Every summer, the same question floods FPL forums: what's changed for the new season? For 2026/27, the honest answer — as of late May 2026 — is nothing official yet.

Fantasy Premier League traditionally relaunches in July, a few weeks before the first ball is kicked. The 2026/27 Premier League season has a confirmed start date of Saturday 22 August 2026, so the game, its pricing, and any rule tweaks will land in the weeks beforehand. Until that launch, no 2026/27-specific scoring, chip, or pricing changes are confirmed.

That doesn't mean there's nothing to prepare for. This guide covers three things: the ruleset you will almost certainly start 2026/27 on, the 2025/26 changes that carried over and still trip managers up, and the new real-world football laws that will subtly change how FPL points are earned.

> Last updated 22 May 2026. This post will be updated the moment the official FPL 2026/27 announcement lands. Bookmark it — or check the official FPL site for the launch.

What's Confirmed for 2026/27 So Far

Only one thing is genuinely locked in: the season starts on 22 August 2026. The FPL game itself — squad selection, prices, deadlines — will open in July as usual.

No changes to the points system, the chip structure, or player pricing have been announced for 2026/27. Anyone publishing a definitive "2026/27 FPL rule changes" list right now is guessing. When the real announcement arrives, it typically comes via a "What's new" article on the Premier League's Fantasy news pages.

So the safest assumption for planning your pre-season: 2026/27 starts on the 2025/26 ruleset. And that ruleset already contains some big changes a lot of managers still haven't fully internalised.

The 2025/26 Changes That Carried Over

If you skipped a season, or never quite got to grips with the 2025/26 overhaul, these are the rules you'll be playing in 2026/27 — and they matter.

Defensive contribution points

This was the headline change of 2025/26, and it permanently altered how outfield players are valued. Players now earn FPL points for defensive work, not just attacking returns:

Defenders: reach 10 combined clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles (CBIT) in a single match and score 2 points.
Midfielders and forwards: their ball recoveries also count, so the metric becomes CBIRT — and the threshold rises to 12 defensive contributions for the same 2 points.

The reward is capped at 2 points per match. A defender who racks up 20 CBIT still scores just 2 — though heavy defensive volume also feeds the Bonus Points System, so the upside doesn't fully stop there. The cap works much like the goalkeeper save bonus (1 point per 3 saves), giving a predictable floor to defensively-minded picks.

The practical effect: defensive midfielders and ball-winning centre-backs — long ignored in FPL — became viable, cheap, point-scoring assets. That is unlikely to be reversed in 2026/27.

Two sets of chips, no Assistant Manager chip

2025/26 split the chips into two halves of the season. Managers get a Wildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain and Bench Boost in each half — eight chips in total. The first set must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline and cannot be carried over.

The Assistant Manager chip was removed. If you remember planning around it, that's gone.

Simplified assist definition

The definition of a Fantasy assist was simplified to reduce subjectivity — making it clearer when your player has actually earned their 3 points for setting up a goal. The Premier League noted that under the new definition, the prior season would have produced 41 extra assists. Slightly more assist points are in circulation as a result.

BPS tweaks

The Bonus Points System was adjusted, with changes to the BPS value of goalkeeper saves, goalline clearances, penalty goals, and successful tackles. Net effect: a little more bonus-point upside for the players who do those things well. Bonus points still go 3 / 2 / 1 to the top three BPS scorers in each match.

New On-Pitch Laws That Will Affect FPL in 2026/27

Here's the part most "what's changed" articles miss. Even with no FPL rule changes, how points are earned on the pitch is changing — because the laws of the game are changing. Several IFAB and Premier League measures apply for 2026/27:

Goalkeeper 8-second rule. Goalkeepers must release the ball within 8 seconds of controlling it, or the opposition is awarded a corner. More corners conceded means more pressure on clean sheets — directly relevant to GK and defender scoring.
Time-wasting limits. A roughly 5-second window to take throw-ins and goal kicks, with possession turned over if exceeded.
Substitution timing. A player being substituted must leave the pitch within ~10 seconds; delays can force a team to briefly play a man down.
Injury treatment. A player treated on the pitch must leave the field and can only return after a short delay once play restarts.

None of these rewrite the FPL points table. But they reshape the flow of matches — more set-pieces, fewer dead periods, slightly more chaos late on. For FPL, the goalkeeper 8-second rule is the one to watch: anything that produces more corners has a knock-on effect on clean sheet probability and the defensive bonus picture.

How to Prepare Before the 2026/27 Launch

You can't draft a squad until the game opens in July, but you can do the thinking now:

1. Treat 2025/26 rules as your baseline. Build your early shortlist around defensive contribution points, not just goals and assists.

2. Re-learn the chip calendar. Two sets of four chips, first set expiring at the Gameweek 19 deadline. Plan a Wildcard for each half.

3. Value defensive midfielders properly. Cheap CBIRT-magnet midfielders were a 2025/26 edge and should remain one.

4. Watch the official launch article. When the FPL "What's new for 2026/27" piece drops, that is the only source for confirmed changes — and this post will be updated to match.

Model Any Player's Score With the FPL Calculator

While you wait for the 2026/27 game to launch, you can pressure-test the scoring rules yourself. The FPL Points Calculator applies the official Fantasy Premier League scoring system — goals, assists, clean sheets, BPS bonus, cards and saves — so you can see exactly what any goalkeeper, defender, midfielder or forward would have scored in any gameweek.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have the FPL rules changed for 2026/27?

As of late May 2026, no. The Fantasy Premier League game for 2026/27 had not launched and no 2026/27-specific scoring, chip, or pricing changes were announced. The game typically relaunches in July, ahead of the 22 August 2026 season start.

When does FPL 2026/27 start?

The 2026/27 Premier League season starts on 22 August 2026. The FPL game itself usually opens for squad selection in July.

What is the biggest FPL rule still in effect from 2025/26?

Defensive contribution points. Defenders score 2 points for 10 CBIT in a match; midfielders and forwards need 12 CBIRT (recoveries included). The reward is capped at 2 points per match.

How many chips do FPL managers get?

Eight — a Wildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain and Bench Boost in each half of the season. The first set must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline.

Will the new goalkeeper 8-second rule affect FPL?

Indirectly. Goalkeepers must release the ball within 8 seconds or concede a corner. More corners means more pressure on clean sheets, which affects goalkeeper and defender scoring — but the FPL points table itself is unchanged by it.

FPL 2026/27 Scoring System — What's Changed (and What Hasn't)