Your Ultimate Guide for FPL Fantasy Tips and Rules For The 2025/26 Season
- Rishi Udaipuria
- Nov 7, 2025
- 12 min read
Updated: Dec 2, 2025
Top FPL Statistics & Key Takeaways
Here are some of the most surprising statistics and key takeaways from the 2024/25 FPL season and the new FPL 2025/26 rules.
Mohamed Salah's 2024/25 FPL season was the highest-scoring of all time, finishing with a record-breaking 344 points.
Under 2025/26's new "Defensive Contributions" rules, Nottingham Forest's Nikola Milenkovic (£5.5m) would have been the #1 scoring defender last season.
Projections show Everton's James Tarkowski (£5.5m) would have gained an extra 44 points from the new defensive rules last season—the most of any player.
Analysis of "Elite XI" FPL managers reveals 100% ownership of two players: Cole Palmer (£10.5m) and Maxime Estève, a £4.0m budget defender.
The 2024/25 season saw the most goalkeeper assists ever recorded (9), with Man City's Ederson providing four of them.
The 2024/25 season saw 88 goals scored from fast breaks, surpassing the entire total from the 2023/24 campaign.
What is Fantasy Premier League and How Do I Start?
For millions, the 3 PM kickoff is only half the battle. The other half is Fantasy Premier League (FPL), the global game that tests your tactical acumen, statistical analysis, and foresight. This section covers the absolute basics for any new manager.
Curious about what happened in Matchweek 10 of the Premier League 2025/26 season? Check this out!
How to play Fantasy Football for the Premier League
The concept is simple, but mastering it is not an easy task. When you join, you get a £100 million budget to build a squad of 15 players:
2 Goalkeepers
5 Defenders
5 Midfielders
3 Forwards
Here is the basic flow of the game:
Select Your Squad: You must build this 15-player squad from the real-life player pool, staying under the £100m budget.
Pick Your Team: Before each "Gameweek" (a round of fixtures), you must choose a starting 11 from your 15-man squad.
Score Points: Your players earn Premier League points for their real-world actions on the pitch. This includes playing minutes, scoring goals, providing assists, and keeping clean sheets. They can also lose points for incidents such as receiving yellow cards or conceding goals.
Manage Your Team: You get one free transfer each Gameweek to swap a player. Any extra transfers will cost you 4 points each.
How to join Fantasy Premier League
To get started, you need to create an account on the official Premier League website.
Once you're registered, you can join leagues. The game has public leagues, but the real heart of FPL is in the private mini-leagues. This is where you can compete directly against your friends, family, and colleagues.
Having trouble knowing where to watch the Premier League in your country? Check this out!
How to change your formation in Fantasy Premier League
A common question for new managers is how to change formation in the Fantasy Premier League.
There is no "formation" button. Your formation is set mechanically by the players you substitute into your starting 11.
Here is the step-by-step process :
Go to the "Pick Team" page in the FPL app or on the website.
Click on a player in your starting 11 that you want to bench (for example, a forward).
Select the "Substitute" option.
Click on a player on your bench that you want to bring into the starting 11 (for example, a midfielder).
The two players will swap, and your formation will automatically update. For example, substituting a forward for a midfielder will change a 3-4-3 formation to a 3-5-2.
The only restrictions are the game's minimums. You must always field 1 Goalkeeper, at least 3 Defenders, at least 2 Midfielders, and at least 1 Forward.
Understanding FPL's Core Mechanics
Beyond the basics, FPL is a game of complex, interconnected systems. Mastering these is what separates a casual player from a mini-league champion.
Explaining FPL price changes
Your £100m budget isn't static. A player's price changes based on their popularity in the transfer market, creating an FPL "stock market".
How it Works: FPL price changes happen once a day, usually between 1:00 am and 3:00 am GMT. When a player is transferred in by many managers, their price can rise by £0.1m. When they are heavily sold, their price will drop by £0.1m. A player's price can change by a maximum of £0.3m in a single Gameweek.
The "Sell-On Fee": This is the most critical part. You do not get the full value of a player's price rise when you sell them. The game enforces a 50% "tax" on your profit, rounded down.
