FPL chips explained in 2026/27: Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain
There are four kinds of FPL chip, and in 2026/27 you receive two sets—one in each half of the season. That means eight chips in total: two Wildcards, two Free Hits, two Bench Boosts and two Triple Captains. Only one chip can be used in a Gameweek.
What each chip does
| Chip | Effect | Permanent change? |
|---|---|---|
| Wildcard | Unlimited transfers without transfer-point penalties | Yes |
| Free Hit | Unlimited changes for one Gameweek, then the old squad returns | No |
| Bench Boost | Adds the points scored by all four substitutes | No |
| Triple Captain | Captain scores triple rather than double points | No |
Latest FPL news
The first-half deadline
Your first set of chips must be activated before the GW19 deadline on Saturday 2 January 2027 at 13:30 GMT. Unused chips from this set cannot carry forward to GW20. A new set becomes available for the second half. See the GW19 chip deadline guide.
Wildcard versus Free Hit
The easiest way to distinguish them is permanence. Wildcard changes your actual squad for future Gameweeks. Free Hit lets you attack one particular round and restores your squad afterward. A tricky Liverpool–Arsenal and Chelsea–United pairing in GW9 may favour a temporary solution for some teams, but that does not mean everybody should Free Hit.
Bench Boost
Your starting eleven still needs to be a strong team. Bench Boost adds the scores of your four substitutes, which rewards squads carrying two usable goalkeepers and three realistic outfield substitutes. A player who does not appear cannot earn playing points simply because you have activated the chip.
Triple Captain
The selected captain receives three times their normal Fantasy points, including deductions. A reliable 90-minute scorer is generally safer than an exciting but heavily rotated attacker. A Double Gameweek increases the opportunities to earn points but also introduces extra minutes risk.
Can you activate more than one chip?
No. Only one chip can be played per Gameweek. The Wildcard and Free Hit are also not interchangeable, and Free Hit has specific eligibility restrictions, including that it cannot be used in Gameweek 1.
Which chip should you play next?
That depends on your actual available chips, number of starters, squad structure, and upcoming fixtures. Use the OneFPL Planner to compare sequences rather than acting on generic chip rankings.
Source
Simple example: Free Hit versus Wildcard
Suppose you own three Arsenal and two Liverpool assets ahead of GW9, when those clubs play each other. If you remain happy with their fixtures afterward, a Free Hit could temporarily replace some of them. If your actual squad is also full of injured or non-starting players and you want new players for many rounds, a Wildcard may be more appropriate. The short-term match alone should not decide the long-term chip.
When a chip is no longer available
The Planner can record chips already used, but the official Fantasy game remains the authority on chip eligibility and confirmation. Check that activation saved successfully before the deadline; a plan written in an external tool does not activate a chip in your Fantasy team.