Premier League own goals explained: FPL points and rules
By Arasi Rex · Updated 15 August 2026 · 6 min read
An own goal in the Premier League is a goal scored by a player into their own net, and in Fantasy Premier League it costs the responsible player -2 points. The damage does not stop there: every own goal also counts as a goal conceded, so the goalkeeper and defensive line lose progress towards the clean sheet bonus at the same time. That double punishment is why own goals are one of the most destructive moments in the game.
What counts as an own goal
The official rule of thumb is straightforward. If the last touch before the ball crosses the line is by a player of the defending team and the ball ends up in the defending team's own net, it is an own goal. A shot that is already heading inside the goal and takes a touch off a defender is normally credited to the attacking player, not scored as an own goal, because the ball would have gone in anyway.
In the Premier League table, an own goal matters exactly the same as any other goal. It is a goal for the opposition and a goal against the side that conceded it. That is why own goals feed directly into the tiebreakers. The league decides positions on points first, then goal difference, then goals scored, and only then head-to-head record. A single own goal can be the difference between staying up and going down, because the bottom three clubs are relegated to the Championship.
How FPL treats an own goal
Fantasy Premier League gives no attacking points for an own goal. The player responsible receives -2, the same penalty as a missed penalty. No opponent receives the goal or an assist from the event.
| Event | FPL points |
|---|---|
| Goal by a goalkeeper or defender | 6 |
| Goal by a midfielder | 5 |
| Goal by a forward | 4 |
| Assist | 3 |
| Yellow card | -1 |
| Own goal | -2 |
| Penalty miss | -2 |
The table shows the flat scoring, but there is a second layer. Every two goals conceded costs a goalkeeper or defender -1. An own goal is a goal conceded, so it pushes the whole defensive unit closer to that penalty and it removes any chance of a clean sheet. A goalkeeper or defender earns 4 points for a clean sheet, a midfielder earns 1, and an own goal means the team has conceded. The individual error is punished once with the -2, and the defensive line is punished through the lost clean sheet.
A captain's output is doubled in FPL, including negative scores. If the player wearing the armband scores an own goal, the -2 becomes -4. Managers who back a defender with the armband need to remember that the captaincy amplifies risk as well as reward.
The wider league context
The Premier League has not always had its current shape. It was founded on 20 February 1992 as the FA Premier League, when First Division clubs broke away to negotiate their own broadcast deals. The first season was 1992/93 with 22 clubs, reduced to 20 in 1995/96. Now every club plays 38 matches and the season totals 380 matches.
Those structural changes matter for own goals because they changed the margins. A 20-club league is tighter at the bottom, and the relegation places are decided by the same tiebreakers that count own goals. The squad rules have also changed. A 25-player squad for players over 21 must contain at least eight homegrown players, trained in England or Wales for three years before turning 21. Under-21 players do not count against the 25. Clubs therefore cannot simply replace a defender who is struggling with a senior alternative; they have to work within a squad shape that makes defensive stability a premium.
Substitutions are another layer. Teams can make five substitutions per match, but only in a maximum of three windows plus half-time. That lets managers react to an early own goal, but it also means a defender who is mentally shaken can stay on the pitch for a long stretch before the manager can reshape the back line. Fatigue and pressure are the environment in which own goals happen, and the current rules have made that environment more tactical.
Common confusions and edge cases
The biggest confusion surrounds the clean sheet. An own goal is a goal conceded, so defensive players do not keep a clean sheet bonus in FPL. The official match score includes the goal, so the goalkeeper cannot get the 4 points and the midfielder cannot get the 1 point. The same own goal also pushes a goalkeeper or defender closer to the -1 penalty that applies for every two goals conceded.
Another confusion is the captaincy. Many managers assume only positive points are doubled. FPL doubles the total score, so a captain who scores an own goal loses 4 points, not 2. This can be decisive in a week when a popular defensive captain is involved in a defensive mix-up.
There is also a table-level edge case. If two clubs finish level on points and goal difference, goals scored is the next tiebreaker. An own goal adds to the attacking team's goals scored and the defending team's goals against, so it can shift a title, a European place, or a relegation place even when the match result is not in doubt. The European qualification structure only makes this more valuable: the top four go to the Champions League league phase, fifth and the FA Cup winner go to the Europa League, and the League Cup winner goes to the Conference League play-off. One accidental goal can move a club from fourth to fifth, which changes an entire season.
Key takeaways
- An own goal in FPL is -2 for the player responsible, the same as a penalty miss.
- The own goal also counts as a goal conceded, so the goalkeeper and defenders lose clean sheet points and move closer to the -1 penalty for every two goals conceded.
- A captain's own goal costs -4 because captain scores double, including negative points.
- Own goals matter in the official table through goal difference, which is the first tiebreaker after points.
- The league's current shape, a 20-club season of 38 matches per club, with five substitutions and a 25-man squad, frames every own goal as a team-wide tactical event, not just an individual mistake.
FAQ
How many FPL points do you lose for an own goal?
You lose -2 points. If the player is your captain, that negative score is doubled to -4.
Does an own goal end a clean sheet in FPL?
Yes. An own goal is a goal conceded, so the goalkeeper and defenders do not receive the 4-point clean sheet bonus, and midfielders do not receive the 1-point bonus. Every two goals conceded also costs a goalkeeper or defender -1.
Does an own goal affect goal difference in the Premier League?
Yes. An own goal counts as a goal for the opposing team and a goal against the side that conceded it. Goal difference is the first tiebreaker after points, so an own goal can decide relegation, European places, and titles.
Are there any FPL points awarded for an own goal to the attacking side?
No. The attacking team gets the goal in the official match result, but in FPL no player receives a goal or an assist for the own goal. The only FPL points event is the -2 penalty to the player who scored it.