Fantasy Premier League chips can swing a season, but only if you understand exactly when each one is available and what happens after you activate it. The main FPL chips are Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain. In seasons where it is included, Assistant Manager also has its own rules, timing limits and cooldowns.
This guide covers the core chip rules, half-season deadlines, blank and double gameweek restrictions, and the edge cases that often catch managers out.
How many chips do you get in FPL?
- 2 Wildcards across the season, with 1 per half-season
- 1 Free Hit
- 1 Bench Boost
- 1 Triple Captain
- 1 Assistant Manager chip in seasons where that chip is active
You can only play one chip in a single gameweek. If you activate one, you cannot combine it with another chip for that same deadline.
Wildcard rules
How many Wildcards do you get?
You get two Wildcards per season, split across the campaign:
- First Wildcard: available from the start of the season until the Gameweek 19 deadline
- Second Wildcard: available from the Gameweek 20 deadline until the end of the season
For this split, think of the season as GW1 to GW19 and GW20 to GW38.
Can you carry a Wildcard forward?
No. If you do not use your first Wildcard before the GW19 deadline, it expires. It does not roll into the second half of the season, and you still only get one second-half Wildcard from GW20 onwards.
What does the Wildcard do?
A Wildcard lets you make unlimited free transfers before the deadline in that gameweek. Once the deadline passes, your new squad becomes permanent.
Do Wildcard transfers affect future free transfers?
Yes. After playing a Wildcard, your squad is reset to the final version you selected before the deadline. You do not bank extra free transfers from all the moves you made while tinkering. After the gameweek updates, you return to the normal transfer system.
Can you cancel a Wildcard?
Yes, up until the deadline, as long as the game allows it and you have not confirmed other actions that lock it in. Before the deadline, you can usually deactivate the chip and revert to normal transfer rules.
Free Hit rules
How many Free Hits do you get?
You get one Free Hit chip per season.
What does Free Hit do?
Free Hit gives you unlimited transfers for one gameweek only. At the next deadline, your squad reverts to what it was before you activated the chip.
When is Free Hit useful?
It is most commonly used in a blank gameweek to cover missing fixtures, or in a double gameweek to target short-term upside without damaging your long-term squad structure.
What are the key Free Hit edge cases?
- Your team reverts after the gameweek, so any players bought on Free Hit are temporary
- Any transfers you made earlier in the week before activating Free Hit are absorbed into the chip and do not carry forward
- You cannot use Free Hit and another chip in the same gameweek
- If your original squad changes in price while Free Hit is active, the game still restores the pre-Free-Hit squad based on FPL rules
A common mistake is thinking a transfer made before activating Free Hit will remain in place next week. It will not. Once Free Hit is played, the entire gameweek is treated as temporary.
Bench Boost rules
How many times can you use Bench Boost?
You get one Bench Boost per season.
What does Bench Boost do?
Bench Boost means the points scored by your bench players, including your reserve goalkeeper, are added to your total for that gameweek.
When can you use Bench Boost?
You can use it in any eligible gameweek, but it is usually saved for a double gameweek when more players may have two fixtures.
Are there restrictions in blank gameweeks?
Bench Boost can technically be played in a gameweek where some teams blank, but it is usually poor strategy if your bench includes players without a fixture. In short, it is allowed, but often less effective in BGWs.
The key rule is that your bench must still contain valid players. If a benched player does not play or has no fixture, they simply score zero.
Triple Captain rules
How many times can you use Triple Captain?
You get one Triple Captain chip per season.
What does Triple Captain do?
Your captain scores triple points instead of the usual double for that gameweek.
Can you use Triple Captain in a blank gameweek?
Yes, if your captain has a fixture. There is no general rule stopping you from using Triple Captain in a blank gameweek. However, if your captain’s team does not play, the chip is wasted.
Like Bench Boost, Triple Captain is often saved for a double gameweek to increase upside, but that is a strategy choice rather than a rules requirement.
Assistant Manager chip rules
In seasons where Assistant Manager is active, it works differently from the classic one-week chips.
How many times can you use Assistant Manager?
You get one Assistant Manager chip in that season only if FPL has included it as an active chip.
How long does it last?
Assistant Manager typically runs for three consecutive gameweeks once activated, rather than a single week.
What are the important restrictions?
- You cannot use another chip while Assistant Manager is active
- It may be unavailable in some blank gameweeks depending on the official rules for that season
- There can be cooldown restrictions around changing your selected manager or reactivating related options within the chip window
- The chip expires automatically after its set duration
Because Assistant Manager rules can be season-specific, always check the official FPL help pages when the chip is launched. The broad principle is that it has a fixed active period, can block use of other chips during that time, and may have extra limits around blank gameweeks and manager switches.
Can you use chips in blank or double gameweeks?
Yes, but the answer depends on the chip:
- Wildcard: yes, can be used in BGWs or DGWs
- Free Hit: yes, often used in BGWs or DGWs
- Bench Boost: yes, but stronger in DGWs than BGWs
- Triple Captain: yes, if your captain has a fixture
- Assistant Manager: may have season-specific BGW restrictions
So if you have heard that some chips cannot be used in blank gameweeks, that mostly applies to Assistant Manager only where stated by that season’s rules, not the classic chips.
General chip rules and common edge cases
- Only one chip per gameweek
- Chips must be activated before the deadline
- Once the deadline passes, the chip is locked
- Wildcard and Free Hit are different: Wildcard is permanent, Free Hit is temporary
- Unused chips do not carry into next season
- The first Wildcard expires after GW19
- Assistant Manager may include cooldowns or lock periods depending on that season’s implementation
Final word
If you want the simple version, here it is: use your first Wildcard by GW19, your second from GW20 onward, and remember you only get one of every other chip. Free Hit lasts one week, Bench Boost and Triple Captain affect one gameweek, and Assistant Manager, when active, usually lasts multiple weeks with extra restrictions.
Understanding the rules matters just as much as chip strategy. Get the timing right, avoid the expiry traps, and you give yourself the best chance of turning each chip into a rank boost rather than a wasted opportunity.