diff --git a/lib/data/dao/match_dao.dart b/lib/data/dao/match_dao.dart
index c2e9d72..063ac32 100644
--- a/lib/data/dao/match_dao.dart
+++ b/lib/data/dao/match_dao.dart
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class MatchDao extends DatabaseAccessor<AppDatabase> with _$MatchDaoMixin {
         }
         final players = await db.playerMatchDao.getPlayersOfMatch(
           matchId: row.id,
-        );
+        ) ?? [];
         return Match(
           id: row.id,
           name: row.name ?? '',
@@ -56,10 +56,7 @@ class MatchDao extends DatabaseAccessor<AppDatabase> with _$MatchDaoMixin {
       group = await db.groupDao.getGroupById(groupId: result.groupId!);
     }
 
-    List<Player>? players;
-    if (await db.playerMatchDao.matchHasPlayers(matchId: matchId)) {
-      players = await db.playerMatchDao.getPlayersOfMatch(matchId: matchId);
-    }
+    final players = await db.playerMatchDao.getPlayersOfMatch(matchId: matchId) ?? [];
 
     return Match(
       id: result.id,
@@ -91,13 +88,11 @@ class MatchDao extends DatabaseAccessor<AppDatabase> with _$MatchDaoMixin {
         mode: InsertMode.insertOrReplace,
       );
 
-      if (match.players != null) {
-        for (final p in match.players!) {
-          await db.playerMatchDao.addPlayerToMatch(
-            matchId: match.id,
-            playerId: p.id,
-          );
-        }
+      for (final p in match.players) {
+        await db.playerMatchDao.addPlayerToMatch(
+          matchId: match.id,
+          playerId: p.id,
+        );
       }
     });
   }
@@ -180,10 +175,8 @@ class MatchDao extends DatabaseAccessor<AppDatabase> with _$MatchDaoMixin {
       // Add all players of the matches in batch (unique)
       final uniquePlayers = <String, Player>{};
       for (final match in matches) {
-        if (match.players != null) {
-          for (final p in match.players!) {
-            uniquePlayers[p.id] = p;
-          }
+        for (final p in match.players) {
+          uniquePlayers[p.id] = p;
         }
         // Also include members of groups
         if (match.group != null) {
@@ -215,18 +208,16 @@ class MatchDao extends DatabaseAccessor<AppDatabase> with _$MatchDaoMixin {
       // Add all player-match associations in batch
       await db.batch((b) {
         for (final match in matches) {
-          if (match.players != null) {
-            for (final p in match.players!) {
-              b.insert(
-                db.playerMatchTable,
-                PlayerMatchTableCompanion.insert(
-                  matchId: match.id,
-                  playerId: p.id,
-                  score: 0,
-                ),
-                mode: InsertMode.insertOrIgnore,
-              );
-            }
+          for (final p in match.players) {
+            b.insert(
+              db.playerMatchTable,
+              PlayerMatchTableCompanion.insert(
+                matchId: match.id,
+                playerId: p.id,
+                score: 0,
+              ),
+              mode: InsertMode.insertOrIgnore,
+            );
           }
         }
       });
@@ -372,15 +363,15 @@ class MatchDao extends DatabaseAccessor<AppDatabase> with _$MatchDaoMixin {
   /// TEMPORARY: Checks if a match has a winner.
   /// Currently returns true if the match has any players.
   Future<bool> hasWinner({required String matchId}) async {
-    final players = await db.playerMatchDao.getPlayersOfMatch(matchId: matchId);
-    return players?.isNotEmpty ?? false;
+    final players = await db.playerMatchDao.getPlayersOfMatch(matchId: matchId) ?? [];
+    return players.isNotEmpty;
   }
 
   /// TEMPORARY: Gets the winner of a match.
   /// Currently returns the first player in the match's player list.
   Future<Player?> getWinner({required String matchId}) async {
-    final players = await db.playerMatchDao.getPlayersOfMatch(matchId: matchId);
-    return (players?.isNotEmpty ?? false) ? players!.first : null;
+    final players = await db.playerMatchDao.getPlayersOfMatch(matchId: matchId) ?? [];
+    return players.isNotEmpty ? players.first : null;
   }
 
   /// TEMPORARY: Sets the winner of a match.
diff --git a/lib/data/dto/match.dart b/lib/data/dto/match.dart
index 559914e..31f45fc 100644
--- a/lib/data/dto/match.dart
+++ b/lib/data/dto/match.dart
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class Match {
   final String name;
   final Game game;
   final Group? group;
-  final List<Player>? players;
+  final List<Player> players;
   final String notes;
   Player? winner;
 
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class Match {
     required this.name,
     required this.game,
     this.group,
-    this.players,
+    this.players = const [],
     required this.notes,
     this.winner,
   }) : id = id ?? const Uuid().v4(),
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class Match {
     'name': name,
     'gameId': game.id,
     'groupId': group?.id,
-    'playerIds': (players ?? []).map((player) => player.id).toList(),
+    'playerIds': players.map((player) => player.id).toList(),
     'notes': notes,
   };
 }
diff --git a/lib/presentation/views/main_menu/match_view/create_match/create_match_view.dart b/lib/presentation/views/main_menu/match_view/create_match/create_match_view.dart
index 163ebd2..7096702 100644
--- a/lib/presentation/views/main_menu/match_view/create_match/create_match_view.dart
+++ b/lib/presentation/views/main_menu/match_view/create_match/create_match_view.dart
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class _CreateMatchViewState extends State<CreateMatchView> {
   int selectedGameIndex = -1;
 
