Fixtures

When will the Blank and Double Gameweeks take place in FPL this season?

Monday’s surprise announcement that the EFL Cup final would move back two months has caused a stir in the Fantasy world, as it would seem to have implications for the Blank and Double Gameweek picture.

First off, there will very likely be a Blank Gameweek 33, in which one or two Premier League fixtures will be postponed depending on how many top-flight clubs progress through the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the EFL Cup.

Secondly, Gameweek 26 will, barring any further weather or COVID-related postponements, have a full complement of 10 Premier League games taking place on the last weekend of February.

The free midweek after Gameweek 26 may well have accommodated any postponements from the weekend had the EFL Cup final clash occurred as originally scheduled.

Instead, it may now host other rearranged games, be it the outstanding fixtures from Gameweeks 1 and 11 and/or other cup-related postponed matches.

So here’s what we know about the Blank/Double Gameweek picture so far…

WHICH BLANK AND DOUBLE GAMEWEEKS ARE SO FAR CONFIRMED?

Blank Gameweek 18 and Double Gameweek 19 have been confirmed by Fantasy Premier League and look as follows:

WHICH FIXTURES REMAIN OUTSTANDING?

Three postponed fixtures (two from Gameweek 1 and one from Gameweek 11) are yet to be rearranged. They are:

  • Burnley v Manchester United
  • Manchester City v Aston Villa
  • Aston Villa v Newcastle

It’s possible that two of those could still fall within Gameweeks 18 or 19, thus adding to the Double Gameweek 19 fixture bonanza or meaning that fewer teams will be without a match in Blank Gameweek 18.

But other dates are possible, as we’ll discuss below.

WHEN COULD OTHER BLANK GAMEWEEKS OCCUR?

There are two Gameweeks in which the Premier League schedule clashes with a cup competition and there is no ‘free’ midweek afterwards. These Gameweeks, therefore, could be ‘blanks’:

  • Gameweek 29: The FA Cup quarter-finals take place on the same weekend. An international break subsequently follows, so any postponed league matches couldn’t take place in the ensuing days. Anywhere between zero and eight league games could be affected.
  • Gameweek 33: The EFL Cup final takes place on the same weekend, with the Champions League and Europa League semi-finals scheduled for the following midweek. Between one and two league matches will be affected.

WHEN COULD OTHER DOUBLE GAMEWEEKS OCCUR?

  • Gameweek 26: The most obvious time to stage any outstanding matches will be Gameweek 26, given that no domestic or European competitions are scheduled to place straight afterwards and a free midweek opens up. Two of the three postponed matches from Gameweeks 1/11 could be candidates for this week, as could any rearranged Gameweek 29 clashes.
  • Gameweeks 32 and 37: There are free midweeks immediately after these two Gameweeks, which happen to clash with the FA Cup semi-finals and final. It would make sense for any fixtures affected by those FA Cup ties to be merely shunted back three or four days, but there is the capacity to absorb outstanding matches from other Gameweeks if required.

There are other possible options for a small Double Gameweek, such as Gameweek 23 – although that would require clubs being eliminated early from the FA Cup and thus having a free midweek when the fifth round is due to take place.

WHEN ARE THE CHIPS AVAILABLE?

Joshua Bull crowned overall FPL champion for 2019/20

A shrewd chip strategy will be needed to navigate through this tricky period of Blank and Double Gameweeks, and that’s before we acknowledge the possibility of COVID-19 wreaking more havoc on the football calendar.

The chips, which can’t be used in conjunction with another in the same Gameweek, are available as follows:

Bench Boost, Triple Captain and Free Hit – can be used once a season at any time.

First Wildcard – available until the start of Gameweek 16 (Monday 28 December at 13:30 GMT).

Second Wildcard – available after the start of Gameweek 16 (Monday 28 December at 13:30 GMT).


Be sure to check out our Blank Gameweek 18 and Double Gameweek 19 guide below for more information.

825 Comments Post a Comment
  1. OptimusBlack
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Who To C for GW 15 ??
    A- Robbo
    B- Burno
    C- Kane
    D- KDB
    E- Mahrez
    F - Bamford
    G- Grealish

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      D win-win situation

    2. Pops15
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      From that lot KDB

  2. Muchentuchel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Meslier
    Chilwell-Justin-Creswell
    Son-Bruno-Salah-Mahrez
    Bamford-Kane-DCL

    Is there anything against my Chilwell --> TAA and Mahrez --> Prowsy plan?

  3. CasaBanter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    If I free transfer someone in and then play my free hit card in the same gameweek and get rid of them, do they stay with my team for the week after the free hit week?

    1. CasaBanter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Or does playing the free hit card then cancel that transfer?

    2. Gnu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      No, Freehit cancels all previous made transfers.

      1. CasaBanter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Ok, thank you

        So during the week of the free hit, does your proper team that you resort back to still go up and down in value in the free hit week?

        1. Gnu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Yes

          1. CasaBanter
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

  4. Hig1990
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Chilwel to? Already have Robbo and Dias. Thinking west ham or spurs def?

    1. 0james0
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I'm. In the same boat. Have Robbo and Zouma.
      Torn on what to do. James if fit would be the obvious choice, but not sure how bad that injury is. Matip is a solid option, just a boring one.
      Cancelo appeals, but pep roulette scares me, even though he seems to have it nailed. Then Dias is an options, but I prefer not to have CB.

      Cresswell is my other option, just for attacking returns.

      Love to know everyone's thoughts

  5. P@
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Son & JWP to Salah & 4.4? Good idea or too early? Have no pool.

  6. joey
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Leeds are ropey at the back but is Dallas a worthwhile transfer for Chilwell? Decent fixture a and a good double in 19, also allows Brewster to Adams

    1. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Yup, but remember he’s on 3 yellows

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Doesn’t that reset soon?

  7. MartialMatas
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Chilwell KDB Benrahma to Robertson Bruno Raphinha for -4?

    Martinez
    Chilwell Cancelo KWP
    Salah KDB Grealish Benrahma
    Kane DCL Bamford

    4.0 Soucek Taylor Furlong

    2ft £0.4m

  8. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    What to do with this mess? 1FT. 5.9 ITB.
    Plan is/was to avoid FH in GW18. Perhaps FH in 19.

    Martinez
    Gabriel Bellerin Lamptey*
    KBD Bruno Grealish Saka Mahrez
    Martial Bamford

    McCarthy | Lewis, Brewster, Mitchell

    A) Brewster > Aguero
    B) Bellerin + Mahrez > Cancelo + Son *
    C) Bellerin + Mahrez > Robbo + Son ¬
    D) Bellerin + Mahrez > Robbo + Neto ^

    * Money for Bamford/Martial > Aguero
    ¬ Money for Martial > Aguero
    ^ Money for Brewster > Aguero

    I quite like D as I can keep Bamford and Martial for after the DGW if they are good options at the point. Would also like Son though...

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Alternatively, could go for D but with Cancelo instead of Robbo for the extra GW18er and 2.0 ITB.