FPL announces big changes coming for the 2026/27 season that will totally shake up your mini league!
Fantasy Premier League is bringing lots of exciting changes for the 2026/27 season, including one that fans have wanted for a long time. With the 2026 World Cup now over and Spain crowned champions, football fans are turning their attention to the new club season starting soon.
The 2026/27 Premier League kicks off in just four weeks, on August 21, when champions Arsenal host newly promoted Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium. And with a new season, friends, families, and colleagues will be ready to compete in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) to see who really knows their football best.
As the new season approaches, FPL fans are eager to find out the prices of top Premier League players. But before the prices are revealed, FPL’s official social media has shared that there will be several changes for the 2026/27 season that could shake up how the game is played.
The biggest update is that points and rankings will now update live during matches. This means fans can see in real time just how much a goal or other key moment helps—or hurts—their team. Mini league positions will also change live, letting you track the impact of moments on your rivalries throughout the season.
Another big change is an update to the defensive contribution (DEFCON) points system, based on feedback from last season. DEFCON points will still be around, but how bonus points are awarded will be tweaked. This aims to make full-backs more valuable again, as they looked less appealing before because of their low DEFCON points. The new system will limit players from earning both DEFCON and bonus points in the same match and will focus more on rewarding attacking players.
Also, players will no longer lose bonus points for being tackled, which used to dock 1 BPS each time. This will help skillful players who dribble often, like wingers and full-backs, including Morgan Rogers, Jarrod Bowen, and Antonine Semenyo—they would have really benefited from this change last season.
Another improvement is that points for each gameweek won’t lock in until a bit later. This gives more time to adjust DEFCON and bonus points after matches end. Last season, some stats were updated after the gameweek locked, but points didn’t change because the deadline had passed. Now, points locking will happen at 9am the morning after the gameweek, reducing those issues.
The chips will stay the same as last season: each manager gets two wildcards, two free hits, two triple captains, and two bench boosts to use during the season’s two halves.
So, when will the 2026/27 FPL season actually launch? The exact date isn’t confirmed yet, but with these changes announced, it’s very likely the game will go live later this week. Before the launch, expect the official FPL social media to start teasing player prices to help fans plan their teams.
Last year, the game opened on July 21 for the 2025/26 season, so a launch this week fits that pattern. But since the World Cup just finished, there might be a little extra wait to build even more excitement for the upcoming FPL season.