What is the FPL Wildcard and when can it be used? | OneFootball

In this latest FPL Training Academy article – a series in which we explain everything you need to know about the game – we take a look at the FPL wildcard.

What is the FPL Wildcard? The Wildcard is by far the most powerful chip in Fantasy Premier League. Veterans of the game will need no introduction, but those who are new to FPL can make the most out of this chip after reading this guide. A Wildcard allows you to make unlimited changes to your team without incurring any point hits. Want to know who some of the game’s best managers picked in their Gameweek 8 Wildcards? See our expert team reveals All FPL managers are given one free transfer per week and two free transfers if you roll (save) a transfer. You cannot roll more than two free transfers, so you would effectively ‘lose’ a transfer if you didn’t make a single change across two gameweeks. Every additional transfer you make on top of your initial free transfer(s) results in a four-point hit per transfer. For example, if you have one free transfer and you make three transfers, you will be deducted eight points from your total score. However, with a Wildcard, you can make as many changes to your team as you want without losing any points. Chips are a key part of the game. Picture by Getty Images When can I use the Wildcard in FPL? We are provided with two Wildcards throughout the season. In the 2022/23 FPL season, the first Wildcard will be available from the start of the season until Saturday, November 12 at 1.30pm. The second Wildcard will be available after Monday, December 26 at 1.30pm, in readiness for the January transfer window opening. It will remain available until the end of the season. But bear in mind this season that fantasy managers also have an unofficial third wildcard due to the World Cup in Qatar. The FPL website confirmed: “Unlimited free transfers can also be made between Sat 12 Nov 13:30 and Mon 26 Dec 13:30 when the Premier League season has been adjusted to accommodate the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.” As a result, this may affect when managers opt to play their first and second Wildcards. For example, there is little point in playing the Wildcard in the week before the Premier League breaks for the World Cup. To use the Wildcard you have to make your transfers. Upon confirming these changes, the option to play the Wildcard will appear. After finalising these transfers, the chip is now active and you can transfer in as many players as you want before the upcoming deadline. Once you confirm the Wildcard, it cannot be cancelled, so ensure you want to play it before activating the chip. When should you use your first FPL Wildcard? The key to a successful season often hinges on your Wildcard selection and when you decide to use it. The beauty of the chip is that there are no rules on when you have to play them. Yet it’s important to avoid being reactionary and not use the Wildcard after one bad gameweek. Why was Gameweek 8 a popular time for managers to use their Wildcard? Gameweek 8 was a popular time for FPL managers to use their Wildcard. There were three unexpected postponed fixtures due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II and preparations ahead of her state funeral on Monday, September 19. With many managers planning to use their first Wildcard around Gameweek 9, this change in the schedule prompted some to hit the trigger slightly earlier than planned. A Free Hit was also a possibility in Gameweek 8, especially for those who had already used their Wildcard and had a number of players set to blank. But using the Wildcard early and retaining the Free Hit for blank gameweeks later in the season will have been the preferred strategy for many. The optimal strategy for the second Wildcard in FPL Since the introduction of additional chips, mainly the Bench Boost and Triple Captain, the way we use the second Wildcard has changed drastically. A popular strategy is to use the Bench Boost in a double gameweek where certain players will have two fixtures within a gameweek. The second Wildcard can be used to load up on 15 of these double gameweek players a week or two in advance. This sets your team up in a really strong position to maximise these double gameweek opportunities. There has been a debate among fantasy football purists about whether this is the optimal strategy. You can gain huge scores from this method in a short period of time. On the other hand, you are sacrificing other gameweeks in the process by fixating on the double gameweeks. There is also the potential issue of using the Wildcard too late in the season and not gaining more points in the long-term by using the chip earlier. I have used the Wildcard to Bench Boost strategy ever since the chips were introduced and have done well with them. I still don’t believe this is the only way, and I know many who have taken different approaches and remained successful. Price changes and your FPL Wildcard Another advantage of using the Wildcard is you can jump on players who are rising in price which boosts your team value. T his tactic is only eligible on the first Wildcard early on in the campaign when price changes are extremely volatile. It can propel your season and give you a slight advantage for your second Wildcard as you have more money to buy the players you want. I don’t pay as much attention to price changes compared to most managers but it’s still important to be aware of price changes. If you plan to get rid of a player with a lot of money tied up in them, make sure you are 100% certain, as you can’t buy them back at the same price. You will have to buy those players at their current price which will either leave you short or cause your team value to decrease. As discussed throughout the article, it’s essential to think of your Wildcard as a long-term solution rather than a short-term fix. Plan your Wildcard, be patient and do not use it on a whim or as a knee-jerk reaction. The Wildcard is the strongest chip available to us and using it well will likely define your entire season. What is the difference between Wildcard and Free Hit? The Wildcard sets any changes you make to your team from that point onwards. That means it does not go back to normal – in other words the team you had previously – once the gameweek ends. A Free Hit, meanwhile, only changes it for one week. See more in our guide to Free Hits here. Can I use Wildcard and Triple Captain together? No, only one chip can be active at one time, so you can’t play both Wildcard and Triple Captain in one gameweek.   Follow the Hub