This page shows the ELO score history of the selected club - mapping their best and worst sides of all time, and their most unlikely victories and defeats based on their ELO score.
Inspired by ClubELO.com, the ELO rating system is a method of calculating and comparing the relative strengths of teams in competition. For every match played, the ELO scores of the two teams are considered, and adjusted for other factors (such as home advantage), to calculate the likelihood of the match result. When the actual result of the game is known, the ELO score is adjusted accordingly, comparing the expected outcome of the game with the actual outcome - so a victory over Manchester United will be worth more points than one over Supermarine. The resulting ELO score can be used to compare the strengths of teams over time, and to project future results based on the current form of all teams.
Cardiff City
ELO Score History
A historical overview of Cardiff City's ELO scores.
Best Teams in History
A list of the top 15 Cardiff City sides in history, based on their ELO score.
| Year | Date Recorded | ELO Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1923 | Wednesday December 26th, 1923 | 4,100.40 |
| 1924 | Tuesday January 1st, 1924 | 4,098.25 |
| 1922 | Saturday September 9th, 1922 | 4,049.16 |
| 1927 | Saturday September 24th, 1927 | 4,034.61 |
| 1925 | Saturday March 14th, 1925 | 4,031.79 |
| 1928 | Saturday February 25th, 1928 | 4,022.51 |
| 1954 | Saturday December 4th, 1954 | 4,007.42 |
| 1926 | Saturday April 3rd, 1926 | 4,006.24 |
| 1956 | Saturday March 10th, 1956 | 4,005.60 |
| 1953 | Saturday October 31st, 1953 | 3,988.04 |
| 1955 | Saturday March 19th, 1955 | 3,984.99 |
| 2018 | Friday March 30th, 2018 | 3,964.16 |
| 2013 | Saturday February 2nd, 2013 | 3,951.46 |
| 2012 | Monday January 2nd, 2012 | 3,951.00 |
| 2011 | Sunday December 4th, 2011 | 3,949.16 |
Worst Teams in History
A list of the worst 15 Cardiff City sides in history, based on their ELO score.
| Year | Date Recorded | ELO Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Saturday April 20th, 1996 | 3,384.77 |
| 1997 | Saturday January 18th, 1997 | 3,388.48 |
| 1998 | Tuesday August 18th, 1998 | 3,396.45 |
| 1934 | Saturday May 5th, 1934 | 3,442.46 |
| 1991 | Saturday August 17th, 1991 | 3,450.43 |
| 1992 | Wednesday January 1st, 1992 | 3,467.48 |
| 1935 | Saturday March 23rd, 1935 | 3,468.85 |
| 1990 | Saturday December 15th, 1990 | 3,471.97 |
| 1995 | Saturday November 18th, 1995 | 3,475.17 |
| 1987 | Friday May 1st, 1987 | 3,480.96 |
| 1937 | Monday April 12th, 1937 | 3,485.04 |
| 1936 | Wednesday January 15th, 1936 | 3,489.42 |
| 1933 | Monday December 25th, 1933 | 3,495.40 |
| 1985 | Saturday November 30th, 1985 | 3,505.36 |
| 1986 | Tuesday April 8th, 1986 | 3,508.51 |
Significant Victories
A list of the twenty most significant victories in Cardiff City history, based on the ELO points difference between the two teams.
| Match | Win % | Score | ELO +/- |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cardiff City (3,662) vs. Leeds United (4,155) Sunday January 6th, 2002 |
7.91% | 2-1 | +9.2 |
|
Cardiff City (3,605) vs. Charlton Athletic (4,036) Saturday January 7th, 1939 |
15.09% | 1-0 | +17.0 |
|
Cardiff City (3,528) vs. Chelsea (3,934) Tuesday October 28th, 1986 |
13.82% | 2-1 | +17.2 |
|
Cardiff City (3,916) vs. Manchester City (4,240) Sunday August 25th, 2013 |
16.39% | 3-2 | +16.7 |
|
Cardiff City (3,923) vs. Tottenham Hotspur (4,225) Saturday March 11th, 1961 |
24.27% | 3-2 | +15.1 |
|
Cardiff City (3,442) vs. Charlton Athletic (3,739) Saturday August 25th, 1934 |
27.89% | 2-1 | +14.4 |
|
Manchester United (4,194) vs. Cardiff City (3,900) Sunday May 12th, 2019 |
12.68% | 0-2 | +26.2 |
