diff --git a/matching-service/src/controller/api-controller.ts b/matching-service/src/controller/api-controller.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1cb93ab4e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/matching-service/src/controller/api-controller.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { Request, Response } from 'express';
+import {
+    getCurrentMatchingUsersCount,
+} from '../model/matching-model';
+
+export async function getMatchingUsersCount(req: Request, res: Response) {
+    try {
+        const count = getCurrentMatchingUsersCount();
+        return res.status(200).json({ count });
+    } catch (err) {
+        console.error(err);
+        return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Unknown error when retrieving matching users count' });
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/matching-service/src/controller/matching-controller.ts b/matching-service/src/controller/matching-controller.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index eef41ac940..0000000000
--- a/matching-service/src/controller/matching-controller.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,85 +0,0 @@
-import { Request, Response } from 'express';
-import {
-    addUserToSearchPool,
-    getTimeSpentMatching,
-    getCurrentMatchingUsersCount,
-    removeUserFromSearchPool,
-    matchUsers
-} from '../model/matching-model';
-
-export async function registerForMatching(req: Request, res: Response) {
-    try {
-        const { userId, criteria } = req.body;
-        if (userId && criteria) {
-            addUserToSearchPool(userId, criteria);
-            return res.status(200).json({ message: 'User registered for matching successfully' });
-        } else {
-            return res.status(400).json({ message: 'User ID or criteria are missing' });
-        }
-    } catch (err) {
-        console.error(err);
-        return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Unknown error when registering user for matching' });
-    }
-}
-
-export async function getMatchingTime(req: Request, res: Response) {
-    try {
-        const { userId } = req.params;
-        if (!userId) {
-            return res.status(400).json({ message: 'User ID is missing' });
-        }
-
-        const timeSpent = getTimeSpentMatching(userId);
-        if (timeSpent !== null) {
-            return res.status(200).json({ timeSpent });
-        } else {
-            return res.status(404).json({ message: `User ${userId} not found` });
-        }
-    } catch (err) {
-        console.error(err);
-        return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Unknown error when retrieving matching time' });
-    }
-}
-
-export async function getMatchingUsersCount(req: Request, res: Response) {
-    try {
-        const count = getCurrentMatchingUsersCount();
-        return res.status(200).json({ count });
-    } catch (err) {
-        console.error(err);
-        return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Unknown error when retrieving matching users count' });
-    }
-}
-
-export async function cancelMatching(req: Request, res: Response) {
-    try {
-        const { userId } = req.params;
-        if (!userId) {
-            return res.status(400).json({ message: 'User ID is missing' });
-        }
-
-        const user = removeUserFromSearchPool(userId);
-        if (user) {
-            return res.status(200).json({ message: `Cancelled matching for user ${userId}` });
-        } else {
-            return res.status(404).json({ message: `User ${userId} not found` });
-        }
-    } catch (err) {
-        console.error(err);
-        return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Unknown error when cancelling matching' });
-    }
-}
-
-export async function findMatches(req: Request, res: Response) {
-    try {
-        const matches = matchUsers();
-        if (matches) {
-            return res.status(200).json({ matches });
-        } else {
-            return res.status(404).json({ message: 'No matches found' });
-        }
-    } catch (err) {
-        console.error(err);
-        return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Unknown error when finding matches' });
-    }
-}
diff --git a/matching-service/src/controller/socket-controller.ts b/matching-service/src/controller/socket-controller.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4917c369aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/matching-service/src/controller/socket-controller.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+import { Server, Socket } from "socket.io";
+import { addUserToSearchPool, addUserToSocketMap, getSocketIdForUser, matchUsers, removeUserFromSearchPool, removeUserFromSocketMap } from "../model/matching-model";
+
+export function initaliseData(socket: Socket) {
+    const { userId } = socket.data;
+    addUserToSocketMap(userId, socket.id);
+    console.log(`User ${userId} connected via socket`);
+}
+
+
+// Handle user registration for matching
+export function handleRegisterForMatching(socket: Socket, io: Server) {
+    const { userId } = socket.data;
+    socket.on('registerForMatching', (criteria) => {
+        if (criteria.difficulty && criteria.topic) {
+            addUserToSearchPool(userId, criteria);
+            console.log(`User ${userId} registered with criteria`, criteria);
+            socket.emit('registrationSuccess', { message: `User ${userId} registered for matching successfully.` });
+
+            // Check if a match can be made for the new user
+            const match = matchUsers();
+            if (match) {
+                const { matchedUsers } = match;
+                const [user1, user2] = matchedUsers;
+
+                // Notify both clients of the match using the mapping
+                const socketId1 = getSocketIdForUser(user1.userId);
+                const socketId2 = getSocketIdForUser(user2.userId);
+
+                if (socketId1) {
+                    io.sockets.sockets.get(socketId1)?.emit('matchFound', { matchedWith: user2.userId }); //INSERT SESSION ID HERE
+                }
+                if (socketId2) {
+                    io.sockets.sockets.get(socketId2)?.emit('matchFound', { matchedWith: user1.userId }); //INSERT SESSION ID HERE
+                }
+
+                // Disconnect both users
+                if (socketId1) {
+                    io.sockets.sockets.get(socketId1)?.disconnect(true);
+                }
+                if (socketId2) {
+                    io.sockets.sockets.get(socketId2)?.disconnect(true);
+                }
+
+                // Remove users from the map
+                removeUserFromSocketMap(user1.userId);
+                removeUserFromSocketMap(user2.userId);
+            }
+        } else {
+            socket.emit('error', 'Invalid matching criteria.');
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+export function handleDisconnect(socket: Socket) {
+    // Handle disconnection
+    const { userId } = socket.data;
+    socket.on('disconnect', () => {
+        console.log(`User ${userId} disconnected`);
+        removeUserFromSearchPool(userId);
+
+        // Remove the user from the map
+        removeUserFromSocketMap(userId);
+    });
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/matching-service/src/middleware/jwt-validation.ts b/matching-service/src/middleware/jwt-validation.ts
index eb2cb655c5..8ee704a824 100644
--- a/matching-service/src/middleware/jwt-validation.ts
+++ b/matching-service/src/middleware/jwt-validation.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
 import jwt, { JwtPayload } from 'jsonwebtoken';
+import { Socket } from 'socket.io';
 
