Unlike most European top-tier leagues, the English Football League (EFL) kicks off its new season on August 1, and so does the popular Fantasy EFL game!
First launched last summer, Fantasy EFL covers all three divisions of the English Football League: the Championship, League One, and League Two.
Following a highly successful inaugural season that attracted over 100,000 sign-ups, the game is back for another round of action with 40 Gameweeks’ worth of drama.
The opening match of the season, and the first for Fantasy EFL players to sink their teeth into, is on August 1 under the lights at Kenilworth Road, as Luton Town host AFC Wimbledon in League One.
For Gameweek 1, only League One and League Two teams will be in action, with the Championship joining the fray in Gameweek 2.
For those new to the game, check out our How to Play Guide:
- READ MORE: How to Play
- READ MORE: 72 of the best and funniest team names
We’ll save the deep dive into all the mechanics for our guide, but here’s the gist: you’ll pick seven players and two clubs. This neat 7+2 combo mirrors the 72 clubs that make up the exciting English Football League.
Here are our 7+2 awesome reasons to give Fantasy EFL a go this season!
1. It’s your only Fantasy Football option for the next few weeks
Are you eagerly awaiting the return of Fantasy Football but frustrated by the late starts for FPL, LaLiga, Ligue 1, Serie A and the Bundesliga?
While Fantasy Premier League managers have to wait until August 15, and UCL Fantasy doesn’t kick off until mid-September, Fantasy EFL returns this week.
Instead of endlessly tweaking your FPL team, why not build a squad that will score you points, for better or worse, in less than 10 days?
2. You already know plenty of teams
Fantasy EFL covers the next three levels of the English football pyramid immediately below the Premier League. As a result, you’ll already be familiar with a number of teams and players from recent seasons.
Southampton, Ipswich Town, and Leicester City faced a tough time in the Premier League, resulting in their relegation. However, they’ll be looking to make a strong push for promotion in the Championship.
Several other clubs have recently played in the top flight and are now in the divisions below. These include but are not limited to: Blackburn Rovers, Norwich City, Middlesbrough, Watford, QPR, West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United, and Stoke City.
Some familiar names have slipped further down the pyramid. Among these are Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers, Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City, Derby County, and Reading.
Beyond those, there are intriguing stories unfolding in the lower leagues. Wrexham has garnered significant attention, with Hollywood investment shining a spotlight on the club. Meanwhile, Birmingham City, under the leadership of chairman Tom Wagner and with a minority stake held by NFL legend Tom Brady, have made waves. They broke records in League One last season and are now aiming for similar success in the second tier.
3. The divisions are star-studded
It’s not just the clubs that will be familiar, the 72 sides are packed full of familiar faces and names that have graced the Premier League
In the Championship, to name but a few, Sheffield United’s Gustavo Hamer (M), Ipswich Town’s Ashley Young (D), Leicester City’s Jordan Ayew (F), Stoke City’s Aaron Cresswell (D), WBA’s Nathaniel Phillips (D) and Birmingham City’s Damarai Gray (F).
In League One, Paul Mullin (F) of Wigan Athletic, a standout for Wrexham in Disney+, while Luton Town’s Alfie Doughty (M) went down in FPL folklore. Additionally, Stockport County’s Oliver Norwood (M) played top-flight football, while FPL fans will fondly remember David McGoldrick (F) now at Barnsley and Billy Sharp (F) of Doncaster Rovers.
Even in League Two, you’ll find players with top-flight experience like former Burnley talisman Sam Vokes (F), who made 111 appearances, now plays for Gillingham. Also still active at 37 is Walsall’s Albert Adomah (D).
Even players like Will Grigg (F), known for his iconic EURO 2016 song, are still plying their trade at Chesterfield.
Plenty of Premier League talent is also on loan, with Aston Villa sending forward Louie Barry (F) to Sheffield United, where he’s joined by Nottingham Forest defender Tyler Bindon (D). Meanwhile, Wolves midfielder Tommy Doyle (M) is making his mark at Birmingham City.
4. It’s refreshingly unique compared to FPL
Whilst Fantasy EFL shares core features with FPL in terms of points for appearances, goals, assists and clean sheets, there are plenty of refreshing differences too.
FPL have ironically followed a similar suit this year, adding in defensive contributions! EFL had this all along.
All positions are rewarded in extra categories, including blocks, clearances, tackles for defenders, while midfielders get additional scores for interceptions. For the full list, check our updated list from 24/25.
You can pick seven players each week from across the EFL’s three leagues (that’s over 1,500 players from 72 clubs!). Don’t worry about last-minute changes—you can swap players right up to their kick-off times, so leaks or surprise benchings won’t ruin your week.
Plus, you can change your selections every week without needing to worry about transfers.
On top of that, you’ll back individual teams each week, earning points for wins, draws, scoring two or more goals, clean sheets, and away victories.
For full details, check out the game rules here.
5. The Double Gameweek delight doesn’t end
Last season, we were expecting 10 Double Gameweeks and one Triple, and we ended with 19 Doubles and two Triples!
In Fantasy EFL with its ‘calendar week’ format from Thursday to Wednesday, you are assured of at least 16 this season.
The first is in Gameweek 3 for League One and League Two sides, while Championship clubs will wait until Gameweek 9.
Check out our fixture ticker here: so you never miss out.
6. It’s great prep for future FPL knowledge
Keeping track of thousands of players might seem overwhelming, but it gives you an exclusive advantage in predicting the future of hundreds of FPL assets.
This insight allows you to identify potential bargain players for upcoming transfer windows or future FPL seasons, particularly from the Championship clubs promoted for the 2026/27 season.
Last season, we saw talents like James Trafford, Maxime Esteve, Josh Brownhill, Daniel James, Jayden Bogle, and Trai Hume emerge from clubs like Burnley, Leeds, and Sunderland on FEFL.
Furthermore, you can monitor young Premier League players excelling on loan as mentioned previously.
Last season, players such as Tyler Bindon (D), who shone at Reading, and Owen Goodman (G), who helped AFC Wimbledon reach the play-off final.
7. There are HUGE prizes up for grabs
The EFL has put huge prizes up for grabs:
Added to the above, there are a couple of extra benefits, unique to Fantasy Football Scout (FFS).
7.1 You can compete for prizes in Scout’s mini-league
We’ve launched our FFS mini-league starting from Gameweek 1, worth hundreds of pounds worth of prizes:
- EFL League 1st – £150 cash
EFL League 2nd – £100 cash
EFL League 3rd – £50 cash
EFL League 4th – Annual Membership
EFL League 5th – Annual Membership
EFL League 6th – Annual Membership
EFL League 7th – Annual Membership
EFL League 8th – Annual Membership
EFL League 9th – Annual Membership
EFL League 10th – Annual Membership
In order to qualify, you need to be a free member of FFS and sign up to the league via the code [or click on this link]:
- PIN CODE: 0D9I8JH3
- LEAGUE INVITE: https://fantasy.efl.com/leagues/join/0D9I8JH3
7.2 We’re official partners with the EFL
In case you missed it, we’ve partnered with the EFL for another season of Fantasy EFL!
To get you ready before the season kicks off, we’ve loaded our Fantasy EFL pre-season guide with tons of content. Whether you’re looking for the latest pre-season results or in-depth analysis of specific teams, we’ve got you covered.
Catch up on articles you’ve missed right here, or on the official EFL site.
Most of our content is free to access, and we even have exclusive extra content available for our free members.
Ready to build your dream 7+2? Sign up and start picking your Fantasy EFL team now.