|
Cardiff City (3,638) vs. Watford (3,925) Tuesday October 9th, 1984 |
24.58% | 1-0 | +15.1 |
|
Cardiff City (3,442) vs. Oldham Athletic (3,730) Saturday January 3rd, 1998 |
21.63% | 1-0 | +7.8 |
|
Portsmouth (3,802) vs. Cardiff City (3,520) Wednesday August 16th, 1995 |
11.73% | 0-2 | +13.2 |
|
Burnley (4,040) vs. Cardiff City (3,766) Tuesday September 23rd, 2025 |
14.29% | 1-2 | +8.6 |
|
Cardiff City (3,636) vs. Manchester City (3,905) Saturday January 29th, 1994 |
24.37% | 1-0 | +7.6 |
|
Cardiff City (3,528) vs. Millwall (3,797) Monday January 26th, 1987 |
26.01% | 1-0 | +14.8 |
|
Cardiff City (3,730) vs. Middlesbrough (3,998) Saturday April 13th, 1974 |
27.87% | 3-2 | +14.4 |
|
Cardiff City (3,519) vs. Portsmouth (3,781) Tuesday August 22nd, 1995 |
24.68% | 1-0 | +7.5 |
|
Cardiff City (3,457) vs. Luton Town (3,714) Monday August 27th, 1934 |
32.66% | 1-0 | +13.5 |
|
Cardiff City (3,669) vs. Watford (3,918) Saturday April 3rd, 1982 |
29.63% | 2-0 | +21.1 |
|
Cardiff City (3,917) vs. Burnley (4,159) Saturday January 14th, 1961 |
31.05% | 2-1 | +13.8 |
|
Cardiff City (3,471) vs. Watford (3,711) Saturday March 2nd, 1935 |
34.89% | 2-1 | +13.0 |
|
Swindon Town (3,864) vs. Cardiff City (3,627) Saturday December 20th, 1913 |
11.27% | 1-2 | +17.7 |
Significant Defeats
A list of the twenty most significant defeats in Cardiff City history, based on the ELO points difference between the two teams.
| Match | Win % | Score | ELO +/- |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Macclesfield Town (3,352) vs. Cardiff City (3,950) Saturday January 5th, 2013 |
96.06% | 2-1 | -9.6 |
|
Hayes (3,110) vs. Cardiff City (3,537) Wednesday November 21st, 1990 |
88.35% | 1-0 | -17.7 |
|
Northampton Town (3,449) vs. Cardiff City (3,875) Tuesday August 14th, 2012 |
90.06% | 2-1 | -9.0 |
|
Cardiff City (3,858) vs. York City (3,435) Thursday January 15th, 1970 |
95.45% | 1-3 | -28.6 |
|
Halifax Town (3,530) vs. Cardiff City (3,927) Saturday January 10th, 1953 |
84.73% | 3-1 | -25.4 |
|
Gillingham (3,459) vs. Cardiff City (3,853) Wednesday March 17th, 1920 |
82.91% | 3-0 | -29.0 |
|
Cardiff City (3,561) vs. Dartford (3,191) Saturday November 30th, 1935 |
94.74% | 0-3 | -33.2 |
|
Cardiff City (3,877) vs. Brentford (3,533) Saturday January 23rd, 1971 |
92.95% | 0-2 | -27.9 |
|
Cardiff City (3,808) vs. Barnet (3,475) Tuesday August 22nd, 2006 |
90.14% | 0-2 | -13.5 |
|
Gillingham (3,609) vs. Cardiff City (3,928) Saturday January 5th, 2019 |
83.20% | 1-0 | -8.3 |
|
Cardiff City (3,700) vs. Weymouth (3,382) Saturday December 11th, 1982 |
91.34% | 2-3 | -18.3 |
|
Northampton Town (3,602) vs. Cardiff City (3,917) Saturday September 5th, 2020 |
83.00% | 3-0 | -14.5 |
|
Cardiff City (3,879) vs. Coventry City (3,582) Monday December 27th, 1920 |
91.54% | 0-1 | -18.3 |
|
Enfield (3,286) vs. Cardiff City (3,580) Saturday November 12th, 1994 |
78.47% | 1-0 | -7.8 |
|
Swindon Town (3,589) vs. Cardiff City (3,879) Wednesday January 16th, 1952 |
75.31% | 1-0 | -15.1 |
|
Torquay United (3,465) vs. Cardiff City (3,744) Saturday August 13th, 1977 |
73.20% | 1-0 | -14.6 |
|
Cardiff City (3,850) vs. Shrewsbury Town (3,601) Sunday January 10th, 2016 |
83.91% | 0-1 | -8.4 |
|
Wrexham (3,550) vs. Cardiff City (3,798) Monday October 21st, 1963 |
69.66% | 3-0 | -24.4 |
|
Bury (3,550) vs. Cardiff City (3,792) Thursday November 7th, 2002 |
73.51% | 3-0 | -25.7 |
|
Cardiff City (3,933) vs. Peterborough United (3,691) Saturday December 15th, 2012 |
83.77% | 1-2 | -16.8 |
Opponents
A complete listing of Cardiff City's fortunes against all opponents that they have played ten or more matches against - ranked from most to least successful, based on the average ELO points gained or lost in each match.
