diff --git a/server/src/Hokm.Server/Game/GameManager.cs b/server/src/Hokm.Server/Game/GameManager.cs
index acb7054..5650510 100644
--- a/server/src/Hokm.Server/Game/GameManager.cs
+++ b/server/src/Hokm.Server/Game/GameManager.cs
@@ -135,9 +135,18 @@ public sealed class GameManager
     public void ChooseTrump(string userId, string suit) => RoomOf(userId)?.HumanChooseTrump(userId, suit);
     public void SendReaction(string userId, string reaction) => RoomOf(userId)?.Reaction(userId, reaction);
 
-    public void OnConnected(string userId) => RoomOf(userId)?.SetConnected(userId, true);
+    private int _online;
+    public int OnlineCount => Volatile.Read(ref _online);
+
+    public void OnConnected(string userId)
+    {
+        Interlocked.Increment(ref _online);
+        RoomOf(userId)?.SetConnected(userId, true);
+    }
+
     public void OnDisconnected(string userId)
     {
+        if (Interlocked.Decrement(ref _online) < 0) Interlocked.Exchange(ref _online, 0);
         CancelMatchmaking(userId);
         RoomOf(userId)?.SetConnected(userId, false);
     }
diff --git a/server/src/Hokm.Server/Program.cs b/server/src/Hokm.Server/Program.cs
index 1f847de..ff2b3af 100644
--- a/server/src/Hokm.Server/Program.cs
+++ b/server/src/Hokm.Server/Program.cs
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ app.UseAuthentication();
 app.UseAuthorization();
 
 app.MapGet("/", () => Results.Json(new { service = "Hokm SignalR server", status = "ok" }));
+app.MapGet("/api/stats/online", (GameManager m) => Results.Json(new { online = m.OnlineCount }));
 
 // --- dev auth (mock OTP + email). Replace with the V2 Identity Service later. ---
 app.MapPost("/api/auth/otp/request", (OtpRequest req) =>
diff --git a/src/components/HomeScreen.tsx b/src/components/HomeScreen.tsx
index df60a2a..dfc5921 100644
--- a/src/components/HomeScreen.tsx
+++ b/src/components/HomeScreen.tsx
@@ -12,10 +12,12 @@ import {
   Users,
   Wifi,
 } from "lucide-react";
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { useGameStore } from "@/lib/game-store";
 import { useSessionStore } from "@/lib/session-store";
 import { useUIStore, type Screen } from "@/lib/ui-store";
 import { useI18n } from "@/lib/i18n";
+import { getService } from "@/lib/online/service";
 import { sound } from "@/lib/sound";
 import { SUIT_SYMBOL } from "@/lib/hokm/types";
 import { TopBar } from "./online/TopBar";
@@ -64,6 +66,7 @@ export function HomeScreen() {
             {t("app.title")}
           </h1>
           <p className="text-cream/60 mt-1 text-sm">{t("app.subtitle")}</p>
+          <OnlinePlayers />
         </motion.div>
 
