FPL Bonus Points System Changes for 2026/27
The new FPL bonus system removes the tackled penalty, reduces the reward for clearances and blocks, and changes how goalkeeper saves score. Here are the winners and losers.
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The Fantasy Premier League Bonus Points System has been updated for 2026/27.
The changes are designed to reduce the amount of overlap between defensive contribution points and traditional bonus points while giving goalkeepers, full-backs and attacking players a better opportunity to receive bonus. They sit alongside the other FPL 2026/27 rule changes.
How FPL bonus points work
Every player builds a Bonus Points System score through actions recorded during a match.
At the end of the fixture:
- The highest-ranked player receives three bonus points.
- The second-highest receives two.
- The third-highest receives one.
Ties can result in several players receiving the same number of bonus points.
A player's BPS is not the same as the number of bonus points eventually awarded. If you are new to the scoring system, our FPL scoring guide covers every points source.
Change 1: No deduction for being tackled
In previous seasons, a player lost one BPS whenever an opponent successfully tackled them.
That deduction has been removed.
This is positive for players who:
- Receive the ball frequently in attacking areas.
- Attempt many dribbles.
- Play as attacking wing-backs.
- Carry the ball through midfield.
- Regularly draw defenders toward them.
A winger who loses possession while trying to beat an opponent will no longer automatically receive the previous BPS penalty for being tackled.
Likely beneficiaries
The most likely beneficiaries are high-volume dribblers and heavily involved attackers.
Full-backs who advance into midfield or attack should also gain because their aggressive role previously exposed them to repeated BPS deductions.
Change 2: Less BPS for CBI actions
Clearances, blocks and interceptions previously earned one BPS for every two recorded actions.
Players will now receive one BPS for every three.
This change primarily affects centre-backs whose bonus potential was strongly supported by defensive volume.
These players can still receive two FPL points for reaching the defensive-contribution threshold. However, they may be slightly less likely to combine those points with bonus in the same fixture.
Does this make centre-backs poor FPL picks?
No.
Centre-backs can still offer:
- Clean-sheet points.
- Defensive contribution points.
- Set-piece goal threat.
- Appearance points.
- Occasional bonus.
The change simply means managers should not assume that a high defensive-action total will always generate both defensive contribution and maximum bonus.
Change 3: Goalkeeper save scoring
Goalkeeper saves will now be treated more consistently within BPS.
A goalkeeper receives two BPS for any save, with an additional reward for certain higher-value saves, including saves from close-range opportunities or big chances.
This could help goalkeepers who face fewer shots overall but make more difficult saves.
Managers should still avoid selecting a goalkeeper purely because they are expected to face heavy pressure. Shot quality, clean-sheet probability and the defence in front of the goalkeeper remain important.
Who could gain most?
Attacking full-backs
They benefit from the removal of the "tackled" deduction and can still earn BPS through chance creation, passing, clean sheets and attacking returns.
Wingers and creative midfielders
Players who carry the ball frequently should lose fewer BPS through aggressive attacking play.
Goalkeepers making difficult saves
The new structure should better recognise the quality of certain saves rather than treating every situation identically.
Who could lose?
High-CBI centre-backs
They will still earn defensive contribution points but receive BPS more slowly from clearances, blocks and interceptions. Our defensive contribution guide explains how those two systems interact.
Passive defenders
A defender who offers little attacking threat and relies entirely on CBI volume may have a slightly lower bonus ceiling.
How should this change player selection?
Do not select players solely because of BPS.
Instead, compare:
- Expected minutes.
- Clean-sheet probability.
- Attacking involvement.
- Defensive contribution potential.
- Set-piece threat.
- Fixture difficulty.
- Price.
- Competition for starts.
Browse the player database to check minutes and underlying numbers, then **compare FPL players side by side** to examine several of these factors at once.
FAQ
What is BPS in FPL?
BPS stands for Bonus Points System. It ranks player performances using match actions supplied by Opta, and the top three ranked players in each fixture receive three, two and one bonus point.
Are bonus points added live?
Projected bonus points will be added during matches from 2026/27 but remain provisional until the Gameweek is finalised.
Do defensive contribution points replace bonus?
No. They are separate scoring systems, although some defensive actions influence both calculations.
Are centre-backs less useful now?
Not necessarily. They can still collect clean sheets, defensive contributions, set-piece returns and bonus points — they are simply less likely to collect defensive contributions and maximum bonus in the same match.
Which players benefit most from the tackled change?
High-volume dribblers, creative midfielders and attacking full-backs, who previously lost BPS every time an opponent dispossessed them.