Complete Guide to Getting Started with Fantasy Premier League
August 10, 2026 ·
This guide explains everything you need to know to get started in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), including how to build a squad, how to earn points, and compete in mini leagues.
Complete Guide to Getting Started with Fantasy Premier League
According to News.
Background
FPL allows football fans to experience the depth of managerial strategy by selecting players from various Premier League clubs. Every decision, from captain selection to player transfers, can have a huge impact on the final score, making this a very exciting experience for football fans around the world.
Why this is important
Fantasy Premier League (FPL) has become a global phenomenon, attracting millions of football fans to participate every season. By understanding how FPL works, fans can not only enhance their Premier League viewing experience, but also compete with friends and other managers around the world. This provides the opportunity to experience the same tension and strategy that club managers experience in the real world.
Main Points
- Complete Guide to Getting Started with Fantasy Premier League.
- This guide explains everything you need to know to get started in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), including how to build a squad, how to earn points, and compete in mini leagues.
- How to play Fantasy Premier League: A beginner's guide with everything you need to know - The Athletic.
Every season, millions of football fans around the world take part in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL). Whether you want to beat your friends, climb the global rankings, or simply want to add excitement to watching the game, FPL is one of the best fantasy games available. If you've never played before, don't worry. Although it seems complicated at first, once you understand the basics, the game is very easy to master. This guide explains everything you need to know to get started.
FPL is a free online game where you build a squad from real players in the Premier League. The players you select will earn fantasy points based on their performance in club matches. Goals, assists, clean sheets, saves and bonus points all contribute to your score. It's important to note that FPL points only come from matches in the Premier League itself — not from other competitions they compete in for their clubs, or even national teams. The aim is to earn more points than anyone playing FPL over the course of a season, which for the purposes of the game is divided into 38 game weeks. You compete against millions of managers around the world in overall tables, but you can also create private mini leagues with friends, family members, or coworkers.
Each manager is given a budget of £100 million to build a squad of 15 players. This should consist of: two goalkeepers, five defenders, five midfielders, and three strikers. There are also some important rules: you can only have a maximum of three players from the same club, and your total squad must always stay within that £100m budget.
One of the biggest challenges in FPL is deciding where to spend your money. A good initial strategy is to spend big on a few premium assets — expensive Premier League star players — while surrounding yourself with good value picks and budget options. Finding bargains is often the key to having a successful FPL season.
Even if you have 15 players, only your starting XI players get points each game week. Before the deadline of each game week, you need to choose a starting team and decide on four players among the 15 who will sit on the bench. Popular formations include 3-4-3, 3-5-2, and 4-4-2.
One of the most important decisions every game week is who will be your captain. This is because the captain you choose gets double the points, meaning a player who gets 10 points would get 20 if he were your captain — making the right decision here goes a long way in racking up big point totals in a given game week.
Players earn FPL points based on their real performance. They can do this by playing 60 minutes or more in a match, scoring a goal, providing an assist, keeping a clean sheet (for goalkeepers and defenders only), making a save (for goalkeepers only), and defensive contributions. Bonus points are awarded to the three best performing players in each match, while defensive contribution points are awarded for actions such as tackles, clearances, interceptions and recoveries.
Once the season starts, you will receive one free transfer every game week. Transfers allow you to replace your players. You are free to use these transfers as you wish, but usually the best transfers are used to replace squad members who are injured, suspended or simply in poor form. Unused free transfers will accumulate, allowing you to collect a maximum of five. If you make more transfers than you're allowed for free, you'll get a four-point deduction for each additional change.
One of the most interesting parts of managing FPL is the chips. These are essentially boosters that can increase your score, but only one chip can be used in any given game week. The four chips are Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost, and Triple Captain.
Double and zero match weeks are a key part of the FPL season. A double game week occurs when one club has two games in the period, giving their players two opportunities to earn points. A game week is known as a blank game week when there are one or more teams that do not play at all.
Each game week has a deadline. This is always 90 minutes before the first game of the game week. Once that deadline passes, you can no longer make changes to your team.
While competing in the overall rankings is fun, many FPL managers care more about their mini leagues. You can create a private league with friends, family, or coworkers, or join a public league involving thousands of other managers. When starting out, try not to overcomplicate things. Focus on selecting players who play every week for their club, play for the best team in terms of attack or defense, have a favorable schedule, and are likely to be involved in a goal, assist or clean sheet.
The best FPL managers are not always the ones who make the most transfers or constantly change their teams. They are the ones who are patient, plan ahead, and make informed decisions based on schedule, form, and underlying statistics. Whether you want to finish inside the top 10,000 overall — considered the mark of an elite manager — or simply do better than your friends, family members or co-workers, FPL adds a layer of excitement to watching Premier League games. Most importantly, remember to enjoy the game.
What happened next
After understanding the basics of FPL, players can start building their squad by selecting players from the Premier League who they believe will perform well. With a set budget, managers must be careful in choosing the combination of players that can provide maximum points. As the season progresses, it is important to monitor player performance and make necessary changes to remain competitive in the mini leagues and overall table.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Fantasy Premier League (FPL)?
Fantasy Premier League (FPL) is a free online game where football fans build squads from real players in the Premier League and earn points based on their performance in matches.
How to get points in FPL?
Points in FPL are earned from goals, assists, clean sheets, saves and bonus points earned by players during matches in the Premier League.
How much budget is given to build a squad in FPL?
Each manager is given a budget of £100 million to build a squad of 15 players.
How many players should be in the FPL squad?
The FPL squad must consist of 15 players, consisting of two goalkeepers, five defenders, five midfielders and three attackers.
Is there a limit on the number of players from the same club in FPL?
Yes, you can only have a maximum of three players from the same club in your FPL squad.