FPL

FPL 2025/26: Extra free Gameweek 16 transfers ahead of AFCON

19 July 2025 114 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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Alright, but apart from the defensive contribution points, twice as many chips, elite leagues and more assists, what has Fantasy Premier League (FPL) ever done for us?

Given us extra transfers to help deal with the exodus ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), that’s what.

HOW MANY EXTRA TRANSFERS – AND WHEN?

In Gameweek 16, FPL managers will have their free transfer allowance topped up to five – regardless of what they had amassed already.

WHEN DOES AFCON TAKE PLACE?

AFCON will take place between Sunday 21 December 2025 and Sunday 18 January 2026.

That covers Gameweeks 17 to 22 in FPL:

But Premier League players will be departing for their countries earlier than the above dates. How early is the big question.

Usually, clubs must release players 14 days before a continental championship.

If that rule is enforced, Premier League side would lose their players for Gameweek 16 at the very least.

However, we have seenย a gentlemenโ€™s agreement between AFCON and the Premier League in recent years. Thatโ€™s allowed players to depart as late as possible.

So, if a similar bargain is struck, Salah and co may be able to complete their Gameweek 16 fixtures before jetting off.

FPL aren’t leaving anything to chance, however, topping up everyone’s free transfer allowance to five ahead of Gameweek 16.

MAX OUT YOUR TRANSFERS IN GAMEWEEK 15?

Strategically, the initial thought is that it would be beneficial to exhaust your free transfers by the time the Gameweek 15 deadline has passed.

This would give you an extra four free transfers, as well as your normal weekly one, for Gameweek 16.

If you’d rolled two going into Gameweek 16, by contrast, you’d only get a) your normal weekly free transfer and b) two additional ones.

WHICH PLAYERS WILL BE GOING TO AFCON?

Mohamed Salah, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa will be among the big names heading to AFCON this winter.

You can read our full guide to the tournament, and its FPL implications, via the link below:

Salah injured as Egypt's AFCON progress

AFCON 2025: Salah, Wissa + Mbeumo and the other players who could miss six Gameweeks

114 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. riot
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    19 hours, 13 mins ago

    just way too many transfers in the game and the ability to save 5 doesn't help

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    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      19 hours, 7 mins ago

      I liked the 5FT rule change last season. I am slightly miffed at just giving everyone 5FT at the same time, though. Unless I can save up 10.

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      1. WVA
        • 8 Years
        17 hours, 59 mins ago

        You can’t

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      2. WVA
        • 8 Years
        17 hours, 45 mins ago

        I didn’t get past 2FT once last season, id say 5FT pretty irrelevant for a properly engaged player.

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  2. Crusher K-1
    • 13 Years
    19 hours, 4 mins ago

    I suck most years playing this game but each year I try to learn from my mistakes, play different strategies, etc.

    I get trying to “improve “ the game but truth be told, I like the yearly struggle and work to get better.

    To take from a Tom Hanks movie,
    “If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great.”

    Well…maybe we don’t need that anymore?
    Sad

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  3. Tommyg
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    19 hours, 3 mins ago

    On the other hands, there is sometimes value in sticking with an underperforming player who promises greater returns, than immediately swapping. There is still plenty of strategies that can come in to play.

    Doing less is sometimes better than doing more.

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  4. chocolove
    • 14 Years
    19 hours ago

    All the chip changes, defensive contribution is for expanding many various way to play FPL. But this AFCON transfer, just to make all manager and their dog spend all the transfer on GW 15. Contradictive.

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  5. Bobby Digital
    • 7 Years
    18 hours, 52 mins ago

    Can you roll some of the/or all the five extra transfers to next GW?

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    1. Snoop Udogie Dogg
      • 4 Years
      18 hours, 32 mins ago

      and whether we can play chips (BB) that week would be good to know

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      1. Botman and Robben
        • 8 Years
        18 hours, 5 mins ago

        Like your handle name

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    2. Silver_and_Gold
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      17 hours, 27 mins ago

      Yes, you can

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  6. Deulofail
    • 9 Years
    18 hours, 35 mins ago

    Oh jeez, what nonsense. A rule that's only there to appease the casual player, yet will benefit the engaged managers more, as plenty of casual players will not plan ahead. An utterly pointless exercise, requiring more thought and decisions based on abstract game mechanics instead of football. Is my initial thought ๐Ÿ˜€

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  7. The Hunt
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    18 hours, 33 mins ago

    Why not just dumb the game down completely and let us pick a new team every week with no transfer budget?

