Key Updates in Fantasy Premier League for the 2026-27 Season

The Fantasy Premier League (FPL) is back for the 2026-27 season with some notable updates. Alongside tweaks to player prices and positions, new tools have been introduced to help managers build their teams and track progress more effectively.

Starter Team Assistance

Choosing a starting lineup can be challenging given the £100m budget and 15 player slots. This season, FPL offers a new feature that suggests an initial squad based on your preferred club and playing style. You can adjust this suggested team freely until the first gameweek deadline.

Real-Time Mini-League Updates

Mini-leagues are popular among players competing with friends or colleagues. Previously, standings updated only after all matches finished. Now, league tables refresh live during games, including bonus points shown from the 20th minute onward, giving instant feedback on how teams stack up against each other.

Price-Change Predictor

A new tool predicts whether a player’s price will rise or fall at midnight the next day. This forecast ranges from ‘very likely to rise’ to ‘very likely to drop’, offering a useful guide for transfer decisions without guaranteeing outcomes.

Bonus Point System Adjustments

Following last season's major overhaul, bonus point rules have been fine-tuned:

• Players no longer lose bonus points for being tackled, benefiting many attacking midfielders who faced heavy challenges last year.
• Defenders need to make three clearances, blocks, or interceptions to earn a BPS point, up from two, reducing defensive bonus points accumulation.
• Goalkeeper save scoring changed: all saves now earn two BPS points regardless of shot location, but a big chance save adds an extra point.
• Penalty saves now grant seven BPS points instead of eight, with an additional big chance saved point keeping the total impact steady.
• Bonus points finalization is delayed until 9:00 AM UK time the day after matches, allowing for detailed data review.

Chips and Defensive Contribution Points Remain

Last season’s introduction of chips usable twice per season continues. These include:

• Bench Boost: Points from all four substitutes count in one gameweek.
• Free Hit: Temporary unlimited transfers for a single gameweek, reverting after.
• Triple Captain: The captain’s score is tripled for one gameweek.
• Wildcard: Unlimited permanent transfers in one gameweek.

Also ongoing is the defensive contribution (defcon) system, rewarding outfield players with bonus points for defensive actions. Midfielders and forwards gain two points for every 12 defensive actions; defenders get two points for every 10.

Player Prices and Position Updates

• Erling Haaland remains the priciest player at £15.5m, surpassing his previous record.
• Bruno Fernandes starts at £12m after a season-record 21 Premier League assists.
• Arsenal’s Gabriel rises to £8m, becoming one of the most expensive defenders ever in FPL.
• Eleven players have new positions this season, including:

• Myles Lewis-Skelly, Lamare Bogarde, Keane Lewis-Potter, and Patrick Dorgu shifting from defenders to midfielders.
• Eli Junior Kroupi moving from forward to midfielder.
• Mats Wieffer, Rio Cardines, Ryan Sessegnon, and Eric Moreira switching from midfielders to defenders.
• Omar Marmoush and Georginio Rutter now forwards instead of midfielders.

New Features for Player History and Weekly Summaries

The history checker lets you compare your current season rank to previous years and see percentage rankings, offering perspective on your overall performance. After each gameweek, you can also view a visual recap of your results, highlighting your top scorer.

Join the BBC Sport FPL League

BBC Sport will again host a dedicated FPL league for readers. Details on joining will be shared closer to the season’s start.