Looking at the complete 2025/26 calendar, Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers can predict when Blank and Double Gameweeks will occur.
In recent times, seasons have been disrupted by a global pandemic, train strikes, a winter World Cup, stadium renovations, weather and the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Combined with routine FA Cup and EFL Cup fixture clashes, managers usually have numerous Blank and Double Gameweeks to navigate.
However, 2024/25 featured fewer of these. This upcoming year should be similar.
Here is what we know so far.
2025/26 FPL SCHEDULE
| WEEKEND | MIDWEEK | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 16 August | GW1 | 19 – 21 August | Forest’s Conf Lge playoff |
| Sat 23 August | GW2 | 26 – 28 August | Forest’s Conf Lge playoff + EFL Cup R2 |
| Sat 30 August | GW3 | 2 – 4 September | International break |
| Sat 6 September | International break | 9 – 11 September | International break |
| Sat 13 September | GW4 | 16 – 18 September | EFL Cup R3 (split) + Champs Lge MD1 |
| Sat 20 September | GW5 | 23 – 25 September | EFL Cup R3 (split) + Europa Lge MD1 |
| Sat 27 September | GW6 | 30 Sept – 2 October | European group games |
| Sat 4 October | GW7 | 7 – 9 October | International break |
| Sat 11 October | International break | 14 – 16 October | International break |
| Sat 18 October | GW8 | 21 – 23 October | European group games |
| Sat 25 October | GW9 | 28 – 30 October | EFL Cup R4 |
| Sat 1 November | GW10 | 4 – 6 November | European group games |
| Sat 8 November | GW11 | 11 – 13 November | International break |
| Sat 15 November | International break | 18 – 20 November | International break |
| Sat 22 November | GW12 | 25 – 27 November | European group games |
| Sat 29 November | GW13 | 2 – 4 December | GW14 |
| Sat 6 December | GW15 | 9 – 11 December | European group games |
| Sat 13 December | GW16 | 16 – 18 December | EFL Cup QF + Conf Lge MD6 |
| Sat 20 December | GW17 | 23 – 25 December | (Christmas) |
| Fri 26 December | GW18 | 30 Dec – 1 January | GW19 |
| Sat 3 January | GW20 | 6 – 8 January | GW21 |
| Sat 10 January | FA Cup R3 | 13 – 15 January | EFL Cup semis (one) |
| Sat 17 January | GW22 | 20 – 22 January | Champs Lge MD7 + Europa Lge MD7 |
| Sat 24 January | GW23 | 27 – 29 January | Champs Lge MD8 + Europa Lge MD8 |
| Sat 31 January | GW24 | 3 – 5 February | EFL Cup semis (two) |
| Sat 7 February | GW25 | 10 – 12 February | GW26 |
| Sat 14 February | FA Cup R4 | 17 – 19 February | European playoffs |
| Sat 21 February | GW27 | 24 – 26 February | European playoffs |
| Sat 28 February | GW28 | 3 – 5 March | GW29 |
| Sat 7 March | FA Cup R5 | 10 – 12 March | European round of 16 |
| Sat 14 March | GW30 | 17 – 19 March | European round of 16 |
| Sat 21 March | GW31 + EFL Cup final | 24 – 26 March | International break |
| Sat 28 March | International break | 31 March – 2 April | International break |
| Sat 4 April | FA Cup QF | 7 – 9 April | European QFs |
| Sat 11 April | GW32 | 14 – 16 April | European QFs |
| Sat 18 April | GW33 | 21 – 23 April | |
| Sat 25 April | GW34 + FA Cup semis | 28 – 30 April | European SFs |
| Sat 2 May | GW35 | 5 – 7 May | European SFs |
| Sat 9 May | GW36 | 12 – 14 May | |
| Sat 16 May | GW37 + FA Cup final | Wed 20 May | Europa Lge final |
| Sun 24 May | GW38 | Wed 27 May | Conf Lge final |
LAST SEASON’S BLANK AND DOUBLE GAMEWEEKS
With the FA Cup quarter-finals back to having their own weekend, away from any Premier League fixtures, 2024/25 robbed managers of FPL’s traditional biggest Blank Gameweek.
Instead, there was less chaos. The EFL Cup final caused two Blank Gameweek 29 postponements, which moved to Double Gameweeks 25 and 32. Meanwhile, FA Cup semi-final weekend nudged a couple of Blank Gameweek 34 encounters to Double Gameweek 33.
Oh, plus a weather cancellation of Gameweek 15’s Merseyside derby. That eventually took place in Double Gameweek 24.
WHAT ABOUT 2025/26?
Many FPL managers save their chips for these occasions, as they try to maximise points totals. But now we have fewer and smaller Blank and Double Gameweeks.
DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 26
Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers will have a double in Gameweek 26. The other 18 clubs play once.
BLANK GAMEWEEK 31
Gameweek 31 clashes with the EFL Cup final.
Arsenal, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester City and Crystal Palace consequently blank. The other 16 clubs play as normal.
BLANK GAMEWEEK 34
Gameweek 34 clashes with the FA Cup semi-finals.
As many as four Premier League fixtures could be postponed, although some of those postponed games could stay in Gameweek 34 by moving to the midweek afterwards.
| GW34 Premier League fixture | Status | Match will be postponed if the following occurs: | Odds of postponement | Will it definitely be a blank if the match is postponed? |
| Brighton v Chelsea | Possible blank | If Chelsea beat Port Vale in the FA Cup quarter-finals | 91.3% | No |
| Arsenal v Newcastle | Possible blank | If Arsenal beat Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals | 88.1% | Yes |
| Burnley v Man City | Possible blank | If Man City beat Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals | 66.2% | No |
| West Ham v Everton | Possible blank | If West Ham beat Leeds in the FA Cup quarter-finals | 55.8% | No |
| Bournemouth v Leeds | Possible blank | If Leeds beat West Ham in the FA Cup quarter-finals | 44.2% | No |
| Liverpool v C Palace | Possible blank | If Liverpool beat Man City in the FA Cup quarter-finals | 33.8% | Yes |
| Fulham v Aston Villa | On | |||
| Man Utd v Brentford | On | |||
| Sunderland v Nottm Forest | On | |||
| Wolves v Spurs | On | |||
| Maximum number of postponements: 4 | ||||
| Minimum number of postponements: 2 |
BLANK GAMEWEEK 37?
Furthermore, there’s the potential for cup finals to cause one blank in Gameweek 37.
That would only happen if:
- Liverpool reach the FA Cup final *and*
- Aston Villa reach the Europa League final
Aston Villa v Liverpool would consequently be shifted to a different Gameweek if the above happens.
DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 33/36
There are free midweeks after Gameweek 33 and 36.
At the moment, it looks like they’ll house Manchester City v Crystal Palace and whichever Gameweek 34 matches are postponed and need moving to a different Gameweek.
We should get clarification on that in early April.
