Free Hit in FPL: what it is, how it works and when to use the chip

What is Free Hit in Fantasy Premier League?

Free Hit — one of the four special chips (Chip) in Fantasy Premier League that allows unlimited changes to your team for a single gameweek without losing points for extra transfers.

The main feature of Free Hit is that all changes are temporary. After the gameweek ends, the team automatically returns to the squad that the manager had before activating the chip.

This makes Free Hit especially useful in situations where the usual squad is poorly prepared for a specific Gameweek. For example, if several clubs have no matches due to postponements, you can temporarily replace absent players with those who are guaranteed playing time.

In the 2026/27 season, Free Hit can be used twice: one chip is available in the first half of the season, the second in the second half. Thus, each manager has two opportunities to temporarily reshuffle the team during the campaign.

How does Free Hit work?

The mechanics of Free Hit are fairly simple, but before activation it’s important to understand a few nuances.

After selecting the chip, the manager can make any number of transfers without point penalties. Budget constraints and standard squad requirements remain in effect.

For example, if your team has 4 players from the same club, you cannot keep all four in the new squad: the standard FPL limit on the number of players from one team still applies.

Main rules of Free Hit:

• One gameweek. The temporary squad is only valid for a single Gameweek.

• Unlimited number of transfers. You can replace any number of players without the four‑point penalty for an extra transfer.

• Automatic team revert. After the gameweek ends, the squad you had before activating the chip is restored.

• Retention of accumulated transfers. Free transfers accumulated before activating Free Hit are not lost.

• Preservation of budget constraints. The new squad must be assembled within the available budget and standard FPL rules.

• Cannot be undone after confirmation. If Free Hit is activated when confirming transfers, it cannot be cancelled.

Important restriction: Free Hit cannot be used in the first gameweek of the season. Additionally, the two such chips cannot be activated in consecutive Gameweeks.

Example of using Free Hit

Suppose your main squad includes several players from Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool. In one of the gameweeks these clubs have no matches due to postponed fixtures.

Without Free Hit you risk having several players who will not score any points. But if you activate the chip, you can temporarily replace them with players from teams that have matches.

After the Gameweek ends, all temporary acquisitions disappear, and your original players automatically return to the squad.

Thus, Free Hit allows you to solve the problem of a single difficult gameweek without sacrificing the long‑term structure of the team.

What happens to the team after using Free Hit?

This is one of the most important aspects that distinguishes Free Hit from the Wildcard.

When using a Wildcard, all transfers made become permanent. Free Hit works differently: changes only apply for a single gameweek.

After the Gameweek ends, the system restores the previous squad. At the same time, changes in players’ market prices that occurred during the elapsed gameweek are taken into account.

For example, if you sold a player before activating Free Hit, and during the chip's active period his price changed, after the team reverts the current price will be taken into account. Therefore, you should not assume that Free Hit completely freezes player prices and the team's budget.

Do accumulated free transfers remain after a Free Hit?

Yes. In the 2026/27 season, accumulated free transfers are retained after using a Free Hit.

For example, if before activating the chip you had two free transfers, after the temporary gameweek ends they will remain available. You won’t have to start the next week from scratch.

This is an important advantage of Free Hit: the manager can prepare the team for a problematic Gameweek without giving up the accumulated pool of free replacements.

At the same time, the Free Hit itself does not provide additional permanent transfers. It only allows you to make an unlimited number of temporary changes for a single gameweek.

When is the best time to use a Free Hit?

There is no single correct scenario for using a Free Hit. However, there are several situations where this chip can provide especially great benefit.

1. Blank Gameweek — the main reason to activate a Free Hit

Blank Gameweek (BGW) — a gameweek in which some Premier League teams do not play matches. Their players, consequently, do not score points in FPL.

Such situations usually arise due to match postponements related to the FA Cup, other tournaments, or calendar changes.

If your squad contains many players from clubs that skip the gameweek, fixing the situation with regular transfers can be difficult. Especially if you want to keep a strong team for the upcoming weeks.

Free Hit allows you to temporarily get rid of all players without a match and assemble a squad of players who will actually take the field.

For example, if six or seven of your team’s players do not participate in a particular Gameweek, you can replace them with players from other clubs. After the gameweek ends, the original squad will automatically be restored.

