FPL 2026/27 Rule Changes: What's New

Defenders now score points for defending, not just clean sheets

Before, a defender only scored points for playing, clean sheets, or goals and assists. If his team lost and he didn't score, all his hard work meant nothing extra.

Now, if a defender makes 10 tackles, blocks, interceptions, and clearances combined in one match, he gets 2 bonus points, no matter what the score is. Midfielders and forwards need 12 actions, but they also get credit for winning the ball back.

Last season, one player earned 50 points just from this rule alone, more than most strikers score from goals in a whole season.

It's a bit harder for defenders to earn bonus points now

Before, a defender earned 1 bonus point for every 2 clearances, blocks, or interceptions he made. Now, he needs 3 of those actions to earn the same point.

This change was made because a lot of defenders were getting rewarded twice for the same defending, once from the new defending points, and again from bonus points. So now, defenders who mostly clear and block the ball will find it a little harder to pick up bonus points than before.

Bonus points are fairer for attacking players now

Before, if a player got tackled while trying to dribble past someone, it actually hurt his chances of winning bonus points, even though beating defenders is literally his job.

That penalty is gone now. Players who take defenders on all the time, and full-backs who push forward a lot, benefit the most from this change.

Goalkeepers changed too. Every save used to be worth different amounts depending on distance. Now every save is worth the same, with extra points for close-range saves and big match-changing saves.

Chips are staying exactly the same

No changes here. You still get 2 Wildcards, 2 Free Hits, 2 Triple Captains, and 2 Bench Boosts, 8 chips total. The first 4 must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline in early January, or you lose them.

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