The last few Fantasy Premier League (FPL) seasons have been disrupted by a global pandemic, train strikes, 2022’s winter World Cup, stadium renovations and the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Combined with the routine FA Cup and EFL Cup fixture clashes, managers usually have numerous Blank and Double Gameweeks to navigate throughout the campaign.
However, the upcoming 2024/25 calendar should – barring more unexpected events – be different.
Here is what we know so far.
2024/25 FPL SCHEDULE
| SATURDAY | MIDWEEK | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 August | GW1 | 20-22 August | UECL playoff (Chelsea) |
| 24 August | GW2 | 27-29 August | UECL playoff (Chelsea) EFL Cup R2 |
| 31 August | GW3 | 3-5 September | Internationals |
| 7 September | Internationals | 10-12 September | Internationals |
| 14 September | GW4 | 17-19 September | EFL Cup R3 (split) European groups |
| 21 September | GW5 | 24-26 September | EFL Cup R3 (split) Europa League groups |
| 28 September | GW6 | 1-3 October | European groups |
| 5 October | GW7 | 8-10 October | Internationals |
| 12 October | Internationals | 15-17 October | Internationals |
| 19 October | GW8 | 22-24 October | European groups |
| 26 October | GW9 | 29-31 October | EFL Cup R4 |
| 2 November | GW10 | 5-7 November | European groups |
| 9 November | GW11 | 12-14 November | Internationals |
| 16 November | Internationals | 19-21 November | Internationals |
| 23 November | GW12 | 26-28 November | European groups |
| 30 November | GW13 | 3-5 December | GW14 |
| 7 December | GW15 | 10-12 December | European groups |
| 14 December | GW16 | 17-19 December | EFL Cup QF Conf Lge groups |
| 21 December | GW17 | 26-27 December | GW18 |
| 28 December | GW19 | 31 December – 2 January | |
| 4 January | GW20 | 7-9 January | EFL Cup SF leg one |
| 11 January | FA Cup R3 | 14-16 January | GW21 |
| 18 January | GW22 | 21-23 January | European groups |
| 25 January | GW23 | 28-30 January | European groups |
| 1 February | GW24 | 4-6 February | EFL Cup SF leg two |
| 8 February | FA Cup R4 | 11-13 February | European play-offs |
| 15 February | GW25 | 18-20 February | European play-offs |
| 22 February | GW26 | 25-27 February | GW27 |
| 1 March | FA Cup R5 | 4-6 March | European knockouts |
| 8 March | GW28 | 11-13 March | European knockouts |
| 15 March | GW29 EFL Cup final | 18-20 March | Internationals |
| 22 March | Internationals | 25-27 March | Internationals |
| 29 March | FA Cup QF | 1-3 April | GW30 |
| 5 April | GW31 | 8-10 April | European QFs |
| 12 April | GW32 | 15-17 April | European QFs |
| 19 April | GW33 | 22-24 April | |
| 26 April | GW34 FA Cup SF | 29 April – 1 May | European SFs |
| 3 May | GW35 | 6-8 May | European SFs |
| 10 May | GW36 | 13-15 May | |
| 17 May | GW37 FA Cup final | 20-22 May | Europa League final |
| 24 May | GW38 |
WHEN ARE THE BLANK AND DOUBLE GAMEWEEKS?
Many FPL managers save their chips for these occasions, as they try to maximise points totals.
But the April announcement that FA Cup quarter-finals will now have their own weekend – away from any Premier League fixtures – means that the traditional biggest Blank Gameweek doesn’t exist anymore. For example, the 2023/24 equivalent only contained four top-flight matches.
Therefore, we’ll have fewer and smaller Blank and Double Gameweeks.
Knowing this, FPL managers can start thinking differently about this season’s chip strategies.
Double Gameweek 24
Liverpool and Everton will both get a Double Gameweek 24 after the postponed Merseyside derby was rescheduled for Wednesday 12 February.
The fixture was set to take place in Gameweek 15 but adverse weather conditions led to the match being called off.
Double Gameweek 25
Liverpool and Aston Villa will ‘double’ in Gameweek 25 after the Reds made it through to the EFL Cup final.
Blank Gameweek 29
Gameweek 29 clashes with EFL Cup final weekend. It’ll postpone two Premier League matches: Aston Villa v Liverpool and Newcastle United v Crystal Palace are both off.
Double Gameweek 32
That Newcastle United v Crystal Palace match is now arranged for Gameweek 32, making it a double for both clubs.
Double Gameweek 33
A free midweek follows Gameweek 33. Any outstanding cancellations from Gameweek 34 could move into Gameweek 33, making it a double.
Blank Gameweek 34
Straight after that probable double are the FA Cup semi-finals where there will be between 3-4 blanks.
| GW34 Premier League fixture | Status | A blank will happen in the following situation: |
| Arsenal v Crystal Palace | Possible blank | If Crystal Palace progress to the FA Cup semi-finals |
| Bournemouth v Manchester United | Possible blank | If Bournemouth progress to the FA Cup semi-finals |
| Brighton and Hove Albion v West Ham United | Possible blank | If Brighton and Hove Albion progress to the FA Cup semi-finals |
| Chelsea v Everton | On | |
| Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur | On | |
| Manchester City v Aston Villa | Possible blank | If Manchester City and/or Aston Villa progress to the FA Cup semi-finals |
| Newcastle United v Ipswich Town | On | |
| Nottingham Forest v Brentford | Possible blank | If Nottingham Forest progress to the FA Cup semi-finals |
| Southampton v Fulham | Possible blank | If Fulham progress to the FA Cup semi-finals |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leicester City | On |
Double Gameweek 36
A free midweek follows Gameweek 36. Any outstanding cancellations from Gameweek 34/37 could move into Gameweek 36, making it a double.
Blank Gameweek 37?
The FA Cup final clashes with Gameweek 37.
But the only scheduled match in the midweek after this is the Europa League final.
So if the FA Cup finalists haven’t gone the distance in that European competition, their Gameweek 37 matches may be nudged into midweek or brought forward into Gameweek 36.
So, it’ll either remain a round where all 20 teams play once or we might have a minor Blank Gameweek.
7 months, 17 days agoFewer blanks and doubles. More rolled FTs
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