To join the game, select a squad of 15 players: 2 goalkeepers, 5 defenders, 5 midfielders and 3 forwards. The total value of your initial squad must not exceed $100.0m.
You can select up to 3 players from a single club.
From your 15 players, select a starting 11 by the gameweek deadline. Any formation is allowed, as long as 1 goalkeeper, at least 3 defenders, at least 2 midfielders and at least 1 forward are selected at all times.
Select a captain and a vice-captain. The captain's score is doubled. If the captain plays 0 minutes in the gameweek, the vice-captain's score is doubled instead.
If a starting player doesn't play, they are automatically replaced by the highest-priority substitute who played and keeps a valid formation. Substitutions are made in the order of your bench.
After selecting your squad you can buy and sell players in the transfer market. Unlimited transfers can be made at no cost until your first deadline.
After your first deadline you receive 1 free transfer each gameweek. Unused free transfers carry over, up to a maximum of 5. Each additional transfer costs 4 points.
Player prices change during the season depending on the popularity of the player in the transfer market.
When you sell a player, you receive the price you paid plus half of any rise since you bought them, rounded down to the nearest $0.1m. A fall in price is passed on in full.
You get a full set of chips in each half of the season: gameweeks 1–14 and 15–28. Chips from the first half must be played by gameweek 14 or they are lost. Only one chip can be played in a gameweek.
During the season, your players are given points based on their performance in each match.
| Action | GK | DEF | MID | FWD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 59 minutes played | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 60 minutes or more | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Goal scored | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Assist | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Clean sheet (60+ minutes) | 4 | 4 | 1 | – |
| Every 3 saves | 1 | – | – | – |
| Penalty save | 5 | – | – | – |
| Penalty miss | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 |
| Every 2 goals conceded | −1 | −1 | – | – |
| Defensive contributions (10 CBIT / 7 CBIRT) | – | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Yellow card | −1 | −1 | −1 | −1 |
| Red card | −3 | −3 | −3 | −3 |
| Own goal | −2 | −2 | −2 | −2 |
| Bonus: three best in the Bonus Points System | 3/2/1 | 3/2/1 | 3/2/1 | 3/2/1 |
Bonus points go to the three best performing players in each match, ranked by the Bonus Points System (BPS), which uses match stats to create a performance score for every player.
The season has 28 gameweeks. With an odd number of clubs, one club has a bye each gameweek.
Changes to your team must be made before the gameweek deadline. Points, bonus and ranks are provisional until the gameweek's last match has finished.
You are automatically entered into the Overall league and, if you choose a favourite club, that club's league. You can also create and join private leagues with friends.
Classic leagues are ranked on total points. In head-to-head leagues you play one opponent each gameweek: 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw.