{"id":1590,"date":"2025-08-12T13:59:35","date_gmt":"2025-08-12T11:59:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/?p=1590"},"modified":"2025-08-12T13:59:35","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T11:59:35","slug":"fpl-2025-26-the-new-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/2025\/08\/12\/fpl-2025-26-the-new-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"FPL 2025\/26: The New Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Premier League is almost back, and so is the addictive chaos of Fantasy Premier League. Pre-season form has given us a taste of who might deliver big in GW1, but this year, even the most experienced managers need to do a little homework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2025\/26 season comes with a set of new rules that could seriously impact how we pick our squads, use our chips, and chase those all-important green arrows. Let\u2019s break them down, and more importantly, figure out how you can use them to your advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Defensive Contributions: Points for Getting Stuck In<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For the first time, outfield players can score bonus FPL points purely through their defensive work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Defenders<\/strong>\u00a0will earn\u00a0<strong>2 extra FPL points<\/strong>\u00a0if they make a combined\u00a0<strong>10 clearances, blocks, interceptions, and tackles (CBIT)<\/strong>\u00a0in a single match.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Midfielders and forwards<\/strong>\u00a0also get rewarded, but they need\u00a0<strong>12 defensive contributions<\/strong>\u00a0(ball recoveries included) to claim the same 2-point bonus.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tactical takeaway:<\/strong><br>This boosts the appeal of defensive-minded midfielders and budget defenders who rack up these stats even without goals or assists. Think of those tireless ball-winners who always seem to be in the right place at the right time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Assists Made Simpler (and More Generous)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Assist rules have been overhauled to make them fairer and less subjective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Big Changes:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Intended destination is no longer relevant<\/strong>\u00a0for passes into the box, as long as there\u2019s only\u00a0<strong>one defensive touch<\/strong> before the goalscorer receives the ball. Even if it\u2019s deflected to a different teammate, you still get the assist.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No assist if:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The defensive touch is a deliberate pass (like a bad backpass).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The goalscorer loses and then regains possession.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There are\u00a0<strong>two defensive touches<\/strong>\u00a0before the goal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Outside the box? Intended destination matters again.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assists will now be given if a goal comes from a\u00a0<strong>free-kick or penalty awarded for handball<\/strong>, even if the handball wasn\u2019t \u201cforced.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One special twist: an attempted defensive pass that leads to a goal can still count as an assist, provided there\u2019s only one defensive touch.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tactical takeaway:<\/strong><br>Creative players, especially wingers and full-backs, could get more assists from scrappy, deflected plays. This could boost the value of some mid-tier assist machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Two Sets of Chips: Double the Fun, Double the Pressure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re used to five chips: 2xWildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain, and Bench Boost. This season, you get\u00a0<strong>two full sets<\/strong>, one for each half of the campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>First half<\/strong>\u00a0chips must be used before\u00a0<strong>GW19<\/strong>\u00a0(30 December 2025, 6:30 pm GMT).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No chips can roll over to the second half.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Gone for good:<\/strong>&nbsp;The&nbsp;<strong>Assistant Manager<\/strong>&nbsp;chip introduced last year has been scrapped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tactical takeaway:<\/strong><br>You can now be more aggressive with early chip use without fearing you\u2019ll be left short later. Just don\u2019t waste them in low-upside weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Extra Transfers for AFCON Chaos<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Africa Cup of Nations (21 Dec 2025 \u2013 18 Jan 2026) is going to hit hard, with key players heading off mid-season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In\u00a0<strong>GW16<\/strong>, your free transfers will be topped up to\u00a0<strong>a maximum of 5<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tactical takeaway:<\/strong><br>Plan now. If you own AFCON-bound stars, you\u2019ll have the flexibility to pivot without a points hit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bonus Points System (BPS) Tweaks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The BPS, which decides post-match bonus points, has been refined:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ties resolved more fairly:<\/strong>\u00a0If players tie for 1st, both get 3 points; ties for 2nd or 3rd follow similar logic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Goalkeeper saves:<\/strong>\u00a0Now worth 3 BPS points for saves\u00a0<strong>inside the box<\/strong>\u00a0(previously 2 for any save) and 2 points for saves from outside. Penalty save BPS drops from 9 to 8.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Goalline clearances:<\/strong>\u00a0Up from 3 to 9 BPS points.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Penalty goals:<\/strong>\u00a0All players now earn 12 BPS points (previously higher for forwards and midfielders).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tackles:<\/strong>\u00a0Each tackle won earns 2 BPS points, no deduction for tackles lost.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tactical takeaway:<\/strong><br>Keepers facing lots of close-range shots just became more appealing. Players with a knack for last-ditch defending could also sneak into BPS contention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What This Means for Squad Building<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With these changes, certain player types could rise in value:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Budget midfield terriers<\/strong>\u00a0like defensive mids could become bonus point magnets with the defensive contribution rule.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Attacking full-backs<\/strong>\u00a0might get more assists under the new pass-deflection rules.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reliable penalty takers<\/strong>\u00a0benefit from the more balanced BPS system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>High-save goalkeepers<\/strong>\u00a0with poor defenses in front of them could earn more BPS from close-range stops.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>And remember:\u00a0<strong>chips are no longer a one-shot weapon<\/strong>. You have two Wildcards and two Free Hits in a season, use them well.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Word<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The FPL 2025\/26 changes might look like small tweaks on paper, but they\u2019re going to shake up how points are earned and which players are worth your budget. Managers who adapt early and take advantage of the defensive contribution points, the new assist interpretations, and the doubled chip sets could be the ones topping mini-leagues come May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Download the\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"http:\/\/apple.co\/3ObOLnA\">We Play FPL<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0app to plan your transfers, compare players, and get points predictions so you can make smarter moves all season long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>May your arrows be green. Happy managing!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Premier League is almost back, and so is the addictive chaos of Fantasy Premier League. Pre-season form has given us a taste of who might deliver big in GW1, but this year, even the most experienced managers need to do a little homework. The 2025\/26 season comes with a set of new rules that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1599,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fpl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1590"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1590\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1601,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1590\/revisions\/1601"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weplayfpl.com\/news-articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}