FPL
19 July 2025 144 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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The rule changes just keep on coming from Fantasy Premier League (FPL) – and this morning’s announcement concerns assists.

The big news is that there’ll be more of them in 2025/26, with the rules around Fantasy assists relaxed somewhat.

WHAT ARE THE NEW ASSIST RULES?

INTENDED DESTINATION/TARGET

‘Intended destination/target’ isn’t disappearing completely – but it’s no longer a factor for a lot of goals.

Indeed, it will not matter, and a Fantasy assist will be awarded, if:

a) the goalscorer receives the ball inside the penalty box and
b) there is only one defensive touch before the ball reaches the goalscorer

As an example, Alexander Isak‘s first goal against Ipswich Town below would now be an assist for Jacob Murphy.

If there are two or more defensive touches, no assist is given.

The only defensive touch that will disqualify a Fantasy assist is if the defending player is attempting a pass (ergo in possession). The goalscorer losing then regaining possession before scoring also means no assist.

Meanwhile, if the goalscorer receives the ball outside the box, the old subjective call about intended destination/target remains in force.

HANDBALLS

No need to worry about an attacking player ‘forcing’ a handball now, as that criterion has been done away with.

Now, if a cross, pass, shot or touch directly leads to a handball by a defensive player, and the resulting penalty or free-kick is scored, a Fantasy assist will be awarded.

If the handball follows a touch from another defensive player, no assist will be given.

DEFENSIVE ERRORS

More simplification of the rules here.

Up until this point, if a goal was scored thanks to an unforced defensive error, no Fantasy assist was awarded.

But now, the only defensive error that will disqualify a Fantasy assist is if the defending player is attempting a pass. Again, there can only be a maximum of one defensive touch for the assist to be awarded.

As an example, Alex Scott would now get the assist for this goal scored by Antoine Semenyo in April:

HOW MANY MORE ASSISTS WOULD WE HAVE SEEN LAST SEASON?

FPL say that, had these new rules been in operation last season, there would have been 41 extra Fantasy assists awarded.

defensive contributions

144 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. SH1M1
    • 14 Years
    6 hours, 3 mins ago

    Way too many changes.
    Feels like they want to do something different, every year now…
    If it ain’t broke …

    1. Silecro
      • 7 Years
      6 hours, 2 mins ago

      Agree. Number of changes this year equates total number of rule change across last 20 years

    2. Jimmy B
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      6 hours ago

      Feels a bit like FPL Challenge to me. Try and think of something fun to bring out each week

      1. Qaiss
        • 9 Years
        5 hours, 57 mins ago

        Catering for people that have a TikTok attention span

        1. Jimmy B
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          5 hours, 55 mins ago

          I'm a grumpy middle aged man at the best of times but I do fear that's the way its heading. No apathy for the veterans of the game its all about the future and getting engagement. Oh well fun while it lasted.

          1. WVA
            • 8 Years
            5 hours, 38 mins ago

            They are pulling in lots of people for the first few game weeks but most drop off after that, guess it looks good if you’ve got 15m people signed up?

      2. Nightcrawler
        • 6 Years
        5 hours, 54 mins ago

        they got rid of a 3 week AM chip and brought in 3 chips worth 3 weeks

        its more than what it originally was but the overreaction here is over the top. all it does is make the first half of the season less tedious

    3. Zalk
      • 13 Years
      5 hours, 57 mins ago

      Wish they didn't too. But if they have to meddle with something I prefer it's these kind of things.

    4. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      5 hours, 56 mins ago

      it was a bit broke, half the game lost interest after first few months

      1. Nightcrawler
        • 6 Years
        5 hours, 52 mins ago

        and the remining half like most us found the first half of the season extremely boring. good stuff from fpl

        1. WVA
          • 8 Years
          5 hours, 40 mins ago

          Why was it boring? It was a decent season

      2. WVA
        • 8 Years
        5 hours, 40 mins ago

        Why did they lose interest so quickly? I loved last season

    5. All de Gea no iDier
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 hours, 47 mins ago

      The game is changing because of events brought in by EUFA & FIFA. Greater demands on the top team's players; rotation, injuries, fatigue..... FPL needs to change to absorb the changes in the actual football games. I was getting disenchanted because it was getting more difficult to pick players who would bring in points without being absent through rotation, injuries & fatigue. The AM chip wasn't the answer. The latest changes give us more flexibility in picking our teams. For me that is a good thing.

      1. TimeDrifter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        5 hours, 2 mins ago

        The changes won't make it any easier to combat rotation or player fatigue. You still need to pick 15 each week and suffer early substitutions etc.

