app/models/scoring-calculator.ts

@@ -1940,8 +1940,10 @@ export async function recalculateAffectedLeagues(
     // in the World Cup) does not qualify on its own — their owner hasn't earned anything yet.
     // When a match qualifies because the loser is owned, the winner's manager tag is still
     // shown for context (who beat them), but the winner is not Discord-pinged.
-    // Losers who advance to another match (loserAdvances=true, e.g. NBA 7v8 → PIR2) have
+    // Both managers' tags are always shown for context when their teams are drafted; the
-    // showLoser=false and are correctly suppressed.
+    // showLoser flag (isLoserNotifiable) only gates whether the loser is @-pinged — a loser
+    // who advanced rather than being eliminated (loserAdvances=true, e.g. NBA 7v8 → PIR2, or
+    // a World Cup semifinal loser) is named but not pinged.
     let scoredMatches: ScoredMatch[] | undefined;
     if (allCompletedMatches.length > 0) {
       const relevant = allCompletedMatches.filter(
@@ -1974,7 +1976,12 @@ export async function recalculateAffectedLeagues(
             winnerName: x.m.winnerName ?? "",
             loserName: x.m.loserName ?? "",
             winnerUsername: x.winnerOwnerId ? usernameByUserId.get(x.winnerOwnerId) : undefined,
-            loserUsername: x.showLoser && x.loserOwnerId ? usernameByUserId.get(x.loserOwnerId) : undefined,
+            // Show the loser's manager tag whenever their team is drafted, mirroring the
+            // winner above — even when the loser advances rather than being eliminated
+            // (World Cup semifinal → 3rd-place playoff, AFL Qualifying Final → Semi Final).
+            // The @-ping stays gated by showLoser (loserDiscordUserId below): a still-alive
+            // loser who neither scored nor was eliminated is named for context but not pinged.
+            loserUsername: x.loserOwnerId ? usernameByUserId.get(x.loserOwnerId) : undefined,
             winnerDiscordUserId: x.winnerScoreChanged && x.winnerOwnerId ? discordIdByUserId.get(x.winnerOwnerId) : undefined,
             loserDiscordUserId: x.showLoser && x.loserOwnerId ? discordIdByUserId.get(x.loserOwnerId) : undefined,
           }))

app/services/__tests__/discord.test.ts

@@ -186,6 +186,37 @@ describe("sendStandingsUpdateNotification", () => {
     expect(desc).toContain("• **Sporting (christhrowsrocks)** def. Bodø/Glimt (apatel)");
   });
 
+  it("names a non-eliminated loser for context without @-pinging them", async () => {
+    // Argentina beats England in the World Cup semifinal. Argentina scored, so it's
+    // pinged; England advances to the 3rd-place playoff (not eliminated, no points
+    // change), so its manager is shown by plain username but NOT @-pinged.
+    await sendStandingsUpdateNotification({
+      webhookUrl: WEBHOOK_URL,
+      seasonName: "Diablo League 2026",
+      standings: [{ teamId: "a", teamName: "Alpha", totalPoints: 160, rank: 7 }],
+      previousStandings: new Map([["a", 130]]),
+      scoredMatches: [
+        {
+          winnerName: "Argentina",
+          loserName: "England",
+          winnerUsername: "philosohraptors",
+          winnerDiscordUserId: "111",
+          loserUsername: "elementsoul",
+          // no loserDiscordUserId — still alive, no ping
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+
+    const payload = getPayload();
+    const desc = payload.embeds[0].description as string;
+    // Winner scored → rendered as an @-mention; loser is named by plain username.
+    expect(desc).toContain("• **Argentina (<@111>)** def. England (elementsoul)");
+    // England's manager is named but not mentioned/pinged.
+    expect(desc).not.toContain("England (<@");
+    expect(payload.content ?? "").toContain("<@111>");
+    expect(payload.content ?? "").not.toContain("elementsoul");
+  });
+
   it("shows winner's manager for context when the match fires due to an owned loser", async () => {
     // Brazil beats Japan (R32, non-scoring). Japan's manager is the reason for the
     // notification; Brazil's manager is shown for context even though they didn't score.