 const secretKey = 'your_secret_key'; // Use an environment variable for this in production
 
 // Function to validate JWT in HTTP requests
-export function validateJWT(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) {
+export function validateApiJWT(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) {
     const token = req.headers.authorization?.split(' ')[1]; // Extract Bearer token
     if (!token) {
         return res.status(401).json({ message: 'Access Denied. No token provided.' });
@@ -19,12 +20,23 @@ export function validateJWT(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) {
     }
 }
 
-// Function to validate JWT for socket connections
-export function validateSocketJWT(token: string): JwtPayload {
+export function validateSocketJWT(socket: Socket, next: (err?: Error) => void) {
+    const token = socket.handshake.auth.token;
+
+    if (!token) {
+        return next(new Error('Authentication error: No token provided.'));
+    }
+
     try {
         const decoded = jwt.verify(token, secretKey) as JwtPayload;
-        return decoded; // Return the decoded payload (userId, etc.)
+        socket.data.userId = decoded.id;
+        console.log(`User ${decoded.id} validated via JWT`);
+        next();
     } catch (err) {
-        throw new Error('Invalid token');
+        next(new Error('Authentication error: Invalid token.'));
     }
 }
+
+export function validateJWT (token: string): JwtPayload {
+    return jwt.verify(token, secretKey) as JwtPayload;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/matching-service/src/model/matching-model.ts b/matching-service/src/model/matching-model.ts
index c4b9d6ba42..21c44178b6 100644
--- a/matching-service/src/model/matching-model.ts
+++ b/matching-service/src/model/matching-model.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,23 @@ interface UserSearch {
     startTime: Date;
 }
 
+// Maintain a mapping of userId to socket.id
+const userSocketMap = new Map<string, string>();
+
 const searchPool: UserSearch[] = [];
 
