The Complete Guide to Fantasy Premier League 2023/24

Fantasy Premier League (FPL) is the official fantasy football game of the Premier League and is played by over 11 million fans globally. The basic premise is simple- assemble your squad and try to get as many points as possible. This guide will explain the basics, as well as some tips for the more advanced players.

Fantasy Premier League rules explained:

You’re allocated a £100 million budget to select 15 players. This includes two goalkeepers, five defenders, five midfielders, and three forwards. There’s also a maximum limit of three players from any single Premier League team.

Each week, you choose 11 players for your starting XI. You can choose from a number of formations, but you must at select at least one goalkeeper, three defenders, two midfielders and one forward. You also pick a captain and vice-captain, with the captain earning double points for that week.

If a starter doesn’t play, the first bench player is automatically substituted. The first player off the bench must create an valid formation, if it doesn’t then the second bench player will be substituted instead. In the case of a non-playing captain, the vice-captain’s points will be doubled instead and the captain subbed out.

How points are scored in Fantasy Premier League:

Points are awarded and deducted for action like goals, clean sheets and yellow cards.

Playing Time: Players earn 1 point for appearing in a match, and an additional point if they play 60 minutes or more. This encourages selecting players who consistently start matches.

Goals: Forwards earn 4 points per goal, midfielders 5, and defenders and goalkeepers 6. Midfielders and defenders with goal threat are particularly valuable.

Assists: All players receive 3 points for an assist. Pick players on free kicks and corners to improve the chance of an assist.

Clean Sheets: Goalkeepers and defenders get 4 points, and midfielders 1, for not conceding goals, provided they play at least 60 minutes. Clean sheet odds can indicate which teams have the best defences.

Goals Conceded: Goalkeepers and defenders lose 1 point for every 2 goals their team concedes, highlighting the significance of a strong defensive performance.

Saves: Goalkeepers earn 1 point for every 3 saves made. This makes keepers from defences that allow a lot of shots against them worth considering

Penalties: A goalkeeper gets 5 points for saving a penalty, while players lose 2 points for missing one, reflecting the high stakes of penalty situations.

Discipline: Players receive a -1 point deduction for a yellow card and -3 for a red.

Own Goals: A -2 point deduction for scoring an own goal discourages selecting error-prone players.

Bonus: The best performers in a match, according to the BPS, receive additional points (3 for the best, then 2, and 1), adding a layer of reward for exceptional individual performances.

How Transfers Work in Fantasy Premier League:

Each manager is given one free transfer every gameweek. If you don’t use your free transfer, it rolls over to the next gameweek, allowing you two free transfers. However, you cannot accumulate more than two free transfers at a time.

You can make as many transfers as you like but, each transfer beyond your free allocation costs a penalty of -4 points from your total score.

How FPL Chips work:

In Fantasy Premier League (FPL), ‘chips’ are special tools that can significantly influence your team’s performance during the season. Understanding how to use these chips effectively is crucial for any FPL manager, especially for beginners. Here’s a quick explanation of what each chip does. For a more detailed explanation, check out our guide to FPL chips.

Wildcard: The Wildcard allows unlimited transfers in a single gameweek without any point penalties. There are two Wildcards available – one for use in the first half of the season (before December 30) and the other for the second half (after December 30).

Free Hit: The Free Hit chip enables you to make unlimited transfers for one gameweek only. At the end of the gameweek, your team reverts to its original state.

Triple Captain: The Triple Captain chip triples the points of your captain for one gameweek instead of the standard double points.

Bench Boost: The bench boost chip allows the points of all your bench players to contribute to your total score for that gameweek.

Key FPL Terminology:

Understanding the language of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) is crucial for new players. This section expands on key FPL terms, providing clear explanations for beginners to help navigate the game effectively.

DGW (Double Gameweek): A Double Gameweek occurs when some teams have more than one match within a single FPL gameweek.

BGW (Blank Gameweek): A Blank Gameweek refers to a gameweek where some teams do not have a fixture and therefore their players won’t score any points.

Budget Enabler: Budget Enablers are inexpensive players who are not necessarily big point scorers but allow you to free up funds to spend on more expensive, high-scoring players.

Effective Ownership: Effective Ownership is a term that combines a player’s ownership percentage with the percentage of FPL managers who have captained them.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is Fantasy Premier League free to play?

Yes, Fantasy Premier League is completely free to play. There are no costs associated with creating a team and participating in the game, making it accessible to everyone with an interest in the Premier League and fantasy sports.

How do I sign up for an account?

To sign up for an account, visit the official Fantasy Premier League website. Click on the ‘Sign Up’ or ‘Register’ button, fill in the required information, such as your email, a password, and some basic personal details. Once you’ve completed the registration process, you can start creating and managing your own FPL team.

Is there a prize for winning FPL?

Yes, there are prizes for winning Fantasy Premier League. The top performers typically receive rewards, which can range from trophies and exclusive experiences to merchandise. The specific details of the prizes can vary each season and are usually announced on the official FPL website.

Can I have more than one account?

No, you are not allowed to have more than one account in Fantasy Premier League. Each player is permitted to manage only one team per season. Creating multiple accounts is against the rules and can result in all associated teams being disqualified.