diff --git a/frontend/src/composables/__tests__/useFightPolling.test.ts b/frontend/src/composables/__tests__/useFightPolling.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d31ddf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/composables/__tests__/useFightPolling.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest'
+import { ref } from 'vue'
+import { useFightPolling } from '../useFightPolling'
+
+// Mock EventSource
+class MockEventSource {
+  static instances: MockEventSource[] = []
+  readyState = 0
+  url: string
+  onerror: (() => void) | null = null
+  onopen: (() => void) | null = null
+  private listeners = new Map<string, Function[]>()
+
+  constructor(url: string) {
+    this.url = url
+    MockEventSource.instances.push(this)
+    // Simulate open
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      this.readyState = 1
+      this.onopen?.()
+    }, 0)
+  }
+
+  addEventListener(event: string, handler: Function) {
+    const handlers = this.listeners.get(event) || []
+    handlers.push(handler)
+    this.listeners.set(event, handlers)
+  }
+
+  removeEventListener(event: string, handler: Function) {
+    const handlers = this.listeners.get(event) || []
+    this.listeners.set(event, handlers.filter(h => h !== handler))
+  }
+
+  close() {
+    this.readyState = 2
+  }
+
+  // Test helper to simulate an error
+  simulateError() {
+    this.onerror?.()
+  }
+}
+
+describe('useFightPolling SSE reconnection', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    MockEventSource.instances = []
+    // @ts-expect-error — mock global
+    globalThis.EventSource = MockEventSource
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers()
+    // @ts-expect-error — cleanup mock
+    delete globalThis.EventSource
+  })
+
+  it('reconnects on SSE error when fight is not finished', () => {
+    const fightId = ref('fight-123')
+    const { connectSSE, fight } = useFightPolling(fightId)
+    fight.value = { status: 'live' } as any
+
+    connectSSE({})
+    expect(MockEventSource.instances).toHaveLength(1)
+
+    // Simulate SSE error
+    MockEventSource.instances[0].simulateError()
+
+    // Should schedule reconnect with 1s delay
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(1100)
+    expect(MockEventSource.instances).toHaveLength(2)
+  })
+
+  it('does not reconnect when fight is finished', () => {
+    const fightId = ref('fight-456')
+    const { connectSSE, fight } = useFightPolling(fightId)
+    fight.value = { status: 'finished' } as any
+
+    connectSSE({})
+    expect(MockEventSource.instances).toHaveLength(1)
+
+    // Simulate SSE error
+    MockEventSource.instances[0].simulateError()
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(10000)
+    // Should NOT reconnect
+    expect(MockEventSource.instances).toHaveLength(1)
+  })
+
+  it('uses exponential backoff: each reconnect uses 1s delay (retries reset per connection)', () => {
+    const fightId = ref('fight-789')
+    const { connectSSE, fight } = useFightPolling(fightId)
+    fight.value = { status: 'live' } as any
+
+    connectSSE({})
+
+    // Error 1 → 1s delay (sseRetries=1, delay = 1000 * 2^0 = 1000ms)
+    MockEventSource.instances[0].simulateError()
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(1100)
+    expect(MockEventSource.instances).toHaveLength(2)
+
+    // Each reconnect creates fresh sseRetries=0, so next error → 1s again
+    MockEventSource.instances[1].simulateError()
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(1100)
+    expect(MockEventSource.instances).toHaveLength(3)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/frontend/src/composables/useFightPolling.ts b/frontend/src/composables/useFightPolling.ts
index d7f1058..397e9a9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/composables/useFightPolling.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/composables/useFightPolling.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export function useFightPolling(fightId: Ref<string>) {
   let pollHandle: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null
   let pollCount = 0
   let eventSource: EventSource | null = null
+  let sseRetries = 0
   const sseListeners: SSEListenerEntry[] = []
 
   // --- Load fight data ---
@@ -182,17 +183,18 @@ export function useFightPolling(fightId: Ref<string>) {
       }
     })
 
-    let sseRetries = 0
     eventSource.onerror = () => {
       sseRetries++
-      if (sseRetries > 5 && eventSource) {
+      if (eventSource) {
         eventSource.close()
         eventSource = null
-        const delay = Math.min(1000 * 2 ** (sseRetries - 5), 10000)
-        setTimeout(() => {
-          if (isLive.value && !eventSource) connectSSE(handlers)
-        }, delay)
       }
+      // Always reconnect if fight isn't finished, regardless of isLive
+      if (fight.value?.status === 'finished') return
+      const delay = Math.min(1000 * 2 ** (sseRetries - 1), 8000) // 1s, 2s, 4s, 8s max
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        if (!eventSource && fight.value?.status !== 'finished') connectSSE(handlers)
+      }, delay)
     }
     eventSource.onopen = () => { sseRetries = 0 }
   }