If You Buy At... | Player Price Rises To... | Your Profit | Sell-On Tax (50% rounded down) | Your Selling Price |
£7.0m | £7.1m | £0.1m | £0.0m (0.05 rounded down) | £7.0m |
£7.0m | £7.2m | £0.2m | £0.1m | £7.1m |
£7.0m | £7.3m | £0.3m | £0.1m (0.15 rounded down) | £7.1m |
£7.0m | £7.4m | £0.4m | £0.2m | £7.2m |
This system makes timing vital. Holding an injured player as their price drops not only costs you points but also erodes your team value, hurting your future buying power.
Understanding the FPL bonus points system
In many matches, the game is won or lost by fpl bonus points. These are extra points given to the best-performing players, separate from goals or assists.
How it Works: The Bonus Points System (BPS) uses over 30 statistics to create a performance score for every player in a match.
The Payout: At the end of the match, the three players with the highest BPS scores get bonus points: +3 for first, +2 for second, and +1 for third.
Key BPS Actions: Goals (24 BPS) and assists (9 BPS) are big, but so are other actions. A player with 90%+ pass completion (from 30+ passes) gets 6 BPS. A successful tackle is 2 BPS.
The "BPS Magnet": This system creates a player type known as a "BPS Magnet." This is a player who contributes so much (tackles, passes, recoveries) that they can earn bonus points even without a goal or assist. This is crucial for understanding the new "Defensive Contributions" rule.
How to Use Your FPL Chips: Free Hit, Wildcard, Bench Boost, Triple Captain
Your "chips" are the most powerful tools in your FPL arsenal. For 2025/26, the game has been changed by giving managers two sets of chips.
What is a Free Hit in Fantasy Premier League?
The Rule: The Free Hit chip lets you make unlimited transfers for a single Gameweek.
What Happens Next: After that Gameweek's deadline, your squad reverts to how it was before you played the chip.
Strategic Use: This is ideal for a "Blank Gameweek" (when many teams don't play) or a "Double Gameweek" (to capitalize on players who play twice).
What is a Wildcard in Fantasy Premier League?
The Rule: The Wildcard also lets you make unlimited transfers.
The Key Difference: Unlike the Free Hit, these changes are permanent. This is a complete and total overhaul of your squad.
The 2025/26 Rule: You get two Wildcards. The first must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline (December 30) and will expire if unused. The second is available from Gameweek 20 onwards.
How to use the Bench Boost in Fantasy Premier League
The Rule: When you activate the Bench Boost, your points for that Gameweek will be calculated from all 15 players in your squad, including the four on your bench.
Strategic Use: This is ideally used when you have 15 players who are all starting and have great fixtures, such as in a large Double Gameweek.
What does the Triple Captain chip do?
The Rule: For one Gameweek, your chosen captain's points will be tripled instead of the usual double.
Crucial Detail: If your captain does not play, the Triple Captaincy will be passed to your Vice-Captain. This makes your Vice-Captain choice just as important.
The Payoff: When used correctly, it can be season-defining. Mohamed Salah's 29-point haul in Gameweek 24 of the 2024/25 season, which became 87 points for managers who triple-captained him, shows its power.
What is FPL Draft and what are some draft tips?
It's essential to note that FPL Draft is a distinct game mode from classic FPL.
The Core Concept: The main difference is the "draft" and player ownership. There are no budgets and no price changes.
The Main Rule: Managers in a small league take turns picking players in a "snake draft" (where the pick order reverses each round).
Player Exclusivity: Each Premier League player can only be on ONE team in your league. If your rival drafts Erling Haaland, you cannot have him. This makes "sleeper" picks and deep knowledge incredibly valuable.
Fantasy Premier League Draft Tip: Always prepare your "Watchlist" before the draft. If you are absent, the game will use this list to auto-pick players for you.
The 2025/26 FPL Rules Revolution
This is not just another FPL season; it's a tactical revolution. The introduction of "Defensive Contributions" and "Two Sets of Chips" has fundamentally changed the game.
The new "Defensive Contributions" rule explained
This new rule creates a new way for players to score points, shaking up the old FPL hierarchy.
The Rule, Simply:
Defenders: Earn +2 points for accumulating 10 "CBITs" (Clearances, Blocks, Interceptions, and Tackles) in a single match.
Midfielders/Forwards: Earn +2 points for accumulating 12 "CBIRTs" (CBITs + Ball Recoveries) in a single match.
