What Is Bench Boost FPL and When Should You Use It?

The Bench Boost in FPL is a chip that allows all 15 players in your Fantasy Premier League squad to contribute to your Gameweek score.

Normally, your starting XI score points while players on your bench only contribute if they replace a starter through an automatic substitution. Bench Boost temporarily changes that rule by adding the points scored by your substitutes to your Gameweek total.

For the 2026/27 Fantasy Premier League season, managers receive two Bench Boost chips — one for each half of the campaign.

That creates two opportunities to turn a strong bench into potentially valuable extra points.

But simply having four playing substitutes does not necessarily mean you should activate the chip. Timing, fixtures, player minutes and your overall squad structure all matter.

This guide explains exactly how Bench Boost works and how to identify the best time to use it.

What Is Bench Boost FPL?

Bench Boost is one of the four main chips available in Fantasy Premier League.

When activated, the points scored by the players on your bench are included in your total Gameweek score.

Your bench normally contains four players:

• one goalkeeper;
• three outfield players.

Without Bench Boost, these players generally only enter your scoring team through automatic substitutions when eligible.

With Bench Boost active, their points count regardless of whether your starting XI all play.

In effect, instead of relying primarily on 11 players for points, you can score from your entire 15-player FPL squad.

How Does Bench Boost Work?

Imagine your starting XI scores 62 points.

Your four substitutes score:

• Goalkeeper: 6 points
• Defender: 5 points
• Midfielder: 7 points
• Forward: 2 points

Your bench therefore produces 20 points.

Without Bench Boost, those points would normally remain on your bench unless automatic substitutions applied.

With Bench Boost activated, the 20 bench points are added to your score, giving you 82 points for the Gameweek.

This is why the quality of all four substitutes becomes important when planning the chip.

How Many Bench Boost Chips Do You Get in 2026/27?

Fantasy Premier League managers receive two Bench Boost chips in 2026/27.

You receive one during the first half of the season and another during the second half. The first set of chips must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline and unused chips cannot be carried into the second half.

The second Bench Boost becomes available with the refreshed set of chips for the remainder of the season.

This means managers should think about Bench Boost strategy separately for each half rather than saving both opportunities for the final months.

When Should You Use Bench Boost in FPL?

The ideal Bench Boost Gameweek is one in which all four substitutes have a strong chance of playing and scoring points.

There is no single Gameweek that is automatically best for every manager.

Your squad should determine your decision.

A manager with four strong substitutes may have an excellent Bench Boost opportunity while another manager in the same Gameweek could have an injured goalkeeper and two rotation risks.

Before activating Bench Boost, evaluate the strength of your entire 15-player squad, not just your starting XI.

Bench Boost in a Double Gameweek

Double Gameweeks are traditionally among the most attractive opportunities for Bench Boost.

A Double Gameweek occurs when one or more Premier League clubs have two matches within the same FPL Gameweek.

That gives selected players two opportunities to collect points.

The Premier League’s official FPL guidance specifically identifies Double Gameweeks as popular opportunities for Bench Boost and Triple Captain.

If several members of your bench have two fixtures, the potential upside can become particularly attractive.

However, a Double Gameweek does not guarantee a successful Bench Boost.

A player with two fixtures who only starts one of them may offer less value than a reliable starter with one excellent fixture.

Minutes remain extremely important.

Can You Bench Boost in a Single Gameweek?

Yes.

Bench Boost does not need to be saved for a Double Gameweek.

A normal Gameweek can be an excellent opportunity if all 15 players in your squad have favourable fixtures and are expected to start.

For example, your substitute goalkeeper may have a strong home fixture while your three outfield substitutes all have good opportunities for returns.

If your squad is unlikely to be this strong again soon, using Bench Boost can make sense.

The goal is not to find the Gameweek with the most fixtures.

The goal is to find the Gameweek with the strongest expected points from the players who would otherwise be sitting on your bench.

Can You Use Bench Boost in Gameweek 1?

Yes.

Unlike the Free Hit and Wildcard, Bench Boost can be used at the beginning of the season.

Official guidance for 2026/27 even identifies Gameweek 1 as a possible first-half opportunity because managers have unlimited transfers when initially constructing their squad and can therefore deliberately build a strong 15-player team.

This strategy has an obvious advantage: you can design your entire opening squad with Bench Boost in mind.

However, there is also uncertainty.

Before the season begins, we may not know exactly which budget players will start regularly, and new signings may still be adapting to their teams.

So while GW1 Bench Boost can work, it should not be considered automatically superior to waiting.

Wildcard and Bench Boost Strategy

Wildcard and Bench Boost can work particularly well together.

The Wildcard allows you to restructure your squad permanently with unlimited transfers.

That means you can use a Wildcard to create a balanced squad containing 15 players with strong upcoming fixtures, then activate Bench Boost in a later Gameweek.

You cannot activate both chips in the same Gameweek because FPL allows only one chip per Gameweek.

A common sequence is therefore:

Wildcard → Bench Boost

The Wildcard prepares the squad, while Bench Boost takes advantage of the depth you created.

This approach was also used by FPL experts during the previous campaign when preparing strong benches for later Bench Boost Gameweeks.

What Makes a Good Bench Boost Team?

A strong Bench Boost squad should ideally contain 15 players with realistic opportunities to earn points.

The substitute goalkeeper is especially important.

Many FPL managers normally spend as little as possible on their second goalkeeper because only one goalkeeper can start.

