ACF field matching
Overview
ACF Field Matching in Divi Loop Extender unlocks a new level of dynamic content control inside the Divi 5 Loop Builder. It allows you to display posts that share the same Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) value as the currently viewed post
For example:
Imagine you’re building a real estate website using Divi 5.
Each property listing is a Custom Post Type with an ACF field called city, where you enter the city name (e.g. “Cape Town,” “Durban,” or “Johannesburg”).
On a single property page, you want to show a section titled “Other Properties in the Same City.” Instead of manually linking related posts or relying on categories, you simply use ACF Field Matching in the Divi Loop Extender.
When to use ACF field matching
Use ACF Field Matching whenever you want to automatically display content that shares a common data value without manually setting up relationships or taxonomies. It’s perfect for scenarios where posts are related by a shared field (like location, category, or attribute) rather than a direct link.
Here are the most common situations where ACF Field Matching shines: Common scenarios include:
Displaying “Related” Content by Shared Attributes
When your posts or products share the same custom field value such as city, brand,
or topic field matching makes it easy to surface relevant content.
Example: On an Event page with a venue ACF field, show other events happening at that same venue.
Building Cross-Linked Content Without Relationships
If you don’t have ACF Relationship fields set up, or prefer not to manage manual connections,
field matching automatically builds those contextual links for you.
Example: On a Project post with a client_name field, display all other projects
done for that same client.
Creating Dynamic, Filtered Lists
Field matching can power lists that stay up to date as you add new content.
Example: Show “More Jobs in This City” on a job listing page by matching the
location field, or “Courses at the Same Level” by matching a difficulty field.
Personalised or User-Centric Views
Combine field matching with user filtering to deliver tailored experiences.
Example: In a membership site, show a user “Courses in My Department” by matching their
profile’s department field with the course’s department field.
Use ACF Field Matching when your content shares values, not links. It’s the simplest way to create context-aware, automated related content blocks all directly inside the Divi 5 Loop Builder.
Location in Divi 5
- Edit the parent container where you enabled the Loop option.
- Open the Loop accordion inside the Content tab.
- Under Relationship Type, choose ACF Field Match.
- Select the ACF Field that you want to match.
Field type compatibility
The following ACF field types work reliably with field matching:
| Supported ACF Field Type | Description / Use Case | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Matches posts with the same text value in a chosen field (e.g., Location = "Cape Town"). | Ideal for short text, single-line, or select fields that store strings. |
| Number | Matches numeric values across posts (e.g., difficulty_level = 3). | Uses numeric comparison for accurate meta queries. |
| Select / Radio / Checkbox | Matches posts that share the same option value (e.g., “Event Type = Webinar”). | Works when the stored field value is a scalar or serialized list. |
Example configurations
Example 1: Show Other Properties in the Same City
Display only Property posts that share the same ACF city value as the current property.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Post Type | Property |
| Relationship Type | ACF Field Match |
| ACF Field to Match | city (Text or Select) |
| Order By | ACF Field price (Number) |
| Posts Per Page | 6 |
| Filter Context | Matches city value from current Property post |
| Use Case | “Other Properties in Cape Town” on single property pages |
✅ This setup automatically shows listings from the same city, perfect for real estate sites.
Example 2: Show Upcoming Events at the Same Venue
Display only Event posts that share the same ACF venue_name as the current event and occur today or in the future.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Post Type | Event |
| Relationship Type | ACF Field Match |
| ACF Field to Match | venue_name (Text or Select) |
| Date Filter | ACF Date event_date → Today & Future |
| Order By | ACF Field event_date (Ascending) |
| Posts Per Page | 4–8 |
| Filter Context | Matches venue_name value from current Event post |
| Use Case | “More Events at This Venue” list under the event details |
✅ Ideal for concert, conference, or festival sites to auto-show future shows at the same venue.
Example 3: Show More Courses at the Same Difficulty Level
Display only Course posts that have the same ACF difficulty level as the current course.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Post Type | Course |
| Relationship Type | ACF Field Match |
| ACF Field to Match | difficulty (Select: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced) |
| Order By (1st Level) | ACF Field duration_minutes (Ascending) |
| Order By (2nd Level) | Post Title (A–Z) |
| Posts Per Page | 6 |
| Filter Context | Matches difficulty value from current Course post |
| Use Case | “More Intermediate Courses” section in single course template |
✅ Perfect for e-learning sites to show similar-level courses without manually linking posts.
Related features
- ACF-aware sorting — Sort results by ACF values.