The Tactical Paradox. In the past, the best FPL defenders were attacking full-backs on top teams. Their value was based on clean sheets and attacking returns. This new rule creates a paradox.
A defender on a top team that dominates possession will face fewer shots and have fewer chances to make blocks and tackles. A center-back on a mid-table team that is under pressure will be far busier and have more chances to hit the 10-CBIT threshold.
Data from 2024/25, when projected onto the new rules, proves this.
Projected Top DefCon Points Gainers from 2024/25
Player | Position | Club | Projected Extra Points |
James Tarkowski | DEF | Everton | 44 [44, 45] |
Moises Caicedo | MID | Chelsea | 42 [44, 45] |
Dean Huijsen | DEF | Bournemouth | 38 [44, 45] |
Murillo | DEF | Nott'm Forest | 38 [44, 45] |
Wout Faes | DEF | Leicester | 34 [44, 45] |
This creates a new player archetype: the "DefCon Magnet." These are players who are statistical machines, reliably hitting the 10-CBIT threshold.
Projections showed Everton's James Tarkowski (£5.5m) and Nottingham Forest's Nikola Milenkovic (£5.5m) were prime candidates. Tarkowski (11.07 DefCons/game) and his former teammate Murillo (10.81 DefCons/game) were magnets for defensive actions.
The ultimate proof: under the new rules, Nikola Milenkovic would have finished as the #1 highest-scoring defender in all of 2024/25.
Your FPL chip strategy with "Two Sets of Chips"
The second revolutionary change is that you now have two sets of chips: one Wildcard, one Free Hit, one Bench Boost, and one Triple Captain must be used before the GW19 deadline, or they expire.
The Core Problem: The first half of the season rarely features the Double or Blank Gameweeks these chips are normally saved for.
The New Strategy: This forces a shift from hoarding to aggression. These chips must now be used to attack favorable fixtures.
Expert Chip Plan (GW1-19):
Triple Captain (TC): This is no longer for a Double Gameweek. It is now a "fixture" chip. Target an elite player in a home "banker" match against a weaker side.
Top Targets: Erling Haaland vs. Leeds (H) in GW13, Haaland vs. Sunderland (H) in GW15, or Mohamed Salah vs. Sunderland (H) in GW14.
Bench Boost (BB): The new expert consensus is to link this chip to your Wildcard.
The Plan: Play your first Wildcard around GW12 or GW13. Use that Wildcard to specifically build a squad with 15 starting players. Then, activate the Bench Boost in the immediately following Gameweek.
Free Hit (FH): This remains your "get out of jail" card for an injury crisis. Alternatively, use it aggressively on a single "monster" week, such as GW11, to triple up on assets from top teams.
Wildcard (WC): This chip is the lynchpin. The GW12 international break is emerging as the "golden" window to activate it.
The "AFCON Catapult": A Multi-Week Masterplan
This advanced strategy connects all the new elements.
The Rule: The game is giving every manager five free transfers in Gameweek 16, just ahead of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). This is a mini-Wildcard.
The Plan: This allows for a "catapult" strategy. Use your Wildcard around GW12 to build an optimal team for the packed festive schedule, loading up on players not going to AFCON.
The Execution: You can hold AFCON-bound players like Mohamed Salah. Then, in GW16, use your five free transfers to sell them without taking any point hits, perfectly setting up your squad for the new year.
FPL 2025/26 Player Tips and Pre-Season Guide
This is where tactical analysis becomes an actionable watchlist. This is your fpl scout report on the players to build your fantasy team around.
What we learned from the 2025/26 pre-season
Pre-season friendlies provided valuable insights into new signings and the team's systems.
New Signings to Watch:
Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal, £9.0m): Arsenal's new striker scored in his first pre-season start and looks ready for GW1. He arrives with a phenomenal record from Sporting (97 goals in 102 games) and is the elite "finisher" Arsenal craved.
Florian Wirtz (Liverpool, £8.5m): This £8.5m price looks like a potential bargain. An elite talent, Wirtz registered a goal involvement in the Community Shield and offers a route into the champions' attack at a much lower price than Salah.
Tijjani Reijnders (Man City, £5.5m): The most-selected sub-£6.0m midfielder. He scored twice in City's final pre-season match, suggesting he will be deployed with a license to attack—an incredible bargain.
