FPL transfer planning: how to use 5 free transfers in 2026/27

The biggest change to FPL transfer planning for 2026/27 is not a new chip or a tweaked bonus system. It is the allowance to roll up to five free transfers, up from the old limit of one or two. That single change reshapes how you should think about your squad across the season, because it turns transfers from a weekly reaction into a bankable resource. Save them for the right window and you can remake your team in one go without touching your points total.

This guide explains how to plan transfers around the new rules, the eight chips split into two sets of four, and the DefCon points that quietly reward defensive midfielders and centre-backs. The data below comes from the official Premier League rules and the 2026/27 player database, so every number is grounded in what has actually been confirmed.

The five free transfer rule changes everything

In previous seasons, rolling one free transfer was the standard tactic. Now you can accumulate up to five. That means you can hold your transfers for a fixture swing, a double gameweek, or an injury crisis, and then act decisively. The trade-off is that unused transfers do not carry beyond the season, so you need a plan for when to spend them.

The practical effect is on your risk tolerance. You no longer need to take a hit for a single injury if you have three or four transfers banked. You can wait, assess, and use the accumulated moves to bring in multiple players from a team with a favourable run. The key is to track your free transfer count in the app, because it is easy to forget you are sitting on four and waste one by letting it expire.

Chips: two sets of four, use them before Gameweek 19

The chip system for 2026/27 is confirmed as eight chips in two sets of four. Each half of the season has its own Wildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain, and Bench Boost. The first set must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline, which is 13:30 GMT on Saturday 2 January 2027. You cannot carry those chips into the second half of the season, so plan to deploy them before that date.

That deadline is earlier than many managers expect, and it forces a decision. If you are holding your first Wildcard for a double gameweek, check the fixture list now. If you have not used your Bench Boost by mid-December, you are probably wasting it. The second set of four chips becomes available after Gameweek 19, giving you another Wildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain, and Bench Boost for the run-in.

The practical planning rule is simple: map your chip usage before the season starts. Decide which gameweeks you will target for Bench Boost (when your bench has favourable fixtures), which for Triple Captain (a single fixture against a weak defence), and which for Free Hit (a blank gameweek). Wildcard is your safety net for when the original plan collapses.

DefCon points reward a specific player profile

Defensive Contribution (DefCon) points were introduced in 2025/26 and remain unchanged for 2026/27, confirmed by the Premier League on 20 July 2026. Defenders earn 2 points for 10 combined clearances, blocks, interceptions, and tackles (CBIT) in a match. Midfielders and forwards need 12 contributions, and ball recoveries count for them (CBIRT). The points are capped at 2 per match, so 20 CBIT still scores only 2.

Last season's top DefCon scorers were Anderson (52), Senesi (50), and Tarkowski (44). Of the top ten, five were centre-backs and five were defensive midfielders. No forward made the list. That tells you exactly which players to target if you want consistent DefCon points: ball-winning midfielders and centre-backs who rack up defensive actions every week.

For transfer planning, this changes the value of certain players. A defensive midfielder who gets 2 DefCon points per match is effectively adding 68 points over a 34-game season, which is the difference between a mid-priced asset and a premium one. When you are deciding between two midfielders at the same price, check their defensive contribution history. Anderson, at 6.5m, scored 180 total points last season with only 4 goals and 5 assists, and his 52 DefCon points were a major reason. That is the profile you want.

BPS changes favour attacking full-backs and forwards

The Bonus Points System (BPS) has been tweaked for 2026/27 to reduce overlap with DefCon and improve bonus potential for goalkeepers, full-backs, attacking midfielders, and forwards. Goalkeepers still earn +1 BPS for saving a shot from inside the box, but the "save from outside the box" metric is removed. A new +1 BPS applies for saving a big chance.

For outfield players, the change means that defensive actions now feed into DefCon rather than BPS, freeing up bonus points for attacking contributions. That is good news for players like Truffert (55, 165 points) and O'Reilly (65, 160 points), who combine defensive work with attacking output. Truffert had 1 goal and 6 assists last season, while O'Reilly scored 5 goals from defence. Both should see their bonus potential rise.

The new live features also help your planning. Projected bonus points now appear 20 minutes into each match, and mini-league standings update live. The official Price Change Predictor tool means you can see when a player's price is about to rise or fall, which is directly useful for timing your transfers. If you are planning to bring in a player who is flagged as likely to rise, do it before the price change.

How to build a transfer plan around the data

Start with your banked transfers. With five available, you can afford to be patient. Do not use a transfer just because you have one. Instead, identify the gameweeks where you want to make multiple changes, and save your free transfers for those windows.

Second, prioritise players who score across multiple systems. A player like Haaland (155, 239 points) is the obvious captaincy pick, but he is 74.8% owned, so his price is not going to give you an edge. Look instead at players who are less owned but deliver across goals, assists, and DefCon. Anderson (65, 180 points) and Senesi (60, 175 points) are the kind of value picks that win mini-leagues.

Third, use the Gameweek 19 deadline as a forcing function. Work backwards from that date and decide which of your first-set chips you will use and when. If you have not used your first Wildcard by Gameweek 12, you are carrying risk. The second set of chips gives you a fresh start, but only if you have planned the first half properly.

Finally, do not ignore the DefCon data when choosing between two similar players. Guéhi (60, 179 points) and Tarkowski (60, 170 points) are both cheap defenders, but Guéhi had 14 clean sheets to Tarkowski's 11, and both offer DefCon points. The difference in total points comes from bonus and attacking returns, so check the BPS changes before you decide.

Key takeaways

• You can now roll up to five free transfers, so save them for fixture swings or double gameweeks instead of spending weekly.
• The first set of four chips (Wildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain, Bench Boost) must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline on 2 January 2027.
• DefCon points are capped at 2 per match and reward defensive midfielders and centre-backs; Anderson (52), Senesi (50), and Tarkowski (44) led last season.
• BPS changes for 2026/27 remove the "save from outside the box" metric and add +1 for saving a big chance, boosting goalkeepers and attacking defenders.
• Target players like Anderson and Senesi who score across multiple systems, rather than chasing high-ownership premiums like Haaland.

FAQ

How many free transfers can I roll in FPL 2026/27? You can roll up to five free transfers. Unused transfers do not carry beyond the season, so plan to use them before the final gameweek.

When is the deadline for the first set of chips? The first set of four chips (Wildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain, Bench Boost) must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline, which is 13:30 GMT on Saturday 2 January 2027. They cannot be carried over.

What are DefCon points and how do they work? DefCon points reward defensive actions. Defenders earn 2 points for 10 combined clearances, blocks, interceptions, and tackles (CBIT) in a match. Midfielders and forwards need 12 contributions, with ball recoveries included (CBIRT). The points are capped at 2 per match.

Which players are best for DefCon points? Last season's top scorers were Anderson (52), Senesi (50), and Tarkowski (44). The top ten was split evenly between centre-backs and defensive midfielders, so target players in those positions who consistently make defensive actions.