+export function addUserToSocketMap(userId: string, socketId: string) {
+    userSocketMap.set(userId, socketId);
+}
+
+export function removeUserFromSocketMap(userId: string) {
+    userSocketMap.delete(userId);
+}
+
+export function getSocketIdForUser(userId: string): string | undefined {
+    return userSocketMap.get(userId);
+}
+
 // Add user to the search pool
 export function addUserToSearchPool(userId: string, criteria: SearchCriteria) {
     const startTime = new Date();
diff --git a/matching-service/src/routes/matching-routes.ts b/matching-service/src/routes/api-routes.ts
similarity index 51%
rename from matching-service/src/routes/matching-routes.ts
rename to matching-service/src/routes/api-routes.ts
index 710737d7fe..f8328bdd95 100644
--- a/matching-service/src/routes/matching-routes.ts
+++ b/matching-service/src/routes/api-routes.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,9 @@
 import { Router } from 'express';
-import { registerForMatching, getMatchingTime, getMatchingUsersCount } from '../controller/matching-controller';
-import { validateJWT } from '../middleware/jwt-validation';
+import { getMatchingUsersCount } from '../controller/api-controller';
 
 const router = Router();
 
 router.get('/', (req, res) => {res.send('Hello from matching service!')}); // Test route
-
-
-router.post('/match/register', validateJWT, registerForMatching); // Register for matching
 router.get('/match/count', getMatchingUsersCount); // Retrieve the count of users matching
 
 export const matchingRoutes = router;
diff --git a/matching-service/src/routes/socket-routes.ts b/matching-service/src/routes/socket-routes.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..09876d8bbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/matching-service/src/routes/socket-routes.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import { Server, Socket } from "socket.io";
+import { handleDisconnect, handleRegisterForMatching } from "../controller/socket-controller";
+
+export function registerEventHandlers(socket: Socket, io: Server) {
+    handleRegisterForMatching(socket, io);
+    handleDisconnect(socket);
+}
+
diff --git a/matching-service/src/server.ts b/matching-service/src/server.ts
index 91ef0ae9fd..52dfd654a6 100644
--- a/matching-service/src/server.ts
+++ b/matching-service/src/server.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ import {
     removeUserFromSearchPool,
     matchUsers
 } from './model/matching-model';
+import { inherits } from 'util';
+import { registerEventHandlers } from './routes/socket-routes';
+import { initaliseData } from './controller/socket-controller';
 
 // Create the express app
 const app = express();
@@ -22,85 +25,12 @@ const io = new Server(server, {
 // Middleware for parsing JSON
 app.use(express.json());
 
-// Maintain a mapping of userId to socket.id
-const userSocketMap = new Map<string, string>();
-
 // Socket.io connection handler with JWT validation
-io.use((socket, next) => {
-    const token = socket.handshake.auth.token;
-
-    if (!token) {
-        return next(new Error('Authentication error: No token provided.'));
-    }
-
-    try {
-        // Validate the token and extract the userId
-        const decoded = validateSocketJWT(token);
-        socket.data.userId = decoded.userId;
-        next();
-    } catch (err) {
-        next(new Error('Authentication error: Invalid token.'));
-    }
-});
-
+io.use(validateSocketJWT);
 io.on('connection', (socket) => {
-    const { userId } = socket.data;
-
-    // Map the userId to the socket.id
-    userSocketMap.set(userId, socket.id);
-
-    console.log(`User ${userId} connected via socket`);
-
-    // Handle user registration for matching
-    socket.on('registerForMatching', (criteria) => {
-        if (criteria.difficulty && criteria.topic) {
-            addUserToSearchPool(userId, criteria);
-            console.log(`User ${userId} registered with criteria`, criteria);
-            socket.emit('registrationSuccess', { message: `User ${userId} registered for matching successfully.` });
-
-            // Check if a match can be made for the new user
-            const match = matchUsers();
-            if (match) {
-                const { matchedUsers } = match;
-                const [user1, user2] = matchedUsers;
-
-                // Notify both clients of the match using the mapping
-                const socketId1 = userSocketMap.get(user1.userId);
-                const socketId2 = userSocketMap.get(user2.userId);
-
-                if (socketId1) {
-                    io.sockets.sockets.get(socketId1)?.emit('matchFound', { matchedWith: user2.userId });
-                }
-                if (socketId2) {
-                    io.sockets.sockets.get(socketId2)?.emit('matchFound', { matchedWith: user1.userId });
-                }
-
-                // Disconnect both users
-                if (socketId1) {
-                    io.sockets.sockets.get(socketId1)?.disconnect(true);
-                }
-                if (socketId2) {
-                    io.sockets.sockets.get(socketId2)?.disconnect(true);
-                }
-
-                // Remove users from the map
-                userSocketMap.delete(user1.userId);
-                userSocketMap.delete(user2.userId);
-            }
-        } else {
-            socket.emit('error', 'Invalid matching criteria.');
-        }
-    });
-
-    // Handle disconnection
-    socket.on('disconnect', () => {
-        console.log(`User ${userId} disconnected`);
-        removeUserFromSearchPool(userId);
-
-        // Remove the user from the map
-        userSocketMap.delete(userId);
-    });
-});
+    initaliseData(socket);
+    registerEventHandlers(socket, io);
+})
 
