app/models/scoring-calculator.ts

@@ -1827,15 +1827,17 @@ export async function recalculateAffectedLeagues(
     );
 
     // Build scored matches for the notification.
-    // A match is worth announcing when:
+    // A match is included only when it is "notable": winner earned points this round OR
-    //   • the winner is owned by a manager AND earned points this round, OR
+    // the loser is notifiable (eliminated / scored). A drafted winner that merely advanced
-    //   • the loser is owned by a manager (eliminated or scored).
+    // without earning points is NOT enough on its own.
-    // A winning team that merely advanced through a non-scoring round (e.g. R32 → R16
+    // On any included match, the winning team's owner is shown in the embed (winnerUsername),
-    // in the World Cup) does not qualify on its own — their owner hasn't earned anything yet.
+    // but Discord-pinged only when they actually scored (winnerDiscordUserId gated on
-    // When a match qualifies because the loser is owned, the winner's manager tag is still
+    // winnerScoreChanged) — advancing-only wins don't warrant a ping.
-    // shown for context (who beat them), but the winner is not Discord-pinged.
+    // Losers appear if their score changed or they were definitively eliminated (finalPosition
-    // Losers who advance to another match (loserAdvances=true, e.g. NBA 7v8 → PIR2) have
+    // set, non-partial); losers who advance to another match (loserAdvances=true, e.g. NBA
-    // showLoser=false and are correctly suppressed.
+    // 7v8 → PIR2) are correctly suppressed.
+    // Only entries with at least one displayable username are kept, so scoredMatches always
+    // reflects exactly what will be shown in the embed.
     let scoredMatches: ScoredMatch[] | undefined;
     if (allCompletedMatches.length > 0) {
       const relevant = allCompletedMatches.filter(
@@ -1863,7 +1865,7 @@ export async function recalculateAffectedLeagues(
             const showLoser = isLoserNotifiable(m.loserId, loserTeamId, changedTeamIds, finalizedLoserIds);
             return { m, winnerScoreChanged, showLoser, winnerOwnerId, loserOwnerId };
           })
-          .filter((x) => (x.winnerScoreChanged && !!x.winnerOwnerId) || (x.showLoser && !!x.loserOwnerId))
+          .filter((x) => x.winnerScoreChanged || x.showLoser)
           .map((x) => ({
             winnerName: x.m.winnerName ?? "",
             loserName: x.m.loserName ?? "",

app/services/__tests__/discord.test.ts

@@ -186,10 +186,10 @@ describe("sendStandingsUpdateNotification", () => {
     expect(desc).toContain("• **Sporting (christhrowsrocks)** def. Bodø/Glimt (apatel)");
   });
 
-  it("shows winner's manager for context when the match fires due to an owned loser", async () => {
+  it("shows winner's owner even when winner only advanced (loser was eliminated)", async () => {
-    // Brazil beats Japan (R32, non-scoring). Japan's manager is the reason for the
+    // Mirrors the Brazil/Japan scenario: Brazil advanced without earning points,
-    // notification; Brazil's manager is shown for context even though they didn't score.
+    // Japan was eliminated. winnerUsername is shown in the embed; winnerDiscordUserId
-    // scoring-calculator.ts controls whether to include the match; discord.ts just renders.
+    // is left unset (no ping) because the winner did not score this round.
     await sendStandingsUpdateNotification({
       webhookUrl: WEBHOOK_URL,
       seasonName: "Rumble League 2026",
@@ -199,14 +199,14 @@ describe("sendStandingsUpdateNotification", () => {
         {
           winnerName: "Brazil",
           loserName: "Japan",
-          winnerUsername: "aliceManager",
+          winnerUsername: "someManager",
           loserUsername: "ikyn",
         },
       ],
     });
 
     const desc = getDescription();
-    expect(desc).toContain("• **Brazil (aliceManager)** def. Japan (ikyn)");
+    expect(desc).toContain("• **Brazil (someManager)** def. Japan (ikyn)");
   });
 
   it("omits scored matches where neither side has a username", async () => {