During Bench Boost, however, both goalkeepers can contribute points.

You should therefore check whether your second goalkeeper is expected to start.

Your three outfield substitutes should also have secure minutes.

A cheap player who regularly completes 80–90 minutes can sometimes be more useful for Bench Boost than a more exciting player who frequently starts on the bench.

Should You Take Transfer Hits for Bench Boost?

This depends on the expected return.

Suppose one of your substitutes is injured and you are considering taking a points hit to replace him purely for Bench Boost.

The incoming player must score enough points to justify both the transfer cost and the opportunity cost of using the chip.

Taking several hits simply to create a theoretically perfect Bench Boost squad can quickly reduce the value of the strategy.

Consider the expected additional points rather than focusing only on having 15 active players.

Sometimes accepting one weaker bench position is better than spending multiple points trying to optimise every slot.

Should You Spend More Money on Your Bench?

Temporarily, perhaps.

Long term, usually not.

A Bench Boost strategy can encourage managers to spread more of their budget across all 15 players.

That makes sense around the Gameweek when you intend to activate the chip.

However, after Bench Boost has been used, keeping too much money on your bench can reduce the quality of your starting XI.

Premium players normally offer greater captaincy potential and attacking upside.

This is another reason why Wildcard planning can be useful. You can temporarily create a deeper squad around Bench Boost and later restructure your budget when appropriate.

Bench Boost vs Triple Captain

Bench Boost and Triple Captain are both commonly considered for Double Gameweeks, but they work very differently.

Bench Boost spreads your potential upside across four additional players.

Triple Captain concentrates additional upside on one player by making your captain’s points worth three times their normal score rather than two.

The best option therefore depends on the Gameweek.

If your bench contains four excellent options, Bench Boost may be attractive.

If your bench is weak but an elite captain has exceptional fixtures, Triple Captain may offer more potential.

Remember that you cannot use both chips simultaneously.

Bench Boost vs Free Hit

Free Hit temporarily rebuilds your squad for one Gameweek.

Bench Boost keeps your existing squad but allows your substitutes to contribute points.

This creates an important strategic difference.

Free Hit is often useful when your normal squad is poorly suited to a particular Gameweek.

Bench Boost is strongest when your existing squad is unusually deep.

In simple terms:

Free Hit helps fix a problematic squad for one week.

Bench Boost rewards having a strong 15-player squad.

Can Bench Boost Be Cancelled?

Yes.

Bench Boost is activated from the Pick Team page and can be cancelled before the Gameweek deadline.

This provides useful flexibility.

You might initially plan to Bench Boost, then receive late injury news that significantly reduces the strength of your substitutes.

As long as the deadline has not passed, you can reconsider.

This differs from chips such as the Free Hit, which cannot be cancelled once confirmed.

Common Bench Boost Mistakes

One of the most common mistakes is focusing on the number of fixtures rather than expected minutes.

Four bench players with two fixtures each may look fantastic on paper, but rotation can dramatically reduce the actual opportunity.

Another mistake is spending too many transfers or taking excessive points hits just to create a perfect bench.

Bench Boost should increase your expected score, not force you into damaging your wider squad.

Managers should also avoid sacrificing too much money from their starting XI simply to strengthen substitutes for one Gameweek.

Finally, don’t forget the first-half deadline.

Your first Bench Boost cannot be saved indefinitely. In 2026/27, the first set of chips must be played before the Gameweek 19 deadline and cannot be carried into the second half.

How Many Points Is a Good Bench Boost?

There is no official target that determines whether a Bench Boost was successful.

A 20-point bench may look excellent, but context matters.

You should compare the result with what those four players would have scored without the chip.

Bench Boost does not create new points for your starting XI. Its direct value comes from the points contributed by players who would otherwise have remained on your bench.

For that reason, evaluate the chip based on your four substitutes rather than your total Gameweek score.

Bench Boost Strategy for 2026/27

Having two Bench Boost opportunities changes the planning process.

For your first Bench Boost, you could consider an early opportunity when your initial squad remains healthy and well structured. Gameweek 1 is also an option because unlimited initial transfers allow you to deliberately build a strong squad of 15. Official FPL guidance specifically notes both GW1 and a Gameweek immediately after a Wildcard as possible first-half approaches.

Your second Bench Boost can potentially be saved for later fixture rearrangements and Double Gameweeks.

But avoid locking yourself into a specific Gameweek too far in advance.

Fixtures can change. Players can become injured. Starting roles can disappear.

Maintain a flexible plan and reassess the expected strength of your bench as the target Gameweek approaches.

Final Thoughts

The Bench Boost in FPL allows the points scored by all four substitutes to count toward your Gameweek total.

That makes it unique among the FPL chips because its potential depends heavily on squad depth.

The best time to activate Bench Boost is usually when your substitute goalkeeper and three outfield bench players all have strong chances of starting and producing points.

Double Gameweeks can create excellent opportunities, but they are not mandatory. A strong Single Gameweek can sometimes provide a better Bench Boost than a Double Gameweek filled with rotation risks.

For 2026/27, managers receive one Bench Boost in each half of the season, providing two opportunities to maximise the value of all 15 squad members.

Build a strong bench, prioritise expected minutes and don’t use the chip simply because a particular Gameweek is popular.

The best Bench Boost is the one that turns points you would normally leave on your bench into a meaningful boost to your Fantasy Premier League score.