 export { server };
 
@@ -110,9 +40,4 @@ if (require.main === module) {
     server.listen(PORT, () => {
         console.log(`Server is running on port ${PORT}`);
     });
-}
-// Start the server
-// const PORT = 8002;
-// server.listen(PORT, () => {
-//     console.log(`Server is running on port ${PORT}`);
-// });
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/matching-service/test/jwt-validation.test.ts b/matching-service/test/jwt-validation.test.ts
index 8f0c77bb1a..3eefa18c1b 100644
--- a/matching-service/test/jwt-validation.test.ts
+++ b/matching-service/test/jwt-validation.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { validateSocketJWT } from '../src/middleware/jwt-validation';
+import { validateJWT } from '../src/middleware/jwt-validation';
 import jwt from 'jsonwebtoken';
 
 describe('Socket Middleware', () => {
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ describe('Socket Middleware', () => {
         const userId = 'testUser';
         const token = jwt.sign({ id: userId }, secretKey);
 
-        const decoded = validateSocketJWT(token);
+        const decoded = validateJWT(token);
         expect(decoded.id).toBe(userId);
     });
 
     it('should throw an error for invalid token', () => {
-        expect(() => validateSocketJWT('invalid_token')).toThrow();
+        expect(() => validateJWT('invalid_token')).toThrow();
     });
 });
diff --git a/matching-service/test/socket-connection-matching.test.ts b/matching-service/test/socket-connection-matching.test.ts
index 936e1a1fe5..c157d8e9e1 100644
--- a/matching-service/test/socket-connection-matching.test.ts
+++ b/matching-service/test/socket-connection-matching.test.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ describe('Socket.IO Server Tests', () => {
     test('should register a user and get success response', (done) => {
 
         const clientSocket = io(`http://localhost:${PORT}`, {
-            auth: { token: jwt.sign({ userId: 'client-id' }, 'your_secret_key') },
+            auth: { token: jwt.sign({ id: 'client-id' }, 'your_secret_key') },
         });
         clientSocket.emit('registerForMatching', { difficulty: 'easy', topic: 'math' });
         clientSocket.on('registrationSuccess', (message) => {
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ describe('Socket.IO Server Tests', () => {
     test('should handle matching users and send matchFound event', (done) => {
 
         const clientSocket = io(`http://localhost:${PORT}`, {
-            auth: { token: jwt.sign({ userId: 'client-id' }, 'your_secret_key') },
+            auth: { token: jwt.sign({ id: 'client-id' }, 'your_secret_key') },
         });
 
         const anotherSocket = io(`http://localhost:${PORT}`, {
-            auth: { token: jwt.sign({ userId: 'client-id2' }, 'your_secret_key')  },
+            auth: { token: jwt.sign({ id: 'client-id2' }, 'your_secret_key')  },
         });