FPL 2026/27
FPL 2026/27 Pre-Season Guide: Early Transfer Targets
Your Fantasy Premier League 2026/27 pre-season guide — how to plan your initial squad, the early transfer targets to watch, and how to use the off-season to get ahead.
The best Fantasy Premier League seasons are won in July, not August. A little pre-season planning — before prices settle and the crowd piles in — is the cheapest edge in the game. Here's how to set up your FPL 2026/27 squad and the early targets worth watching.
When the season starts, our FPL fixture difficulty ticker and FPL Wrapped are the tools to keep handy.
Plan the structure before the players
Start with shape, not names. Decide roughly how you'll split your budget — how many premiums, where you'll save — before you fall in love with individual picks. A common template is two or three premium attackers, value in defence, and a bench that can cover a rotation or an early injury.
Prioritise the opening fixtures
The first few gameweeks are worth planning around. Use the fixture difficulty ticker as soon as the schedule drops: target attackers from teams with kind opening runs and defenders from sides likely to keep early clean sheets. Nailing the first five gameweeks builds an early lead and a war-chest of transfers.
Watch for pre-season price movement
Prices shift on ownership before a ball is kicked. Popular picks rise; overlooked players stay cheap. Locking in a rising player early banks value; waiting means paying more. Keep a shortlist and move before the herd.
Don't over-commit to one team
New managers, transfers and tactical shakeups make pre-season noisy. Avoid stacking too many players from a single club until you've seen how the side actually lines up — flexibility early is worth more than certainty.
Use the off-season to review last year
The quickest way to improve is to learn from your own season. FPL Wrapped turns your team ID into a full review — total points, best and worst gameweeks, chips, and bench points — so you head into 2026/27 knowing exactly where you left points on the table.
Set reminders for the deadlines
Pre-season plans only pay off if you actually act on them. Note the price-change patterns, the fixture release, and the first deadline, and revisit your shortlist as team news firms up.
Do the groundwork now, and when the season opens you'll be a step ahead. Then run your calls against friends in a Footsy league and see who reads the season best.