FPL Chips Explained: Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost & Triple Captain

FPL chips can transform an ordinary Fantasy Premier League season. Used at the right moment, a Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost or Triple Captain can deliver a major points boost and help you navigate difficult periods of the fixture schedule.

For the 2026/27 Fantasy Premier League season, managers have two sets of the four main FPL chips. That means you can use a Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain in the first half of the season, followed by another set of the same four chips in the second half.

That gives every manager eight chips in total across the season.

Understanding how each chip works is therefore more important than ever. This guide explains all four FPL chips, their rules, their strategic value and the situations in which each one can be most effective.

What Are FPL Chips?

FPL chips are special tools that temporarily change the normal Fantasy Premier League rules.

They can allow you to make unlimited transfers, temporarily rebuild your squad, score points from your bench or increase your captain’s points.

The four chips available are:

• Wildcard
• Free Hit
• Bench Boost
• Triple Captain

In 2026/27, managers receive one of each during the first half of the campaign and another set during the second half. The first set must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline and cannot be carried into the second half of the season.

There is another important restriction: only one chip can be activated in a single Gameweek.

That makes planning essential.

FPL Wildcard Explained

The Wildcard is arguably the most powerful squad-management chip in Fantasy Premier League.

Activating it allows you to make unlimited transfers without taking points deductions, and the changes you make to your squad are permanent.

Normally, making transfers beyond your available free transfers results in points hits. A Wildcard removes that restriction for the Gameweek in which it is activated.

What Happens When You Play a Wildcard?

Suppose your squad has several injured players, poor fixtures and underperforming assets.

Instead of slowly fixing those problems over several Gameweeks, you can activate your Wildcard and restructure the entire squad.

You could change your goalkeeper, defence, midfield and forwards while redistributing your budget across the team.

Once the Gameweek deadline passes, your new squad remains in place.

This is the crucial difference between a Wildcard and a Free Hit.

When Should You Use a Wildcard?

There is no single perfect Wildcard Gameweek.

The best time depends on the condition of your squad and upcoming fixtures.

A Wildcard can be particularly useful when your team needs several transfers at once, when fixture swings make different clubs more attractive, or when you want to prepare your squad for a longer-term strategy.

It can also work well when preparing for other chips.

For example, managers sometimes build a strong 15-player squad with a Wildcard before activating Bench Boost in a later Gameweek.

For a deeper strategy discussion, read our guide to the best time to use your FPL Wildcard.

FPL Free Hit Explained

The Free Hit also gives you unlimited transfers, but there is one major difference.

The changes last for only one Gameweek.

After the next deadline, your squad returns to the team you had before activating the Free Hit.

This makes it a short-term tactical chip rather than a permanent squad reset.

Wildcard vs Free Hit

The easiest way to remember the difference is:

Wildcard = unlimited permanent transfers.

Free Hit = unlimited temporary transfers for one Gameweek.

Imagine your normal squad is well positioned for the next several Gameweeks, but many of your players do not have a fixture in one particular round.

Destroying a good long-term squad simply to survive that Gameweek would be inefficient.

A Free Hit allows you to temporarily select players who are playing that week before automatically returning to your previous squad.

When Should You Use the Free Hit?

Blank Gameweeks are among the most popular opportunities.

A Blank Gameweek occurs when some Premier League clubs do not have a league fixture. Players from those teams therefore have no match from which to earn FPL points.

The official FPL guidance specifically identifies the Free Hit as a useful tool for navigating these situations.

However, it does not have to be used exclusively in a Blank Gameweek.

A particularly attractive set of fixtures or an unusual schedule can also create a strong Free Hit opportunity.

One additional rule applies in 2026/27: the Free Hit cannot be played in Gameweek 1. If the first Free Hit is used in Gameweek 19, the refreshed Free Hit cannot then be used immediately in Gameweek 20.

FPL Bench Boost Explained

Normally, only your starting XI contributes to your Gameweek score.

Your substitute players can replace starters under FPL’s automatic-substitution rules, but points sitting on your bench otherwise do not contribute to your total.

Bench Boost changes that.

When activated, the points scored by your benched players are added to your Gameweek total.

That means all 15 members of your squad can potentially contribute points.

When Is Bench Boost Most Effective?

Bench Boost becomes particularly attractive when you have four substitutes who all have realistic opportunities to return points.

This is why simply activating the chip because your bench looks reasonable is not always optimal.

You ideally want:

• a playing second goalkeeper;
• regular starters on your bench;
• favourable fixtures;
• limited injury or rotation risk.

Double Gameweeks can create particularly interesting Bench Boost opportunities because some players may have two fixtures during the same Gameweek.

