FPL Draft Rules
The complete rulebook: 15-player squads drafted in a snake, one owner per player, no budgets, no captains, no chips — and everything your league can configure around that.
Squad rules
Every squad has 15 players: 2 goalkeepers, 5 defenders, 5 midfielders and 3 forwards. Each gameweek you start 11 in any formation with exactly 1 goalkeeper, at least 3 defenders and at least 1 forward — 3-4-3, 3-5-2, 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 4-5-1, 5-3-2 and 5-4-1 all qualify.
The other four players sit on a ranked bench. If a starter does not feature, automatic substitutions bring on the first eligible bench player whose position keeps your formation valid — set your bench order deliberately, it decides who comes on.
There is no budget and no player prices: availability is the only constraint. Once a player is on someone's roster, nobody else in the league can own them. And there are no captains or chips — scoring is single points, explained in full in the scoring guide.
The snake draft & draft order
Squads are built in a live snake draft: 15 rounds, one pick per manager per round, with the order reversing every round. First pick in round 1 means last pick in round 2, first again in round 3 — so nobody hoards all the early selections.
Draft order is typically randomised shortly before the draft. Every pick runs on a timer (commonly 30–120 seconds, set by the league creator); if it expires, the system auto-picks the highest-ranked available player from your watchlist or the default rankings.
Where you pick from shapes your whole draft — the strategy from each slot is covered in the draft strategy guide.
League setup: sizes, formats, trades
Private leagues support 2–16 managers; public entry leagues come in 4, 6 or 8. Competitive balance is best around 6–10: enough scarcity that the waiver wire matters, enough talent that every squad is playable.
Scoring format is either Head-to-Head (weekly matchups, 3 league points a win) or Classic (season-long total points). Most competitive leagues play H2H, often with playoffs decided over the final gameweeks.
Trading is configured at league creation: instant processing, admin approval, manager veto (50%+ objections block a deal), or disabled entirely — full detail in the trades guide. Trade settings cannot be changed after the draft.
House rules leagues actually use
The official game keeps rules minimal, so long-running leagues layer their own on top. Popular additions:
- Keeper rules — each manager retains 1–3 players into next season, usually at the cost of an equivalent draft pick.
- Draft order auctions or last-place-picks-first — replacing the random order with something earned (or consoling).
- Trade windows — restricting deals to mirror the real transfer windows, which concentrates negotiation into deadline-day chaos.
- Punishments and prizes — last place buys the season's trophy, writes the season review, or wears the shirt of the winner's club.
- Continuity leagues — same managers, running standings and records year over year. Draft FC's league analytics were built for exactly these.
Rules FAQs
What are the official FPL Draft rules?
Each manager drafts a 15-player squad (2 goalkeepers, 5 defenders, 5 midfielders, 3 forwards) in a snake draft. Every Premier League player can be owned by only one manager per league. Each gameweek you field a valid XI; squads change only via waivers, free agents and trades. There are no budgets, captains or chips. Leagues score either head-to-head or by total points.
Does FPL Draft have a budget?
No. There are no prices, budgets or salary caps in FPL Draft. The only constraint is availability: once a player is drafted or claimed by another manager in your league, nobody else can own them. Player value is decided purely by expected points and scarcity.
Does FPL Draft have captains or chips?
No. There are no captains, vice-captains or chips (Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost, Triple Captain) in FPL Draft. Every starting player scores single points, and squad improvement happens only through waivers and trades.
How many managers can play in an FPL Draft league?
Private FPL Draft leagues support 2 to 16 managers, with 6 to 10 the sweet spot for competitive balance — enough scarcity that the waiver wire matters, but enough talent that every squad is playable. Public entry leagues come in sizes of 4, 6 or 8.
How does the snake draft order work?
The draft runs for 15 rounds with the pick order reversing every round: whoever picks first in round 1 picks last in round 2, first again in round 3, and so on. Draft order is typically randomised shortly before the draft starts. Each pick has a timer, and missing it triggers an auto-pick of the highest-ranked available player.
What formations are allowed in FPL Draft?
Any formation with exactly 1 goalkeeper, at least 3 defenders and at least 1 forward — including 3-4-3, 3-5-2, 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 4-5-1, 5-3-2 and 5-4-1. The remaining 4 squad players sit on the bench in an order you set, which controls automatic substitutions.