With the start of a new Premier League season moving ever closer, we switch our focus to Sky Sports Fantasy Football.
For the uninitiated, we will go over the basics of the game in the article below.
How do I play?
Just like in Fantasy Premier League, managers select a team of players that will either earn you attacking, defensive or bonus points in an attempt to score more than your friends, colleagues and/or the rest of the world. However, this not a squad-based game: you choose simply a starting XI and do not have a bench.
The budget, like in FPL, is £100m. There is no quota for players from the same club, however.
Game Weeks run from Friday to Thursday with managers allowed transfers in between Match Days, allowing the maximisation of potential points by bringing in an asset yet to play for one who has already been involved that week.
Instead of one free switch per Game Week as per FPL, the Sky Sports game allocates 40 transfers that can be used at any time during the season – with a limit of five in one Game Week – creating the need for a more long-term strategy.
‘Overhauls’ (the equivalent of Wildcards) are also available in Sky Sports, with two being allocated every season. The first one becomes available to use following the completion of Game Week 4 and remains an option until the deadline for Game Week 6. The dates for the second one will be announced in due course.
In the Sky Sports game, you can name more than one captain in a Game Week so long as the players in question are in action on different days. For example, if there were fixtures on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday in any given Game Week, a Sky Sports Fantasy manager could name a different skipper on each of those Match Days, providing they did so before that day’s deadline. Managers can also schedule their captains ahead of a Game Week, too.
How do you score points?
The points structure is largely similar to FPL in Sky Sports Fantasy but tends to award more points for the actions mentioned below.
| Action | Points scored |
| Starting XI | 2 |
| Substitution appearance | 1 |
| Goal scored by a goalkeeper/defender | 7 |
| Goal scored by a midfielder | 6 |
| Goal scored by a striker | 5 |
| Goal assist | 3 |
| Clean sheet by a goalkeeper (must play 60+ mins) | 7 |
| Clean sheet by a defender (must play 60+ mins) | 5 |
| A penalty save by a goalkeeper | 5 |
| Man of the Match | 3 |
Can My Team Lose Points?
Unfortunately, just like in FPL there are a few ways to lose points too.
| Action | Points scored |
| Missing a penalty | -3 |
| Every goal conceded from the second goal onwards | -1 |
| Each yellow card | -1 |
| Each red card | -3 |
| Each own goal | -2 |
How do Bonus Points work?
Just like in FPL, there are additional points on offer for other events in matches – although the structure is slightly different, as you will see below.
There have been some changes from last season, with fewer shots on target and saves needed to garner points.
| Tier 1 Action | Points scored |
| 3 saves made (GK only) | 2 |
| 4 tackles won | 2 |
| 60 completed passes | 2 |
| 2 shots on target | 2 |
| Tier 2 Action | Points scored |
| 5+ saves made (GK only) | 3 |
| 5+ tackles won | 3 |
| 70+ completed passes | 3 |
| 3+ shots on target | 3 |
How do I play against my friends?
There are a number of different ways to compete against others in the Sky Sports game. You can create or join a Free League with your friends and colleagues but there are ways to win money too.
Sky Sports can actually administer your money league for you to avoid any awkwardness post-season. You can choose the entry fee (either £2, £5, £10 or £20 per person) and the prize structure beforehand and Sky Sports will take care of the rest.
