diff --git a/api/app/Http/Controllers/GameController.php b/api/app/Http/Controllers/GameController.php
index e731b2a..d798c24 100644
--- a/api/app/Http/Controllers/GameController.php
+++ b/api/app/Http/Controllers/GameController.php
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use App\Models\Game;
 use Illuminate\Http\Request;
 use App\Http\Requests\StoreGameRequest;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Auth;
+use App\Models\MatchGame;
 
 class GameController extends Controller
 {
@@ -34,15 +35,18 @@ class GameController extends Controller
 
         $user = Auth::user();
 
-        $activeGame = Game::where(function ($query) use ($user) {
-            $query->where('player1_user_id', $user->id)
-                  ->orWhere('player2_user_id', $user->id);
-        })
-        ->whereIn('status', ['Pending', 'Playing'])
-        ->exists();
+        $activeMatch = MatchGame::where(function ($q) use ($user) {
+            $q->where('player1_user_id', $user->id)
+              ->orWhere('player2_user_id', $user->id);
+        })->whereIn('status', ['Pending', 'Playing'])->exists();
 
-        if ($activeGame) {
-            return response()->json(['message' => 'You already have an active game.'], 400);
+        $activeGame = Game::where(function ($q) use ($user) {
+            $q->where('player1_user_id', $user->id)
+              ->orWhere('player2_user_id', $user->id);
+        })->whereIn('status', ['Pending', 'Playing'])->exists();
+
+        if ($activeMatch || $activeGame) {
+            return response()->json(['message' => 'You already have an active game or match.'], 400);
         }
 
