Fantasy Premier League gives you eight chips in 2026/27: a Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain in each half of the season. Played at the right time they’re worth a lot of points, and played at the wrong time they’re wasted. This guide covers the official rules first, then when to use each chip.
The official chip rules for 2026/27
- Two sets of chips. You get one Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain for the first half of the season and another set for the second half.
- First-half chips expire. They must be played by the Gameweek 19 deadline and can’t be carried over. The second set becomes available after that deadline. The FPL game currently lists the Gameweek 19 deadline as Fri 1 Jan 2027, 18:30 UK time. Fixtures can move, so check FPL deadlines.
- One chip per gameweek. You can’t combine chips in the same gameweek.
- Free Hit and Wildcard aren’t available in Gameweek 1, when transfers are unlimited anyway. The Free Hit can’t be played in consecutive gameweeks: if you use your first Free Hit in Gameweek 19, the second can’t be played in Gameweek 20.
- Bench Boost and Triple Captain are played on the Pick Team page and can be cancelled before the deadline. Wildcard and Free Hit are played when confirming transfers and can’t be cancelled once confirmed.
What each chip does
- Wildcard: all transfers in the gameweek are free, so you can rebuild your squad permanently.
- Free Hit: unlimited free transfers for one gameweek. At the next deadline your squad goes back to how it was.
- Bench Boost: your four bench players’ points count that gameweek.
- Triple Captain: your captain scores triple points instead of double.
When to use your Wildcard
- When several problems hit at once. If three or more players need replacing because of injuries, lost places or a fixture turn, a Wildcard is cheaper than taking points hits.
- To catch a fixture swing. When several clubs’ fixtures improve at the same time, a Wildcard lets you move your whole squad onto them in one go. The Fixture Difficulty Planner shows when that happens.
- Not too early, unless it’s a crisis. Early-season form is noisy. A Wildcard in the first few gameweeks can leave you with a squad that looks just as wrong a month later.
- Use the first one. It expires at the Gameweek 19 deadline. An unused first-half Wildcard is a wasted chip.
- Second half: the second Wildcard is often used to set up the doubles and blanks later in the season, for example building a squad of 15 starters before a Bench Boost.
When to use your Free Hit
- Blank gameweeks: when several clubs don’t play, the Free Hit lets you field a full team for one week without wrecking your long-term squad.
- Big double gameweeks: if many clubs play twice and your squad isn’t set up for it, a one-week Free Hit team can target the doubles.
- An injury crisis: it buys you a week to plan if several key players are out at once.
- Remember the consecutive-gameweek rule around Gameweeks 19 and 20.
When to use your Bench Boost
- When all 15 players are likely to start. A bench player who doesn’t play scores nothing, which wastes the chip.
- Ideally in a double gameweek, when every player in your squad has two fixtures.
- Straight after a Wildcard. FPL notes that a first-half Bench Boost can follow a Wildcard, because unlimited transfers let you build a strong 15-man squad.
- Avoid busy rotation periods, such as heavy cup or European weeks, unless your bench players are nailed starters.
When to use your Triple Captain
- On your most reliable, highest-scoring player in his best fixture, or in a double gameweek with two good fixtures. This isn’t the week for a differential punt.
- Don’t hold it forever. The first one expires at the Gameweek 19 deadline. Pick a target window rather than waiting for a perfect week that may never come.
- Our FPL Captain Picks page ranks the next gameweek’s captain options from official FPL data, which helps when you’re deciding whether this is the week.
Common chip mistakes
- Letting first-half chips expire unused at the Gameweek 19 deadline.
- Playing Bench Boost with non-playing bench players.
- Triple-captaining a differential instead of your most reliable player.
- Wildcarding in reaction to one bad week instead of real structural problems.
- Forgetting the Free Hit can’t be played in consecutive gameweeks.
Plan your chips
Map your chip weeks against the fixture list in the free FPL planner, keep an eye on FPL team news, and see our FPL chips explainer for a quick summary of each chip.
FAQ
How many chips do you get in FPL 2026/27?
Eight: a Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain in each half of the season.
Can I carry first-half chips into the second half?
No. First-half chips must be played by the Gameweek 19 deadline or they’re lost.
Can I play two chips in the same gameweek?
No. Only one chip can be active in a gameweek.
Can I cancel a chip?
Bench Boost and Triple Captain can be cancelled before the deadline. Wildcard and Free Hit can’t be cancelled once you confirm your transfers.