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    1. Moon Dog
        18 hours, 6 mins ago

        They've managed to upset everyone. The hardcore players are upset with the double chips and 5ft top up, decreasing the need for long-term planning, and increasing the luck factor.

        They've also upset casual players who like to go off the eye test alone, with the stats-heavy complicated defensive actions. Now stats table are almost required when picking defenders.

        FPL have taken a sledgehammer to a delicate and successful eco-system.

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    2. Moon Dog
        18 hours, 23 mins ago

        Rashford to Barcelona here we go. Loan deal with option to buy. Barca to pay 100% of the wages.

        Rashford back at Old Trafford next summer then ๐Ÿ˜†

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        1. WVA
          • 8 Years
          17 hours, 47 mins ago

          Hilarious from Barca but id rather be there than at United if I was Rashford, United still looking woeful!

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      • 1912 F.A Cup Winners
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        17 hours, 49 mins ago

        Mark has definitely mixed it up!!

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      • More FPL changes
        RedLightning
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 15 Years
        17 hours, 45 mins ago

        https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4362127/whats-new-in-202526-fantasy-changes-to-bonus-points-system

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        1. ritzyd
          • 7 Years
          17 hours, 38 mins ago

          Gosh, a lot of change generally happening, makes penalty taking forwards very slightly worse and defenders slightly more appealing.

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

            It makes Salah and Palmer much better than any pen taking forward. They only lose 6 points compared to before in the BPS whereas forwards lose 12. Go figure that logic, feels like one they haven't thought through at all. And midfielders were generally better in the BPS anyway.

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            1. Jimmy B
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              17 hours, 9 mins ago

              and has been pointed out elsewhere midfielders get more points for scoring a goal in the main scoring anyway. So strikers who take pens have been royally screwed vs midfielders who take pens.

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      • yousunkmybattleship
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        17 hours, 31 mins ago

        Lame addition this one

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      • Jafooli
        • 13 Years
        17 hours, 26 mins ago

        Okay, all a bit too much all at once - now I'm a full time casual, can't really cope with too much change - bring back 'man (or woman) in the stands'...

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      • Mirror Man
        • 1 Year
        17 hours, 26 mins ago

        The old farts love to moan!

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        1. Jafooli
          • 13 Years
          17 hours, 18 mins ago

          Exactly, the one posting above your comment is a complete nugget

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          1. Mirror Man
            • 1 Year
            16 hours, 55 mins ago

            Mount the kitchen table, legs akimbo, and fan your balls. It'll be alright in the morning.

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        2. TheBiffas
          • 4 Years
          17 hours, 17 mins ago

          iTs AlL tOo MuCh ÷{

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      • Jimmy B
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        17 hours, 20 mins ago

        The bonus system just isn't something even hardcore FPL fans can fully get to grip with, far too much goes into it. I do like they've reduced penalties scored but you'll have a stupid situation within their own rules probably where a player misses a penalty so gets penalised for that but it was a shot on target so they get some credit, and then they score the rebound which means they get full goal scored credit again, probably means they end up better off in the bonus. I haven't worked it out but its probably true.

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      • New article
        RedLightning
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 15 Years
        17 hours, 3 mins ago

        https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2025/07/19/fpl-2025-26-all-the-bonus-points-changes-explained

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      • fplclown
        • 3 Years
        15 hours, 6 mins ago

        They have managed to make the worst game in fantasy history much worse. Well done to the clueless bafoons who have made up this rubbish

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        1. FPL Virgin
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          15 hours, 2 mins ago

          I've been warning all summer about the dangers of giving one man absolute power over the game.

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        2. The Bandit
          • 14 Years
          14 hours, 59 mins ago

          Name checks out ๐Ÿ™„

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