Why Free Hit is especially useful in a BGW:

• You can field a full starting lineup of players who have a match.

• You don’t have to sell strong players for a single gameweek.

• You don’t need to spend several weeks restoring the original team structure.

• You can select differentials to try to gain an advantage over opponents in mini‑leagues.

However, you shouldn’t activate the chip for every minor Blank Gameweek. If you already have 10–11 players with matches, it may be wiser to stick with regular transfers.

2. Double Gameweek — an opportunity to strengthen the squad

Double Gameweek (DGW) — a gameweek in which some teams play two matches instead of one. This creates additional opportunities for scoring points.

Free Hit can be used if your main squad is not sufficiently prepared for such a gameweek, and there are many interesting options among the teams with two matches.

For example, you can temporarily acquire several attacking players and defenders from clubs that have two fixtures, and after the Gameweek ends return to the previous team.

However, there is an important nuance: Free Hit is not always the best chip for a Double Gameweek.

If you already have a strong squad with several players playing two matches, it may be more advantageous to use Triple Captain or Bench Boost. Free Hit should be considered primarily when a regular team is significantly outperformed by a potential temporary squad.

3. A large number of injuries and suspensions

Sometimes Free Hit can be useful even in a regular gameweek, when the Premier League calendar does not contain many postponements.

Let's imagine that several players from your team have simultaneously suffered injuries, suspensions, or lost their place in the starting lineup. If you don't want to spend your accumulated free transfers and take penalty substitutions, Free Hit allows you to temporarily solve the problem.

This is especially relevant if most of the problematic players have good prospects in the upcoming gameweeks and you don't want to sell them permanently.

4. Unfavorable schedule for the main squad

Another possible scenario is a gameweek in which most of your players face very tough opponents.

For example, several leading attacking players are simultaneously up against strong defensive teams, while other clubs have more attractive options.

In such a situation, Free Hit allows you to temporarily change the squad and take advantage of more favorable fixtures.

However, using the chip solely because of a few unfavorable pairings is not always wise. You need to assess how significant the advantage of the temporary team over the main one will be.

How to properly assemble a team for Free Hit?

After activating the chip, you have the opportunity to completely overhaul the squad, but this does not mean you should simply pick the 15 most popular players of the gameweek.

For Free Hit to truly be beneficial, it's important to consider several factors.

1. First, define the main objective

Before making transfers, decide which problem you want to solve.

If it's a Blank Gameweek, the priority will be having fixtures for all players in the starting lineup.

If it's a Double Gameweek, you need to assess the prospects of players with two fixtures and determine which of them can deliver the most points.

If the reason is injuries or a difficult schedule, look for the most promising alternatives for the specific gameweek.

2. Don’t forget about the captain

The captain’s pick remains one of the most important decisions when using Free Hit.

In a regular gameweek, the captain’s points are doubled, so it is especially important to choose a player with high scoring potential.

In a Double Gameweek you can consider a player with two matches, but you shouldn’t automatically give him the captain’s armband. Consider the likelihood of starting, the quality of the opponents, and individual statistics.

3. Don’t ignore defenders and goalkeepers

When assembling a temporary team, managers often focus on attacking players. But defenders and keepers can also bring a significant amount of points.

Pay attention to teams with solid defense, opponents with low scoring, and defenders who regularly take part in attacking actions.

Especially attractive can be full‑backs who can create goal‑scoring opportunities and earn additional points for attacking actions.

4. Consider playing time

It makes no sense to buy a player just for a convenient fixture if he risks staying on the bench.

Check the latest line‑ups, injury news, manager comments, and the likelihood of rotation.

In an ideal scenario each temporary‑team player should have a good chance of getting on the pitch. This is especially important for the starting eleven.

5. Don’t waste budget unnecessarily

Free Hit does not waive budget constraints. If you acquire expensive players for several positions, make sure the rest of the squad can also earn points.

Sometimes a cheaper defender with a good fixture can be more useful than an expensive attacker who faces a tough match.

The main goal is to assemble the most promising squad for the specific gameweek, not just to spend the entire available budget.

Free Hit or Wildcard: what’s the difference?

Free Hit and Wildcard allow unlimited transfers without a penalty, but are intended for completely different purposes.