         {/* primary actions */}
@@ -191,6 +194,41 @@ function Tile({
   );
 }
 
+function OnlinePlayers() {
+  const { t, locale } = useI18n();
+  const [count, setCount] = useState<number | null>(null);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let alive = true;
+    const tick = async () => {
+      try {
+        const n = await getService().getOnlineCount();
+        if (alive) setCount(n);
+      } catch {
+        /* ignore */
+      }
+    };
+    tick();
+    const id = setInterval(tick, 8000);
+    return () => {
+      alive = false;
+      clearInterval(id);
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  if (count == null) return null;
+  const n = new Intl.NumberFormat(locale === "fa" ? "fa-IR" : "en-US").format(count);
+  return (
+    <div className="mt-3 inline-flex items-center gap-2 glass rounded-full px-3 py-1.5">
+      <span className="relative flex size-2.5">
+        <span className="absolute inline-flex h-full w-full rounded-full bg-teal-400 opacity-70 animate-ping" />
+        <span className="relative inline-flex size-2.5 rounded-full bg-teal-400" />
+      </span>
+      <span className="text-xs text-cream/85">{t("home.onlineCount", { n })}</span>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
 function FloatingSuits() {
   const suits = Object.values(SUIT_SYMBOL);
   const items = Array.from({ length: 8 }, (_, i) => ({
diff --git a/src/lib/i18n.tsx b/src/lib/i18n.tsx
index 17e21c5..8b231e3 100644
--- a/src/lib/i18n.tsx
+++ b/src/lib/i18n.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ const fa: Dict = {
   "home.start": "بزن بریم",
   "home.howTo": "آموزش بازی",
   "home.lang": "English",
+  "home.onlineCount": "{n} نفر آنلاین",
 
   "seat.you": "شما",
   "team.us": "ما",
@@ -249,6 +250,7 @@ const en: Dict = {
   "home.start": "Let's go",
   "home.howTo": "How to play",
   "home.lang": "فارسی",
+  "home.onlineCount": "{n} players online",
 
   "seat.you": "You",
   "team.us": "Us",
diff --git a/src/lib/online/mock-service.ts b/src/lib/online/mock-service.ts
index 35dbf49..3aecc4f 100644
--- a/src/lib/online/mock-service.ts
+++ b/src/lib/online/mock-service.ts
@@ -737,6 +737,14 @@ export class MockOnlineService implements OnlineService {
 
   /* --------------------- leaderboard / shop / daily ------------------ */
 
+  private onlineCount = 600 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 900);
+  async getOnlineCount(): Promise<number> {
+    // gentle random walk so the badge feels alive
+    this.onlineCount += Math.round((Math.random() - 0.5) * 40);
+    this.onlineCount = Math.max(120, Math.min(6000, this.onlineCount));
+    return this.onlineCount;
+  }
+
   async getLeaderboard(): Promise<LeaderboardEntry[]> {
     const p = await this.getProfile();
     const others = Array.from({ length: 24 }, () => ({
diff --git a/src/lib/online/service.ts b/src/lib/online/service.ts
index 3510d33..08e91ed 100644
--- a/src/lib/online/service.ts
+++ b/src/lib/online/service.ts
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ export interface OnlineService {
   getMatchPlayers(): { id: string; displayName: string; avatar: string; level: number }[] | null;
   submitMatchResult(summary: MatchSummary): Promise<RewardResult>;
 
+  /* ----- stats ----- */
+  getOnlineCount(): Promise<number>;
+
   /* ----- leaderboard / shop / daily ----- */
   getLeaderboard(): Promise<LeaderboardEntry[]>;
   getShopItems(): Promise<ShopItem[]>;
diff --git a/src/lib/online/signalr-service.ts b/src/lib/online/signalr-service.ts
index c51b377..7b87f45 100644
--- a/src/lib/online/signalr-service.ts
+++ b/src/lib/online/signalr-service.ts
@@ -262,6 +262,19 @@ export class SignalrService implements OnlineService {
   markRead(id: string) { return this.mock.markRead(id); }
   onChat(cb: (id: string, m: ChatMessage[]) => void) { return this.mock.onChat(cb); }
 
+  async getOnlineCount(): Promise<number> {
+    try {
+      const res = await fetch(`${SERVER}/api/stats/online`);
+      if (res.ok) {
+        const j = (await res.json()) as { online: number };
+        return j.online ?? 0;
+      }
+    } catch {
+      /* fall through */
+    }
+    return this.mock.getOnlineCount();
+  }
+
   getLeaderboard(): Promise<LeaderboardEntry[]> { return this.mock.getLeaderboard(); }
   getShopItems(): Promise<ShopItem[]> { return this.mock.getShopItems(); }
   buyItem(id: string) { return this.mock.buyItem(id); }