  2. Silecro
    • 7 Years
    6 hours, 3 mins ago

    Starting to be a bit much now. Game gonna look unrecognizable

    1. Jimmy B
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 hours, 59 mins ago

      They've potentially not done yet. At least we can see why its taken so long to launch the game with all this new stuff to integrate.

  3. Zalk
    • 13 Years
    6 hours ago

    This and the defensive contribution changes are the stuff they should be working on. Not adding multipliers, boosters and powerups...or whatever you'd call the chips.

  4. Jimmy B
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 hours, 57 mins ago

    Ironically these 5 FT will make that period more template again probably. People would have had a decision what to do before over players like Salah. Do you keep them during it, or not have them in the first place. Now they've got a get of jail free card.

    1. TimeDrifter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 hours, 32 mins ago

      Exactly. No planning needed, just use one of your ever increasing number of chance cards. Next you'll be able to buy chips for a handful of points.

      1. Silecro
        • 7 Years
        5 hours, 21 mins ago

        100$ for 20 points. Microtransactions at FPL are imminent at this point

        1. TimeDrifter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 hours, 18 mins ago

          If the team numbers keep growing, they'll surely need to cover the cost of servers etc. It doesn't make business sense.

  5. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    5 hours, 56 mins ago

    we want more!! come on, lets do subs in and out during a gameweek like ucl game

    1. Qaiss
      • 9 Years
      5 hours, 56 mins ago

      They won’t do that but if they did, I’d have to find a new hobby 🙂

    2. Rwilliams90
      • 13 Years
      5 hours, 49 mins ago

      I actually wouldn't be against this

  6. Flynny
    • 10 Years
    5 hours, 52 mins ago

    Bench boost gw16 with the 5fts

    1. Qaiss
      • 9 Years
      5 hours, 51 mins ago

      Many ways to go about it

  7. Rwilliams90
    • 13 Years
    5 hours, 47 mins ago

    Any good alternatives to FPL? Feels like it's coming to an end as an enjoyable game.

    1. Zalk
      • 13 Years
      5 hours, 46 mins ago

      Let me know if you find any!

    2. TimeDrifter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 hours, 35 mins ago

      Yeah, this latest 'Extra transfers for AFCON' nonsense is the clearly aimed at making it easy, not strategic. Same with the Def Contribs points and extra chips. Make it easy to get points almost every week, regardless of what you do. It's a shame, as I've enjoyed playing it over the years, but it's like smartphones - too many options and distractions from the core objective.

      1. WVA
        • 8 Years
        5 hours, 27 mins ago

        It’s not the extra points that’s the problem it’s how similar everyone’s teams will be

        1. TimeDrifter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 hours, 22 mins ago

          And that's been the key problem in recent seasons that needs addressing. Instead, it'll be easier to follow the template. What's the point of playing a game where everyone has the same strategy and players. Hike up the prices, only allow one player from each club and don't allow chip usage on a double week - then we'll have choices to make, and less templates.

          1. Baps hunter
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            4 hours, 33 mins ago

            We have 3 new chips that prolly can't be used on a dgw. Be happy!

  8. WVA
    • 8 Years
    5 hours, 28 mins ago

    They’ll soon have 50 million people signed up all with exactly the same teams for most of the season!

    1. TimeDrifter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 hours, 20 mins ago

      To what end - what's the point if they're not monetizing it? I'm guessing advertising revenue is the driver, but I've honestly never noticed adverts.

      1. WVA
        • 8 Years
        5 hours, 19 mins ago

        They must be making something?

      2. Rwilliams90
        • 13 Years
        5 hours, 19 mins ago

        Content creators are now calling the shots and they're the ones making money out of the game.

        1. TimeDrifter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 hours, 15 mins ago

          I'm not against the industry that's grown around it. Except that most creators have the same recommendations. But that's because the stats do give the highest chance of success, the creators do tend to get high ranks. But where's the fun! Maybe FPL will charge for access to stats, maybe they already do - I don't know.

      3. Baps hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 hours, 31 mins ago

        They are monetizing it. TV rights.

  9. Old Man
    • 14 Years
    5 hours, 18 mins ago

    A lot of unnecessary moaning going on around here. I think that almost ll of the changes this year are good ones.
    FPL will be fine - let's just get on with it.
    Keep smiling!

  10. Baps hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 hours, 35 mins ago

    So, we have to burn all our free transfers before AFCON starts. That's not a problem for me. Casuals will be able to get players who don't play. I can live with that. Casuals will get their players back with 2nd WC. I am more than fine with that xD Planning will still be rewarded and those 5 transfers can obviously be saved to get tired AFCON players back. Casuals will still be losing points and not even realising what has happened.