questions about this privacy policy? Email us at thesugarapps@gmail.com.