FPL chips explained — what they are and when to use them (2026/27)
FPL chips are one-off boosts you play in a single Gameweek — the Wildcard gives unlimited permanent transfers, the Free Hit gives unlimited transfers for one week before your squad reverts, the Triple Captain triples your captain's score, and the Bench Boost makes all fifteen of your players score. In 2026/27 you get two full sets, eight chips in total, one per Gameweek, and the first set must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline.
Chips are the closest thing FPL gives you to a special move: one-off boosts you activate in a single Gameweek for a bigger effect. Used well they can win you your mini-league. Used on a whim they're wasted. Here's what each one does and when it's worth playing. (New to the game? Start with how to play Fantasy Premier League.)
How many chips do you get in 2026/27?
You get two full sets across the season — a Wildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain and Bench Boost in each half — so eight chips in total. A few rules to keep straight:
- You can only play one chip per Gameweek.
- The first set must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline (around the turn of the year). Anything unused from the first set is gone — it doesn't carry over.
- The second set is then available for the rest of the season.
Wildcard — the full reset
The Wildcard lets you make unlimited transfers in one Gameweek, and unlike the Free Hit, the changes are permanent. It's your tool for when your squad has drifted and you need to fix several things at once.
When to play it: when your problems outrun your free transfers — a cluster of injuries, players who've lost their place, a run of bad fixtures across your squad. Don't burn it on a fixed date just because it's there. Play it when your team genuinely needs surgery. If you're weighing a Wildcard against simply taking a hit, our transfers guide covers the maths.
Free Hit — one week only
The Free Hit also gives you unlimited transfers, but only for that single Gameweek — afterwards your squad snaps back exactly to how it was before. It's a one-week disguise, not a rebuild.
When to play it: a week where a big chunk of your squad has no match (a "blank"), or a week where a handful of teams have two matches (a "double") and you want to load up on them for one Gameweek without wrecking your team long-term.
Triple Captain — three times the captain
Your captain normally scores double. With the Triple Captain chip, your captain scores triple for that Gameweek.
When to play it: on a premium, reliable player in a Gameweek where they're most likely to haul — ideally when they have two matches in one Gameweek, or a very favourable single fixture at home. You want your safest big scorer, not a long shot. The same judgement that picks a good captain applies here, only magnified — see how captaincy works.
Bench Boost — all fifteen score
Normally only your starting eleven score. The Bench Boost makes all fifteen of your players count, bench included, for one Gameweek.
When to play it: when your whole squad — including the bench — has a good match to play, most powerfully in a double Gameweek. Many managers build toward it by playing a Wildcard the week before to make sure all fifteen players are worth starting.
This is where a cheap bench earns its keep. Budget defenders and holding midfielders who reliably hit their defensive contribution thresholds turn a Bench Boost from four near-zero scores into a genuine points swing — which is why who you park on your bench in August matters more than it used to.
The one habit that separates good chip use from bad
Plan roughly, commit late. Have a rough idea of when you're aiming to use each chip, but let the fixtures come to you rather than forcing a chip on a date you circled in August. The best chip weeks — doubles and blanks — often aren't confirmed until the season unfolds.
Frequently asked questions
How many chips are there in FPL 2026/27? Eight — two sets of Wildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain and Bench Boost.
Can I use two chips in the same Gameweek? No. One chip per Gameweek.
When do the first-half chips expire? At the Gameweek 19 deadline. Unused first-set chips don't carry into the second half.
What's the difference between a Wildcard and a Free Hit? A Wildcard's transfers are permanent; a Free Hit lasts one Gameweek and then your squad reverts.
Which chip should I use first? Most managers use a Wildcard first, whenever their squad needs a proper fix — there's no reward for using it early or late, only for using it when your team needs it.
Knowing what the chips do is the easy part. Knowing which week to play them — that's the judgement call. coachme's chip advice weighs up the fixtures for you and flags the weeks worth spending on, so you're not guessing. Try it free.
Questions
- How many chips are there in FPL 2026/27?
- Eight — two sets of Wildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain and Bench Boost.
- Can I use two chips in the same Gameweek?
- No. One chip per Gameweek.
- When do the first-half chips expire?
- At the Gameweek 19 deadline. Unused first-set chips don't carry into the second half.
- What's the difference between a Wildcard and a Free Hit?
- A Wildcard's transfers are permanent; a Free Hit lasts one Gameweek and then your squad reverts.
- Which chip should I use first?
- Most managers use a Wildcard first, whenever their squad needs a proper fix — there's no reward for using it early or late, only for using it when your team needs it.