At SkillCorner, we believe in providing access to professional data to support the next generation of football analysts. Together with the Zurich Sports Analytics Club, a student-led initiative at ETH Zurich, we hosted a hackathon built around Switzerland v Germany, played on 27 March, challenging participants to work with data in a real-world match environment. Six teams took part, and we're happy to announce the winners: Ryan Fuchs, Gamal Hassan, and Haaroon Hussain.

Computer science students at ETH Zurich, had often heard in their own amateur football experience that you need to “create chaos to create chances”. That adage became the seed for their project: could chaos actually be measured in a match? Using SkillCorner tracking data they built Phasing, a framework for detecting and visualising dynamic game sequences.

Phasing’s main feature, the Match Lab UI, brings a match timeline mapping out key events alongside a time indicator and speed regulator for controlled playback. The interface features an interactive pitch that visualises tracking data, allowing you to zero in on specific players or tactical concepts. For further insight, users can also sync what’s happening in the frame with broadcast footage, seeing exactly how the data translates to on-field action.

Watch the video below for their full walkthrough of the project:

Jonathan Kuban, Business Development Manager at SkillCorner, explained why events like this matter to the company's commitment to supporting the wider sports analytics community:

“It is always important to not gatekeep data, as innovation and new ideas often come from young minds who need an opportunity to present what they are working on. This is why SkillCorner is happy to partner with the ETH and the ZSAC in hosting this event.”

Congratulations to the team on the win, and thank you to everyone who took part. Whether you are an analyst, student, or enthusiast working on your own ideas, keep an eye out for our next events.

You can explore the winning project Phasing here.

Want to experiment with SkillCorner’s data yourself? Check out our Open Data Series now.