Defensive contribution (DEFCON) points in FPL, explained

Defensive contribution (DEFCON) points award an outfield player two extra points for hitting a defensive workload threshold in a single match — 10 combined clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles (CBIT) for defenders, or 12 including ball recoveries (CBIRT) for midfielders and forwards. The two points can only be earned once per match, and goalkeepers are not eligible.

Defensive contribution points — "DEFCON" as everyone calls them — are one of the newer ways to score in FPL, and they've quietly changed which players are worth owning. If you've seen a holding midfielder priced like an attacker and wondered why, this is the reason. Here's how it works. (For the basics of scoring, see how to play Fantasy Premier League.)

What are defensive contribution points?

They're bonus points for defensive work — the tackling, blocking and intercepting that never used to show up on an FPL scoresheet. Hit a certain amount of that work in a match and you bank two extra points, on top of everything else you'd normally score. It rewards the players who do the unglamorous graft.

How do you earn them? The thresholds

There are two thresholds, depending on a player's FPL position:

Defenders need 10 or more CBIT in a match — that's Clearances, Blocks, Interceptions and Tackles added together.
Midfielders and forwards need 12 or more CBIRT — the same four actions plus Ball Recoveries, at a slightly higher bar.

Reach your threshold and you get +2 points. That's the cap — you can't earn it twice in one match by doubling the number. Goalkeepers aren't part of this; it's for outfield players only.

Two details worth knowing. The two points stack with everything else: a defender can bank a clean sheet and his defensive contribution in the same match, and they're counted separately. And because the threshold is judged per match rather than per Gameweek, a player with two fixtures in a double Gameweek can reach it twice and bank the points twice. For 2026/27, these thresholds are unchanged from last season, though the bonus points system has been reworked so the two no longer overlap as much.

Why does this matter so much?

Because it turns previously "pointless" players into genuine assets. A defensive midfielder who never scores or assists can now bank two points most weeks just for doing his job. A ball-winning centre-back becomes more attractive than a quiet one at the same price. It rewards consistency and minutes rather than moments of magic.

The players who benefit most are the ones who rack up tackles and interceptions every single week — often cheaper, less famous names who suddenly return points far more reliably than their price suggests.

Which players actually hit the threshold?

You don't need to memorise names to spot the type. Three things tend to travel together in a regular threshold-hitter:

A defensive role, not just a defensive position. Holding midfielders — the ones who sit in front of the back four and break play up — are the classic case. They rack up tackles and interceptions as their actual job. An attacking midfielder in the same team, at twice the price, will rarely get near twelve.
A team that spends time without the ball. Defenders in sides that sit deep and soak up pressure get far more chances to clear, block and intercept than defenders in a dominant team that keeps the ball for seventy percent of the match. Counter-intuitively, a weaker team's centre-back can be the more reliable source of these points.
Certainty of ninety minutes. The threshold is counted per match, not per minute. A player substituted on the hour has lost a third of his chances to reach it. Nailed starters are worth a premium here more than anywhere else in your squad.

Centre-backs generally hit it more often than full-backs, because full-backs spend more time pushed up the pitch and less time defending their own box.

How much is this actually worth?

Two points a week doesn't sound like much. Stretch it across a season and it changes the maths on your cheap players entirely.

A £4.5m defender who hits his threshold in, say, half his matches banks roughly forty points from defensive work alone — before a single clean sheet or goal. A £4.5m defender who never hits it banks none. Same price, same position, and a gap wide enough to matter by May.

That's the real shift. The cheap end of your squad used to be dead weight you bought purely to afford someone expensive. Now those slots can quietly contribute, which is why the pick between two identically-priced budget defenders is no longer a coin flip.

What this changes about building a squad

Three knock-on effects worth knowing:

Your bench is no longer worthless. Cheap defenders and holding midfielders who return regularly make a Bench Boost genuinely valuable rather than a chip you play out of obligation.

Budget upgrades became real upgrades. Moving from a quiet £4.5m defender to a busy one is one of the cheapest improvements available, and unlike chasing form, it tends to keep paying. See our transfers guide for when that's worth a free transfer.

Price no longer signals value the way it did. A £5.0m defensive midfielder returning most weeks can out-score a £7.0m attacking one who returns occasionally. Judge the role, not the price tag.

How to actually use this when picking players

Two practical takeaways. First, among cheap defenders and midfielders who cost about the same, the one who consistently hits the defensive threshold is usually the better pick — reliable small returns add up. Second, don't chase it blindly: a player who only occasionally reaches the threshold is far less valuable than one who does it week in, week out. Consistency is the whole point. This is one of the better ways to get value from the cheap end of your squad when picking your first squad.

Frequently asked questions

What does DEFCON stand for? It's short for "defensive contribution" — the points awarded for defensive actions.

How many points is a defensive contribution worth? Two points, and only once per match, no matter how far past the threshold a player goes.

What's the threshold for defenders? 10 combined clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles (CBIT) in a match.

What's the threshold for midfielders and forwards? 12 combined clearances, blocks, interceptions, tackles and ball recoveries (CBIRT) — a higher bar because it includes recoveries.

Do goalkeepers get defensive contribution points? No. It applies only to outfield players — defenders, midfielders and forwards.

Spotting which players hit these thresholds week after week is exactly the kind of legwork coachme does for you, so a reliable defensive points-scorer doesn't slip past you unnoticed. Try it free.