How to Play Fantasy Premier League 2025/26
The complete beginner's guide to FPL — from account setup to chip strategy.
Fantasy Premier League (FPL) is the official free fantasy football game for the English Premier League. Over 11 million managers compete each season to build the highest-scoring squad. Whether you're brand new or returning after a break, this guide covers everything you need to know for 2025/26.
1. Getting Started
Create an account at fantasy.premierleague.com. You'll pick a team name and select your initial 15-player squad within a £100.0m budget. Your squad must contain: 2 goalkeepers, 5 defenders, 5 midfielders, and 3 forwards — with a maximum of 3 players from any one team.
2. Points System
| Action | GK | DEF | MID | FWD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playing up to 60 mins | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Playing 60+ mins | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Goal scored | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Assist | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Clean sheet | 4 | 4 | 1 | — |
| Every 3 saves (GK) | 1 | — | — | — |
| Penalty save | 5 | — | — | — |
| Bonus points | 1-3 pts to top performers per match (based on BPS) | |||
| Yellow card | -1 | -1 | -1 | -1 |
| Red card | -3 | -3 | -3 | -3 |
| Own goal | -2 | -2 | -2 | -2 |
| Every 2 goals conceded | -1 | -1 | — | — |
| Penalty miss | -2 | -2 | -2 | -2 |
3. Transfers
You receive 1 free transfer per gameweek. Unused transfers roll over (max 5 banked). Extra transfers cost 4 points each. Player prices change based on transfer activity — popular players rise in price, dropped players fall. Buy rising players early to build squad value.
4. Captaincy
Your captain scores double points. Your vice-captain takes over if the captain doesn't play. Captaincy is the single most important decision each week — it can be worth 10+ points. Look for premium players with easy home fixtures, strong form, and high goal involvement.
5. Chips
Wildcard (x2)
Unlimited free transfers for one gameweek. Use during international breaks or before fixture swings.
Free Hit
Temporary squad for one week — reverts after. Best for blank gameweeks.
Bench Boost
All 15 players score points. Best during a double gameweek with a full bench.
Triple Captain
Captain earns 3x points. Best on a premium player in a double gameweek.
6. Key FPL Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| EO | Effective Ownership — how much a player is captained + owned, affecting rank swings |
| FDR | Fixture Difficulty Rating — Premier League's 1-5 scale of opponent strength |
| DGW | Double Gameweek — a team plays twice in one GW |
| BGW | Blank Gameweek — a team doesn't play in a GW |
| Template | The "default" squad most managers own — high-owned, safe picks |
| Differential | A player owned by fewer than ~10% of managers, offering rank gain potential |
| BPS | Bonus Points System — metrics that determine who gets 1-3 bonus points per match |
| xG / xA | Expected Goals / Expected Assists — statistical measures of scoring/assisting likelihood |
| Nailed | A player who starts virtually every match |
| Set & Forget | A player you pick and don't transfer out for many weeks |
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fantasy Premier League free to play?
How many transfers do I get per gameweek?
What is the FPL deadline?
How does the FPL points system work?
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