What Variables Are For
Template variables are placeholders such as [site_name] or [team_name].
They are replaced automatically when a dynamic page is rendered.
Most people use them in:
- meta titles
- meta descriptions
- wrapper titles on dynamic templates
You do not need many of them. A few clear variables normally do the job.
The Most Useful Global Variable
| Variable | What it does |
|---|---|
[site_name] | Inserts your site brand name |
This is the one you will use most often across all templates.
Common Variables by Template Type
Match pages
Useful variables:
[home_name][away_name][league_name][season_name][kickoff_at]— match date formatted in the site language[site_name]
Status-aware variables (recommended for SEO meta titles and descriptions):
[match_status]— machine valueupcoming/live/finished[match_status_label]— translated label, e.g.Live,En vivo,Ao vivo[match_status_phrase]— natural-language phrase that adapts to the moment, e.g.live now(during the match),result(after the match),preview(before kickoff). Localised to the site language.[match_status_phrase_with_date]— same phrase plus the match date already appended, ready to drop into a title.
Example (static title — does not adapt after kickoff):
[home_name] vs [away_name] | [site_name]Recommended status-aware example (the meta updates itself when the match ends):
[home_name] vs [away_name] [match_status_phrase], [kickoff_at] | [site_name]Renders as:
- Before the match:
Brentford vs Fulham preview, Apr 18, 2026 | Popbola - During the match:
Brentford vs Fulham live now, Apr 18, 2026 | Popbola - After the match:
Brentford vs Fulham result, Apr 18, 2026 | Popbola
This avoids stale "live" wording showing up for matches that already ended — Google flags those titles as misleading.
Team pages
Useful variables:
[team_name][country_name][site_name]
Example:
[team_name] fixtures and squad | [site_name]League pages
Useful variables:
[league_name][season_name][country_name][site_name]
Example:
[league_name] standings [season_name] | [site_name]Player pages
Useful variables:
[player_name][team_name][country_name][site_name]
Example:
[player_name] profile and stats | [site_name]Where They Work Best
The most practical places to use variables are:
- the SEO title of a dynamic template
- the SEO description of a dynamic template
- short wrapper headings such as
Latest from [league_name]
Keep It Readable
Good variable usage is usually:
- short
- natural to read
- clearly tied to the page
Avoid packing every possible token into the same title.
If a Variable Does Not Resolve
If a placeholder is unknown or typed incorrectly, it usually stays as plain text.
So if you see something like [team_nam] on the public site, it normally means the variable name is wrong.