A Beginner’s Guide to Building a Strong Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Team

The upcoming Premier League season promises excitement, drama, and unforgettable moments. Alongside the action on the pitch, the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) continues to grow in popularity.

Last season saw 11 million+ FPL managers take part, and that number is expected to soar past 12 million next season.

With more participants, the competition is becoming increasingly fierce.

Many new managers are looking for smart strategies, common pitfalls to avoid, and tips for creating a solid, long-lasting squad.

This guide is here to help you do just that—build a competitive team that doesn’t require constant tweaking week after week.


📋 Squad Selection Basics

When you create your FPL team, you must select 15 players within a £100 million budget. Your squad should include:

  • 2 Goalkeepers
  • 5 Defenders
  • 5 Midfielders
  • 3 Forwards

Here are some key tips to keep in mind:

  • Avoid injured or non-starting players. Use reliable sources to check player availability before finalizing your team.
  • Maximize your budget. Don’t leave large amounts unspent unless you’re specifically planning to bring in a premium player soon.
  • Balance your squad. Mix top-performing stars with budget-friendly picks who get regular playing time.
  • Look ahead. Analyze the upcoming 2–3 game weeks and pick players with favorable fixtures to start the season strong.

✅ Starting 11 & Captaincy Rules

Each game week, your starting lineup must include:

  • 1 Goalkeeper
  • At least 3 Defenders
  • At least 3 Midfielders
  • At least 1 Forward

You’ll also choose:

  • 1 Captain: This player’s score will be doubled.
  • 1 Vice-Captain: If your captain doesn’t play, the vice-captain’s score will be doubled instead.

If a player in your starting XI doesn’t play, a substitute from your bench will automatically replace them—but they won’t take over captaincy or vice-captaincy roles.


🔁 Transfers & Strategy

You get 1 free transfer each game week to make changes to your team. If you don’t use it, you can carry it over to the next week and have 2 free transfers. However:

  • You can never have more than 5 free transfers at a time.
  • Any unused transfer beyond that limit will be lost.
  • And they won’t reset when you use chips like Wildcard or Free Hit.
  • Plan ahead to avoid wasting transfers and to maximize points potential.

🎥 Learn More: Video Guide

If you’re new to FPL and want a quick visual overview of how it all works, check out this helpful video:


Need Help?

To stay updated on FPL news and updates, you can follow the following links:

If you have any questions or would like to receive personalized advice on how to improve your FPL performance, please feel free to reach out to me on Twitter.


Also Read:

Fantasy Premier League Guide, where we have answered all the important frequently asked questions about Fantasy Premier League.