Glossary

Passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA)

A soccer pressing-intensity stat measuring how many passes the opposition completes before a team makes a tackle or interception.

Also called: PPDA

Passes allowed per defensive action estimates how aggressively a soccer team presses the opposition by counting how many passes the opponent completes, typically in the middle and attacking two-thirds of the pitch, before the pressing team makes a defensive action such as a tackle, interception or foul.

The formula is PPDA = opponent passes completed in defined zones / team's defensive actions in those zones. A low PPDA means a team allows very few passes before intervening, a sign of intense, high pressure; a high PPDA means the opponent is allowed to pass freely, consistent with a team that sits back rather than pressing. It is a proxy for pressing intensity rather than a direct measurement of physical effort or tactical discipline.

PPDA is used by analysts and coaches to compare pressing styles across teams and seasons and to contextualize shot quality conceded, since heavy pressing that wins the ball high up the pitch tends to create better chances than pressing that concedes it deep. The main pitfall is that PPDA is calculated only in specified pitch zones and ignores pressing in a team's own defensive third, and the exact zone definitions differ by data provider, so values from different sources should not be compared directly.

Last reviewed September 22, 2026

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Related terms

Progressive passes Completed soccer passes that advance the ball a meaningful distance toward the opponent's goal, used to gauge ball progression. Expected assists (xA) A soccer metric estimating the probability that a completed pass will directly lead to a goal, based on similar historic passes. Possession value model A framework that assigns a value to every on-ball action in a possession based on how much it changes scoring probability. Shot quality A general term for models that grade how likely a given scoring attempt is to succeed, based on location, type and pressure. Expected points added (EPA) An American football stat measuring how much a single play changes a team's expected point value on the scoreboard.

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How soccer analytics works What expected goals actually measures, how possession-value and passing data extend it, and how clubs use event and tracking data in practice.