# Set up your league Telegram bot
# Before you begin
You need a Telegram account, league administrator access and the Custom Telegram bot feature enabled for your league. You must be able to add a bot to your group or manage channel administrators. If Integrations → Telegram bot is missing, ask the league owner to check availability. This guide is accessible without Premium.
# 1. Create the bot with BotFather
Open BotFather, Telegram’s verified official bot. Press Start and send /newbot. Choose a display name and an available username ending in bot, such as MyExampleLeagueBot (a fictional name). BotFather gives you a token, a long string containing a colon. Copy it for the next step.
# 2. Connect it to your league
Select your league in Game of Leagues and open Integrations → Telegram bot. Paste the token, choose Bot language and press Connect bot. Check the displayed name and Active status. Game of Leagues handles the technical connection automatically: you do not need to configure webhooks, servers or chat IDs. Use a dedicated bot that is not managed by another service.
# 3. Add the bot to your destination
Group or supergroup: open the group information, add a member and search for the bot’s username. Allow it to send messages. Administrator access is unnecessary if group permissions already allow it to write.
Channel: open channel management and add the bot as an administrator with permission to post messages. Adding it to the linked discussion group does not connect the channel: they are separate destinations.
# 4. Connect the chat with a code
Press Generate code in Game of Leagues. Copy the displayed command and send it in the group or directly in the channel, not to BotFather or in a private chat with the bot. Fictional example:
/connect@MyExampleLeagueBot ABC123
Always use your actual command: the code expires after ten minutes and works once. Wait for the Telegram confirmation, then press Refresh status in Game of Leagues. The command addressed with @BotName works with default group privacy mode; you do not need to disable it. A new connection replaces the previous destination.
# 5. Test and choose notifications
Press Send test message and check that it arrives in the chosen destination. Then enable the desired Automatic notifications switches. All are initially off. Supported events include announcements, market and auction openings/closings, completed transfers, matchdays, gazettes and match results. Automatic messages may take a moment; earlier events are not replayed. A result is notified on its first entry, not after every correction. Message text is predefined.
# 6. Change language or disconnect
Choose Bot language and press Save language to change future messages. Disconnect destination keeps the bot and notification preferences. To use another chat, add the bot there and generate a new code. Disconnect bot also deletes the destination and preferences; reconnecting requires setup again. It does not delete the bot from Telegram or remove messages already sent.
# Troubleshooting and token safety
Token rejected: copy the full token without spaces. If revoked, disconnect the bot and reconnect with the new token.
Code expired or used: generate and use a new code.
No command reply: check the username, destination and bot membership. Use the exact @BotName command from the page. In a channel, publish it as a channel post.
Inactive bot or failed test: read Last error, restore permissions or add the bot again, then reconnect the destination with a new code. For temporary Telegram errors, wait and retry.
Test works but no notifications: check the switches, feature availability and whether a new event has occurred; allow a moment for delivery.
The token controls the bot. Never post it or share it with the group. If exposed, open BotFather, use /revoke, select the bot and obtain a new token. Disconnect and reconnect the bot in Game of Leagues. Share connection codes only in the intended destination.