FPL Points System and Rules Explained
TL;DR
In FPL a player scores 1 point for playing and 2 for playing 60 minutes or more, then 10 for a goal as a goalkeeper, 6 as a defender, 5 as a midfielder and 4 as a forward, 3 for an assist and 4 for a clean sheet as a goalkeeper or defender. Your captain scores double, and the expected points table projects every player's points from these rules.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Playing 1 to 59 minutes | 1 |
| Playing 60 minutes or more | 2 |
| Goal by a goalkeeper | 10 |
| Goal by a defender | 6 |
| Goal by a midfielder | 5 |
| Goal by a forward | 4 |
| Assist | 3 |
| Clean sheet, goalkeeper or defender | 4 |
| Clean sheet, midfielder | 1 |
| Every 3 saves by a goalkeeper | 1 |
| Penalty save | 5 |
| Defensive contribution | 2 |
| Bonus | 1 to 3 |
| Every 2 goals conceded, goalkeeper or defender | -1 |
| Penalty miss | -2 |
| Yellow card | -1 |
| Red card | -3 |
| Own goal | -2 |
How Are FPL Points Scored?
The table is FPL's own scoring, and four rules decide most close calls. Double gameweeks score twice, as the double gameweek guide explains.
- Clean sheets need 60 minutes. A goalkeeper or defender who plays 60 minutes or more without their side conceding gets 4, a midfielder 1 and a forward nothing.
- Defensive contributions pay 2 points. A defender earns them with 10 clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles (CBIT) in a match, a midfielder or forward with 12 including ball recoveries (CBIRT); goalkeepers cannot. The DEFCON guide ranks who earns them most.
- Bonus points go to the best three in each match. The Bonus Points System (BPS) scores every player's contribution, and the top three get 3, 2 and 1 on top of their points.
- Goals conceded cost goalkeepers and defenders. They lose 1 point for every 2 goals their side concedes while they are on the pitch.
How Do the Captain, Vice-Captain and Chips Work?
- Captain: scores double. If the captain does not play, the vice-captain scores double instead.
- Triple Captain: your captain scores triple for one gameweek.
- Bench Boost: your four bench players' points count too, for one gameweek.
- Free Hit: unlimited free transfers for one gameweek; your squad returns the week after.
- Wildcard: unlimited free transfers that you keep.
- Two of each a season, one a gameweek. One set covers gameweeks 1 to 19 and one covers 20 to 38 (the first Wildcard and Free Hit from GW2). Chip Strategies ranks the best weeks to play them on your own squad.
Squad, Formation and Transfer Rules
- 15 players for £100m: 2 goalkeepers, 5 defenders, 5 midfielders and 3 forwards, with no more than 3 from one club.
- Formation: your XI needs 1 goalkeeper, 3 to 5 defenders, 2 to 5 midfielders and 1 to 3 forwards.
- Automatic substitutes: a starter who does not play is replaced by the first bench player who did, in bench order and goalkeeper for goalkeeper, as long as the formation stays valid.
- Transfers: you get 1 free transfer a gameweek and can save up to 5; every extra transfer costs 4 points.
- Selling: you keep half of any price rise, rounded down to £0.1m, and tonight's FPL price changes show who is about to move.
- Leagues: you can join up to 30 private leagues, classic or head-to-head.
The solver applies every one of these rules when it plans transfers for your squad.