   /// The currently selected players
-  List<Player>? selectedPlayers;
+  List<Player> selectedPlayers = [];
 
   @override
   void initState() {
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ class _CreateMatchViewState extends State<CreateMatchView> {
               Expanded(
                 child: PlayerSelection(
                   key: ValueKey(selectedGroup?.id ?? 'no_group'),
-                  initialSelectedPlayers: selectedPlayers ?? [],
+                  initialSelectedPlayers: selectedPlayers,
                   availablePlayers: filteredPlayerList,
                   onChanged: (value) {
                     setState(() {
@@ -259,6 +259,6 @@ class _CreateMatchViewState extends State<CreateMatchView> {
   /// - Either a group is selected OR at least 2 players are selected
   bool _enableCreateGameButton() {
     return (selectedGroup != null ||
-        (selectedPlayers != null && selectedPlayers!.length > 1));
+        (selectedPlayers.length > 1));
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/presentation/views/main_menu/match_view/match_result_view.dart b/lib/presentation/views/main_menu/match_view/match_result_view.dart
index 75015f0..981a196 100644
--- a/lib/presentation/views/main_menu/match_view/match_result_view.dart
+++ b/lib/presentation/views/main_menu/match_view/match_result_view.dart
@@ -153,12 +153,10 @@ class _MatchResultViewState extends State<MatchResultView> {
   List<Player> getAllPlayers(Match match) {
     List<Player> players = [];
 
-    if (match.group == null && match.players != null) {
-      players = [...match.players!];
-    } else if (match.group != null && match.players != null) {
-      players = [...match.players!, ...match.group!.members];
+    if (match.group == null) {
+      players = [...match.players];
     } else {
-      players = [...match.group!.members];
+      players = [...match.players, ...match.group!.members];
     }
 
     players.sort((a, b) => a.name.compareTo(b.name));
diff --git a/lib/presentation/views/main_menu/statistics_view.dart b/lib/presentation/views/main_menu/statistics_view.dart
index af3eba6..5b3ff22 100644
--- a/lib/presentation/views/main_menu/statistics_view.dart
+++ b/lib/presentation/views/main_menu/statistics_view.dart
@@ -202,19 +202,17 @@ class _StatisticsViewState extends State<StatisticsView> {
           }
         }
       }
-      if (match.players != null) {
-        final members = match.players!.map((p) => p.id).toList();
-        for (var playerId in members) {
-          final index = matchCounts.indexWhere((entry) => entry.$1 == playerId);
-          // -1 means player not found in matchCounts
-          if (index != -1) {
-            final current = matchCounts[index].$2;
+      final members = match.players.map((p) => p.id).toList();
+      for (var playerId in members) {
+        final index = matchCounts.indexWhere((entry) => entry.$1 == playerId);
+        // -1 means player not found in matchCounts
+        if (index != -1) {
+          final current = matchCounts[index].$2;
             matchCounts[index] = (playerId, current + 1);
           } else {
             matchCounts.add((playerId, 1));
           }
         }
-      }
     }
 
     // Adding all players with zero matches
diff --git a/lib/presentation/widgets/tiles/match_tile.dart b/lib/presentation/widgets/tiles/match_tile.dart
index ab65e5d..7862000 100644
--- a/lib/presentation/widgets/tiles/match_tile.dart
+++ b/lib/presentation/widgets/tiles/match_tile.dart
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class _MatchTileState extends State<MatchTile> {
                   const SizedBox(width: 6),
                   Expanded(
                     child: Text(
-                      '${group.name}${widget.match.players != null ? ' + ${widget.match.players?.length}' : ''}',
+                      '${group.name} + ${widget.match.players.length}',
                       style: const TextStyle(fontSize: 14, color: Colors.grey),
                       overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis,
                     ),
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class _MatchTileState extends State<MatchTile> {
                   const SizedBox(width: 6),
                   Expanded(
                     child: Text(
-                      '${widget.match.players!.length} ${loc.players}',
+                      '${widget.match.players.length} ${loc.players}',
                       style: const TextStyle(fontSize: 14, color: Colors.grey),
                       overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis,
                     ),
@@ -241,12 +241,10 @@ class _MatchTileState extends State<MatchTile> {
     final playerIds = <String>{};
 
     // Add players from game.players
-    if (widget.match.players != null) {
-      for (var player in widget.match.players!) {
-        if (!playerIds.contains(player.id)) {
-          allPlayers.add(player);
-          playerIds.add(player.id);
-        }
+    for (var player in widget.match.players) {
+      if (!playerIds.contains(player.id)) {
+        allPlayers.add(player);
+        playerIds.add(player.id);
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/services/data_transfer_service.dart b/lib/services/data_transfer_service.dart
index 4995c77..526a459 100644
--- a/lib/services/data_transfer_service.dart
+++ b/lib/services/data_transfer_service.dart
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class DataTransferService {
         'endedAt': m.endedAt?.toIso8601String(),
         'gameId': m.game.id,
         'groupId': m.group?.id,
-        'playerIds': (m.players ?? []).map((p) => p.id).toList(),
+        'playerIds': m.players.map((p) => p.id).toList(),
         'notes': m.notes,
       })
           .toList(),
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ class DataTransferService {
           name: map['name'] as String,
           game: game ?? Game(name: 'Unknown', ruleset: Ruleset.singleWinner, description: '', color: GameColor.blue, icon: ''),
           group: group,
-          players: players.isNotEmpty ? players : null,
+          players: players,
           createdAt: DateTime.parse(map['createdAt'] as String),
           endedAt: endedAt,
           notes: map['notes'] as String? ?? '',