The Premier League’s official FPL guidance highlights Double Gameweeks as popular opportunities for using Bench Boost.

Wildcard and Bench Boost Strategy

Wildcard and Bench Boost can complement each other.

A manager could use a Wildcard to build a balanced 15-player squad and then activate Bench Boost in a subsequent Gameweek.

However, remember that the two chips cannot be used simultaneously because FPL permits only one chip per Gameweek.

You therefore need to plan the sequence in advance.

FPL Triple Captain Explained

Every Gameweek, your normal captain scores double points.

Triple Captain increases that multiplier.

When the chip is active, your captain’s score is tripled instead of doubled.

If your captain scores 10 points, for example, Triple Captain turns that into 30 points rather than the usual 20.

This makes player selection extremely important.

When Should You Use Triple Captain?

A strong Triple Captain candidate normally combines several factors:

• high attacking potential;
• strong expected minutes;
• favourable opposition;
• good current form;
• reliable involvement in goals;
• low rotation risk.

Double Gameweeks are especially attractive because a player may have two opportunities to score during the same FPL Gameweek.

Official FPL guidance identifies Double Gameweeks as popular opportunities for both Triple Captain and Bench Boost.

But a Double Gameweek is not automatically better.

A premium player with an outstanding single fixture and secure minutes can sometimes provide a better Triple Captain opportunity than a player facing two difficult matches.

The quality of the player and fixtures matters more than simply counting matches.

How Many FPL Chips Are There in 2026/27?

Fantasy Premier League managers have eight chips in total for the 2026/27 season.

You receive two of each:

Chip	First Half	Second Half	Total
Wildcard	1	1	2
Free Hit	1	1	2
Bench Boost	1	1	2
Triple Captain	1	1	2
Total	4	4	8

This system makes chip management significantly different from older FPL seasons.

Managers cannot simply save every chip until the closing weeks.

What Happens to Unused First-Half Chips?

The first set of FPL chips must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline.

If you fail to use one, it does not carry over.

Your second set becomes available for the second half of the campaign regardless of whether you used every chip from the first set.

This creates an important strategic deadline.

Saving a chip can be sensible, but holding it for too long could mean losing it entirely.

Can You Use Two FPL Chips in the Same Gameweek?

No.

Only one chip per Gameweek can be activated.

For example, you cannot use Bench Boost and Triple Captain together.

You also cannot activate your Wildcard and Bench Boost simultaneously.

This restriction is one reason why planning several Gameweeks ahead can be valuable.

Which FPL Chip Is the Best?

There is no universal answer because each chip solves a different problem.

Wildcard is best suited to major, permanent squad restructuring.

Free Hit is designed for a temporary one-Gameweek overhaul.

Bench Boost increases the value of having a strong 15-player squad.

Triple Captain concentrates your upside on one captaincy selection.

Instead of asking which chip is strongest overall, it is better to ask:

Which chip gives my team the greatest advantage in this particular Gameweek?

That question leads to better decisions.

FPL Chip Strategy for 2026/27

With two sets of chips available, managers need to think about the season in two broad phases.

Your first four chips must be managed before the Gameweek 19 deadline, while another Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain become available for the second half.

Avoid deciding every chip date months in advance.

Premier League fixtures change, matches can be rearranged, players get injured and unexpected opportunities appear.

A better approach is to maintain a flexible plan.

Identify several possible Gameweeks for each chip and update your strategy as new information becomes available.

Common FPL Chip Mistakes

One of the biggest mistakes is activating a chip simply because other managers are doing so.

Your squad may be in a completely different situation.

Another mistake is focusing only on potential upside while ignoring risk. A Bench Boost filled with rotation-prone players or a Triple Captain on someone unlikely to complete both matches of a Double Gameweek may disappoint despite looking attractive on paper.

Managers should also avoid forgetting the first-half chip deadline.

Because unused first-half chips cannot be carried over, failing to activate one before the cutoff means permanently losing that opportunity.

Finally, don’t confuse Wildcard and Free Hit. Both offer unlimited transfers, but only Wildcard changes your squad permanently.

Final Thoughts

FPL chips are among the most powerful strategic tools available in Fantasy Premier League.

The Wildcard can rebuild your squad. The Free Hit can rescue a difficult individual Gameweek. Bench Boost can turn your entire 15-player squad into points scorers, while Triple Captain can dramatically increase the reward from one carefully selected player.

The 2026/27 format gives managers even more opportunities, with a Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain available in each half of the season.

But having more chips does not make timing less important.

The strongest FPL managers will not simply ask when a chip can be used. They will consider fixtures, squad structure, player availability and future Gameweeks before deciding when each chip offers the greatest potential advantage.

Plan ahead, remain flexible and use each chip for a clear strategic reason.