The eight chips and what they do
Chips are the biggest swing tools in Fantasy Premier League. Used in the right week they are worth a double-digit score on their own; used reactively they are simply spent. There are four chip types and, in 2026/27, two of each: one set for the first half of the season and a refreshed set for the second. Nothing carries over between the halves.
The Wildcard makes every transfer in a gameweek free and the new squad permanent. The Free Hit does the same for one gameweek only, then your old squad comes back. The Bench Boost counts the points of all fifteen players instead of your starting eleven. The Triple Captain triples your captain's score instead of doubling it.
| Chip | What it does | When you can play it | Can you cancel it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcard | Unlimited free transfers for one gameweek; the new squad is permanent | From Gameweek 2 to the GW19 deadline, then Gameweeks 20–38 | No, once confirmed |
| Free Hit | Unlimited free transfers for one gameweek; your old squad returns at the next deadline | From Gameweek 2 to the GW19 deadline, then Gameweeks 20–38 — not in both GW19 and GW20 | No, once confirmed |
| Bench Boost | All fifteen players score, not just your starting eleven | From Gameweek 1 to the GW19 deadline, then Gameweeks 20–38 | Yes, before the deadline |
| Triple Captain | Your captain scores three times his points instead of twice | From Gameweek 1 to the GW19 deadline, then Gameweeks 20–38 | Yes, before the deadline |
How does Triple Captain work?
For one gameweek your captain's points are multiplied by three instead of two. If your captain does not play, the triple applies to your vice-captain, exactly as the normal armband passes to him. You get two Triple Captains in 2026/27 — one to use before the Gameweek 19 deadline and one for Gameweeks 20 to 38 — and it can be cancelled before the deadline if the team news turns.
The chip is worth one extra captain score, so it pays most when that score is likely to be big: a premium who plays twice in a double gameweek, ideally against weak opposition. A 15-point captain is worth 30 normally and 45 on a Triple Captain; the chip itself added 15.
The golden rule: chips earn their value in specific weeks
Most managers lose chip value by playing them reactively — burning a Wildcard after one bad gameweek, or a Triple Captain on a routine fixture. The better approach is the opposite: hold each chip for the week where its mechanic is structurally worth most, even if that means carrying it for months.
Double gameweeks (when a club plays twice in one gameweek) and blank gameweeks (when fixtures move for cup competitions) are the anchor points. Bench Boost and Triple Captain are worth roughly double in a double gameweek because the players have two chances to score. Free Hit is worth most in a blank, when much of your squad has no fixture. Plan the chips around the double and blank calendar first, then fit everything else around it — and remember the first set has a hard January deadline whether or not a double has arrived.
When to play each chip
Wildcard: play your first when your squad structure breaks down — injuries, a fixture swing or price changes that free transfers cannot fix without hits. Save the second for the run-in, ideally to set up a Bench Boost or to attack a strong fixture swing.
Free Hit: reserve it for the biggest blank gameweek, when you would otherwise field only six to eight players. It can also be used to load up on a single large double gameweek without changing your permanent squad.
Bench Boost: only when all fifteen of your players have a fixture and, ideally, several have two. Use the transfers before it to turn your bench into genuine starters; a Bench Boost with two non-playing reserves throws away half its value.
Triple Captain: a premium captain in a double gameweek against weak opposition, where the ceiling is highest.
Common chip mistakes to avoid
The most expensive mistake is playing a chip out of frustration. A red-arrow gameweek tempts managers to Wildcard immediately; resist unless your squad is genuinely broken. The second is playing Bench Boost or Triple Captain in a single gameweek when a double is coming weeks later — patience is usually rewarded.
The third is the January deadline. The first set expires at the Gameweek 19 deadline in the middle of the festive fixtures, when attention is elsewhere. Map a rough plan for each half — which gameweek for each chip, with a fallback — and revisit it whenever the double and blank calendar firms up.