The Wildcard is used for a permanent reshuffle of the team. All changes are retained, making this chip suitable for long‑term squad improvement.

Free Hit lets you change the team for only one gameweek. After it ends, the previous squad is automatically restored.

If your team is generally strong, but in a single gameweek several players don't have matches, Free Hit can become the perfect solution.

If the squad needs serious changes for several weeks ahead, it's better to consider a Wildcard.

How many times can you use Free Hit in the 2026/27 season?

In the 2026/27 season each FPL manager receives two Free Hit chips.

The first is available for use in the first half of the season — after the end of the first gameweek and before the deadline of Gameweek 19. The second becomes available starting from Gameweek 20 and can be used until the end of the championship.

An unused first Free Hit cannot be carried over to the second half of the season. If you don't activate it before the GW19 deadline, it expires.

There is also another restriction: Free Hit cannot be used in two consecutive gameweeks. For example, if you activated the first chip in GW19, the second cannot be applied in GW20. The earliest opportunity to use it in such a case is GW21.

Additionally, only one chip may be activated in a single Gameweek. Therefore you cannot simultaneously use Free Hit and Triple Captain or combine it with Bench Boost.

Brief table of Free Hit rules

Common mistakes when using Free Hit

Even experienced managers don't always get the maximum benefit from this chip. Here are some common mistakes.

Using Free Hit for minor squad issues. If in a Blank Gameweek you already have 10–11 players with matches, you may not need to spend the chip.

Buying too many players from one team. Two matches or a convenient schedule do not guarantee that all club players will score points. Consider rotation and the limit on the number of players from one team.

Ignoring the next gameweek. Free Hit restores the previous squad, so it's important to understand in advance how competitive your team will be after the temporary Gameweek ends.

Overemphasizing Double Gameweek. Two matches don't always mean more points than one convenient fixture. You shouldn't activate Free Hit just to increase the number of players with DGW.

Using the chip without a specific purpose. Before activation you need to understand what advantage you want to gain. If the temporary team does not appear noticeably stronger than the main one, it may be better to keep the Free Hit.

Forgotten second Free Hit. The unused chip from the first half of the season burns out after the GW19 deadline. Plan the use of both chips in advance so you don’t lose one of the opportunities.

FAQ: frequently asked questions about Free Hit

What is Free Hit in Fantasy Premier League?

Free Hit is a special chip that allows you to make an unlimited number of free transfers for a single game week. After the Gameweek ends, the team returns to the squad that was in place before the chip was activated.

How many times can you use Free Hit per season?

In the 2026/27 season, Free Hit can be used twice: once in the first half of the championship and once again starting from Gameweek 20. An unused chip from the first half of the season does not carry over.

Do free transfers expire after a Free Hit?

No. Accumulated free transfers are retained. If you had several free replacements before activating the chip, they will remain available after the game week ends.

Can you cancel a Free Hit after activation?

No. After confirming transfers with an activated Free Hit, you cannot cancel the use of the chip. Therefore, before confirming, you need to carefully check the selected squad.

Does the previous squad return after a Free Hit?

Yes. After the game week ends, the temporary transfers are undone and the previous players return to the team. At the same time, market price changes that occurred during the past week are taken into account.

Can you use a Free Hit in a Double Gameweek?

Yes. The chip can be activated in any suitable game week, provided it is available. Free Hit allows you to temporarily assemble a team of players who have two matches, but before activating it you should compare this strategy with using Triple Captain or Bench Boost.

When is the best time to use a Free Hit?

One of the most popular options is a Blank Gameweek, when several clubs do not have matches. The chip can also be useful in a Double Gameweek, with a large number of injured players, or in a week with an especially inconvenient schedule.

Can you use a Free Hit and a Wildcard in the same game week?

No. Only one chip may be activated in a single Gameweek. Therefore, you cannot use a Free Hit and a Wildcard simultaneously.

Can you use two Free Hits in consecutive weeks?

No. FPL rules prohibit activating a Free Hit in consecutive game weeks. Even if you have both chips, at least one Gameweek must pass between their use.

Is the team’s value retained after a Free Hit?

After the week ends, the previous squad returns, but market price changes from the past game week are taken into account. Therefore, the team's value and budget may differ from the figures before the temporary transfers began.