How and when to use your chips in 2025/26 Fantasy?

The Scout explains how to use your Wildcard, Bench Boost, Free Hit and Triple Captain chips Managers in Fantasy Premier League have the opportunity to give their points total a big boost by using their chips. All FPL managers had four chips to use in the first half of the season - a Wildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain and Bench Boost - and those same four chips were refreshed in Gameweek 20 for use between now and the end of the season. Typically, experienced managers keep their chips until the final third of the season to take advantage of changes to the Premier League schedule, because domestic cup competitions can bring about Blank or Double Gameweeks. What are Blank and Double Gameweeks? If you're new to FPL, here's a quick breakdown of the terminology. There are 38 Gameweeks in a season. Generally, each Gameweek is made up of 10 matches, with each Premier League club playing once. A Blank Gameweek occurs when at least two top-flight clubs DON'T have a Premier League fixture in a particular Gameweek. This is a problem for Fantasy managers because it means any players from the clubs in question score ZERO points in FPL. A Double Gameweek is when at least one club has TWO league fixtures in a given Gameweek. This gives Fantasy managers an opportunity because the players from these clubs have two opportunities to score points. What causes Blank and Double Gameweeks? Blank Gameweeks are caused by Premier League matches being postponed. Typically, these postponements come about because of a fixture clash with domestic cup competitions. Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers played twice in Double Gameweek 26, the first Double Gameweek of the season. Gameweek 31, which took place on the same weekend as the EFL Cup final, was the first Blank Gameweek of the season. Players from Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Manchester City and Wolves scored zero points as their teams did not have a Premier League fixture. What does each chip do and how should you use it? Wildcard All transfers (including those already made) are free of charge. The Wildcard is played when confirming transfers that cost points. It can’t be cancelled once played. When playing a Wildcard, you will KEEP your banked transfers. A Wildcard is best saved for when your squad most needs an overhaul. This could be if you have multiple players injured, banned, out of form or not starting for their teams. However, it could also be used to target a particular set of fixtures for certain clubs. The Wildcard should always be played with a long-term outlook in mind. It could be saved and used to set up a Bench-Boost (see below), allowing you to stock up on a host of players who are about to have a Double Gameweek, while also spreading your funds around your 15-man squad, so that all of your players have a good chance of scoring points. Gameweek 32 is likely to prove a popular week to play the Wildcard. However, managers should wait until the FA Cup quarter-finals after the international break before activating the chip. If you have saved up multiple free transfers and have the Free Hit chip left, saving the Wildcard until Gameweek 35 is also an option.Free Hit Make unlimited free transfers for one Gameweek only. At the next deadline, your squad is returned to how it was before those unlimited moves were made. The Free Hit chip is played when confirming your transfers. It can’t be cancelled after being confirmed. It’s also worth noting that when playing your Free Hit chip, you will KEEP your banked transfers. The Free Hit chip could be used to solve problems that occur in a Blank Gameweek. Gameweek 34 could well be the biggest and most problematic Blank Gameweek of the season, with up to four matches currently at risk of postponement due to the FA Cup semi-finals. Playing the chip that week would allow you to remove problematic players for one week only, especially useful as any players who play twice in Gameweek 33 would most likely "blank" in Gameweek 34. Alternatively, the Free Hit chip could be used more aggressively in a Double Gameweek, enabling you to select 11 players who play twice, without having to worry about their long-term fixtures. Bench Boost The points scored by your benched players are included in your total. The Bench Boost chip can be played when saving your team on the “Pick Team” page. It can be cancelled at any time before the Gameweek deadline. The Bench Boost chip is most effective when all 15 of your players have a favourable fixture. In a Double Gameweek, if you select 15 players who play twice, your squad would have a huge 30 matches in which to score points. The biggest Double Gameweek of the season is likely to be in Gameweek 33, meaning it will be a popular week to Bench-Boost and load up on players with two fixtures. Were you to play an alternative chip in Gameweek 33, Gameweek 36 could be an option for your Bench Boost. The likes of Brighton, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Nottingham Forest have favourable home fixtures. Triple Captain Your captain points are TRIPLED instead of doubled. The Triple Captain chip can be played when saving your team on the “Pick Team” page. It can be cancelled at any time before the Gameweek deadline. Playing the chip in a Double Gameweek on a premium player such as Erling Haaland (£14.5m) should Man City have two fixtures in a Gameweek, would give you TWO opportunities to pick up points. For example, last season, Mohamed Salah (£14.0m) returned the highest score of the season in Double Gameweek 24, racking up a whopping 29 points. After reaching the EFL Cup final, Man City currently have a home fixture against Crystal Palace that needs to be rescheduled. This could lead to a Double Gameweek for Haaland.