The Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game has become firmly established as part of the culture in English football since it was first launched ahead of the 2002/03.
It has evolved massively since the first incarnation, and is undoubtedly now one of the most multi-faceted games of its type on the internet.
There are a plethora of new features in the latest edition of FPL, each of which are designed to enhance the gameplay even further. Read on as we take a closer look.
Defensive Contributions
There was a time when goals, assists and clean sheets were the primary focus for FPL managers, but the game is now far more nuanced than those simple metrics
Outfield players are now be rewarded for their defensive contributions. Defenders who tally a combined total of 10 clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles in a match score two points.
Ball recoveries are added into the equation for midfielders and forwards, so they must make 12 defensive contributions to earn the additional points.
Centre-backs and defensive midfielders are the players most likely to benefit, which makes them value picks in FPL according to Spreadex Sports this season.
Two Sets of Chips
FPL managers have two sets of chips for the 2025/26 season, which could make a radical difference to the outcome of global and private leagues.
Each manager has a Wildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain and Bench Boost chip to use in each half of the campaign. The Assistant Manager chip has been dropped.
The first set of chips must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline passes at 6.30 pm (GMT) on Tuesday, December 30.
The chips can be particularly effective during the latter stages of a campaign to help FPL players successfully navigate Blank and Double Gameweeks.
Assists Rules
FPL assists have traditionally awarded to the player who has the final touch before a goal is scored, and they are awarded three points in the game.
The removal of the ‘intended destination’ element is the most significant change to the assist rules, this handing a potential boost to FPL points total.
An assist will be awarded if the goalscorer receives the ball inside the penalty box, even if there is one defensive touch before the ball reaches him.
There will be no assist awarded if the defensive touch is a pass or if the goalscorer loses and then regains possession from his opponent.
Extra Transfers for AFCON
While the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is hugely important to the players and teams who participate, it can be an unwelcome distraction for FPL managers.
For example, losing Liverpool star Mohamed Salah for several weeks because he is playing for Egypt can create a sizeable headache for managers to resolve.
To soften the blow, FPL managers will be given extra free transfers in Gameweek 16 to help them navigate their way through a tricky part of the season.
The total number of free transfers will be topped up to the maximum possible number of five to give managers the opportunity to revamp their squad.
Bonus Points System
Bonus points can be the difference between winning and losing in FPL, and the system has been tweaked to give mangers the chance to earn even more.
The Bonus Points System (BPS) utilises a range of Opta statistics that capture different actions on the pitch, to create a performance score for every player.
The players with the top three BPS in a match receive bonus points – three points to the highest-scoring player, two to the second best and one to the third.
Goalkeeper saves, goal-line clearances, penalty goals and tackles won are the elements which contribute to the bonus points metric.
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