         $game = Game::create([
diff --git a/api/app/Http/Controllers/MatchController.php b/api/app/Http/Controllers/MatchController.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..09f5c39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/app/Http/Controllers/MatchController.php
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Http\Controllers;
+
+use App\Models\MatchGame;
+use App\Models\Game;
+use Illuminate\Http\Request;
+use App\Http\Requests\StoreMatchRequest;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Auth;
+
+class MatchController extends Controller
+{
+    public function index(Request $request)
+    {
+        $query = MatchGame::query()->with(['winner', 'player1', 'player2']);
+
+        if ($request->has('type')) {
+            $query->where('type', $request->type);
+        }
+
+        if ($request->has('status')) {
+            $query->where('status', $request->status);
+        }
+
+        $query->orderBy('began_at', 'desc');
+
+        return response()->json($query->paginate(15));
+    }
+
+    public function store(StoreMatchRequest $request)
+    {
+        $validated = $request->validated();
+        $user = Auth::user();
+
+        $activeMatch = MatchGame::where(function ($q) use ($user) {
+            $q->where('player1_user_id', $user->id)
+              ->orWhere('player2_user_id', $user->id);
+        })->whereIn('status', ['Pending', 'Playing'])->exists();
+
+        $activeGame = Game::where(function ($q) use ($user) {
+            $q->where('player1_user_id', $user->id)
+              ->orWhere('player2_user_id', $user->id);
+        })->whereIn('status', ['Pending', 'Playing'])->exists();
+
+        if ($activeMatch || $activeGame) {
+            return response()->json(['message' => 'You already have an active game or match.'], 400);
+        }
+
+        $match = MatchGame::create([
+            'type' => $validated['type'],
+            'status' => 'Pending',
+            'player1_user_id' => $user->id,
+            'player2_user_id' => $user->id,
+            'winner_user_id' => $user->id,
+            'loser_user_id' => $user->id,
+            'stake' => $validated['stake'],
+            'began_at' => now(),
+            'player1_marks' => 0,
+            'player2_marks' => 0,
+            'player1_points' => 0,
+            'player2_points' => 0,
+            'custom' => null
+        ]);
+
+        return response()->json([
+            'message' => 'Match created successfully',
+            'match' => $match
+        ], 201);
+    }
+
+    public function show(MatchGame $match)
+    {
+        $match->load(['player1', 'player2', 'winner']);
+        return response()->json($match);
+    }
+
+    public function join(MatchGame $match)
+    {
+        $user = Auth::user();
+
+        if ($match->player1_user_id == $user->id) {
+            return response()->json(['message' => 'Waiting for opponent...', 'match' => $match]);
+        }
+
+        if ($match->status !== 'Pending') {
+            return response()->json(['message' => 'Match is full or started'], 400);
+        }
+
+        $activeMatch = MatchGame::where(function ($q) use ($user) {
+            $q->where('player1_user_id', $user->id)
+              ->orWhere('player2_user_id', $user->id);
+        })->whereIn('status', ['Pending', 'Playing'])->exists();
+
+        if ($activeMatch) {
+             return response()->json(['message' => 'You are already in another active match.'], 400);
+        }
+
+        $match->update([
+            'status' => 'Playing',
+            'player2_user_id' => $user->id
+        ]);
+
+        return response()->json([
+            'message' => 'Joined match successfully!',
+            'match' => $match
+        ]);
+    }
+
+    public function update(Request $request, MatchGame $match)
+    {
+        if ($match->status == 'Ended') {
+            return response()->json(['message' => 'Match already ended'], 400);
+        }
+
+        $data = $request->validate([
+            'status' => 'in:Playing,Ended,Interrupted',
+            'winner_user_id' => 'exists:users,id',
+            'loser_user_id' => 'exists:users,id',
+            'player1_marks' => 'integer',
+            'player2_marks' => 'integer',
+            'player1_points' => 'integer',
+            'player2_points' => 'integer',
+            'total_time' => 'numeric'
+        ]);
+
+        if (isset($data['status']) && $data['status'] === 'Ended') {
+            $data['ended_at'] = now();
+        }
+
+        $match->update($data);
+
+        return response()->json($match);
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/api/app/Http/Requests/StoreMatchRequest.php b/api/app/Http/Requests/StoreMatchRequest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b07170d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/app/Http/Requests/StoreMatchRequest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Http\Requests;
+
+use Illuminate\Foundation\Http\FormRequest;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Auth;
+
+class StoreMatchRequest extends FormRequest
+{
+    public function authorize(): bool
+    {
+        return Auth::check();
+    }
+
+    public function rules(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            'type' => 'required|in:3,9',
+            'stake' => 'required|integer|min:1',
+        ];
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/api/app/Models/MatchGame.php b/api/app/Models/MatchGame.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e6a56e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/app/Models/MatchGame.php
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Models;
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
+
+class MatchGame extends Model
+{
+    use HasFactory;
+
+    protected $table = 'matches';
+
+    public $timestamps = false;
+
+    protected $fillable = [
+        'type',
+        'status',
+        'player1_user_id',
+        'player2_user_id',
+        'winner_user_id',
+        'loser_user_id',
+        'began_at',
+        'ended_at',
+        'total_time',
+        'player1_marks',
+        'player2_marks',
+        'player1_points',
+        'player2_points',
+        'stake',
+        'custom'
+    ];
+
+    protected $casts = [
+        'began_at' => 'datetime',
+        'ended_at' => 'datetime',
+        'player1_marks' => 'integer',
+        'player2_marks' => 'integer',
+        'player1_points' => 'integer',
+        'player2_points' => 'integer',
+        'stake' => 'integer',
+    ];
+
+    public function player1()
+    {
+        return $this->belongsTo(User::class, 'player1_user_id');
+    }
+
+    public function player2()
+    {
+        return $this->belongsTo(User::class, 'player2_user_id');
+    }
+
+    public function winner()
+    {
+        return $this->belongsTo(User::class, 'winner_user_id');
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/api/routes/api.php b/api/routes/api.php
index 2b9fdcd..d0f9b55 100644
--- a/api/routes/api.php
+++ b/api/routes/api.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 use App\Http\Controllers\AuthController;
 use App\Http\Controllers\GameController;
 use App\Http\Controllers\UserController;
+use App\Http\Controllers\MatchController;
 use Illuminate\Http\Request;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Route;
 
@@ -26,4 +27,12 @@ Route::middleware('auth:sanctum')->group(function () {
     Route::post('/games/{game}/resign', [GameController::class, 'resign']);
     Route::get('/users/{user}/matches', [UserController::class, 'getMatches']);
     Route::post('games/{game}/join', [GameController::class, 'join']);
+});
+
+Route::middleware('auth:sanctum')->group(function () {
+    Route::get('matches', [MatchController::class, 'index']);
+    Route::post('matches', [MatchController::class, 'store']);
+    Route::get('matches/{match}', [MatchController::class, 'show']);
+    Route::post('matches/{match}/join', [MatchController::class, 'join']);
+    Route::put('matches/{match}', [MatchController::class, 'update']);
 });
\ No newline at end of file