Essential FPL premium players for your fantasy team
The 2024/25 season was defined by a handful of statistical outliers who have become the "template" for 2025/26.
The 2024/25 Data: Mohamed Salah produced a record-breaking 344-point season. Cole Palmer became Chelsea's talisman, finishing on 214 points. And Ollie Watkins remained a model of consistency with 186 points.
The 2025/26 "Elite Template": Analysis of "Elite XI" managers (the top FPL managers in the world) shows a clear consensus :
100% Elite Ownership: Cole Palmer (£10.5m)
84.6% Elite Ownership: Mohamed Salah (£14.5m), Ollie Watkins (£9.0m), and Florian Wirtz (£8.5m).
This template is only possible because of the extreme budget enablers that the elite managers have identified.
The best budget FPL players (The Enablers)
These are the players who make the template work. They unlock the funds for your heavy hitters.
The £4.5m Forward: Marc Guiu (Sunderland, £4.5m). This is the key enabler of the 2025/26 season. A loan signing, Guiu is a starting £4.5m forward, which allows managers to run a 3-5-2 formation with five premium-to-mid-price midfielders. He is owned by 76.9% of Elite managers.
The £4.0m Defender: Maxime Estève (Burnley, £4.0m). The definition of "bench fodder." At a minimum of £4.0m, Estève is 100% owned by Elite managers as a player who might play, but whose primary role is to free up £0.5m.
The "Budget" DefCon Gems: The new DefCon rules make £5.5m defenders the new "budget" premium. James Tarkowski (£5.5m), Murillo (£5.5m), and Nikola Milenkovic (£5.5m) are all priced to be the best-value players in the game.
FPL differential picks
The template is safe. Differentials (players with <10% ownership) are how you win.
Danny Welbeck (Brighton, £6.4m, 5.3% owned): The "template" has backed Brighton's João Pedro, who has underwhelmed. Meanwhile, Welbeck has been in excellent form. In the last five games, he ranks first at his club for goals (5) and expected goals (1.8).
Martin Odegaard (Arsenal, £8.0m, 3.3% owned): After a quiet 2024/25 (11 goal involvements), managers have fled. But this followed two massive seasons. With Viktor Gyokeres now in front of him to finish the chances he creates, Odegaard could be poised for an explosive return to form.
Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest, £5.5m, 7.7% owned): This is the "thinking fan's" pick. The data is clear: he would have been the #1 defender last season under the new rules. He has a great run of opening fixtures. Yet, over 92% of managers are ignoring him. He is the perfect "DefCon Magnet" differential.
How to Delete Your Fantasy Premier League account
If you need a break or want to restart, you might wonder how to delete a Fantasy Premier League account. This is a permanent process tied to your main "myPremierLeague" account.
To permanently delete your account, follow these official steps :
Log in to your account on the Premier League website.
Go to your "myPremierLeague" profile and find the "Settings" page.
Find the "My Account" or "Manage Account" section and select "Delete Account".
You will be asked to confirm your decision. Select "Continue" and then "Confirm".
Important Note: Once you confirm, your account enters a 21-day "cooling-off" period before it is permanently deleted.
If you registered with an email and password, logging back in during this 21-day window will reactivate the account. However, if you used a social login (Google, Facebook, X, or Apple), you cannot log back in to reactivate it.
Stay tuned to Sporting Insights for more Premier League Fantasy Fun!
FPL Frequently Asked Questions
When does fantasy premier league start?
The 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League season starts before the Gameweek 1 deadline. For the 2025/26 season, this deadline was Friday, August 15.
How to play fantasy football premier league?
You play the Premier League fantasy football by registering for free, picking a 15-player squad within a £100m budget, and managing your team to score points each Gameweek.
How to use wildcard in fantasy premier league?
To use your wildcard in the Fantasy Premier League, make your transfers. When you confirm them, the option to play the chip will appear, allowing unlimited, permanent changes.
How to change formation on fantasy premier league?
You change formation in the Fantasy Premier League by substituting players. On the "Pick Team" page, swap a starter (e.g., a defender) for a benched player (e.g., a midfielder).
How to leave a league in fantasy premier league?
To delete a league in Fantasy Premier League (Draft mode), go to the "Draft" tab, scroll to your league, select "Edit League," and find the "Delete your league" option.
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