In Fantasy Premier League, the vice-captain only takes over if the captain does not play in the Gameweek, and the replacement score is doubled. If neither player appears, no score is doubled.
How captain and vice-captain scoring works
Here are the full outcomes for captaincy and vice-captaincy.
| Situation | Result |
|---|---|
| Captain plays | Captain's points doubled |
| Captain plays no minutes, vice-captain plays | Vice-captain's points doubled |
| Neither plays | No score doubled |
| Captain plays one of two matches in a Double Gameweek | Stays captain; double points for the match he plays |
| Triple Captain played | Captain's points tripled; passes to the vice-captain if the captain does not play |
The key test is simple: did the captain play any minutes in that Gameweek? If the answer is yes, the vice-captain does not replace him, even in a Double Gameweek where the captain only appears in one match.
Automatic substitutions and captain switches are not processed match by match. They are applied at the end of the Gameweek, after all matches have been played.
How to set and change the captain and vice-captain
You make the change on the “Pick Team” page. Click on a player and use the menu that appears to assign the captain or vice-captain.
Both choices must be locked in before the Gameweek deadline. Any change made after that point applies from the following Gameweek rather than the current one.
The captain and vice-captain both come from the starting eleven. The vice-captain is not a separate bench slot; it is a backup captaincy role inside the starting lineup.
What changes in a Double Gameweek and with Triple Captain
If a club has two matches in one Gameweek, its players can collect two sets of points if they play in both. A captain from that club gets the captaincy multiplier in each match he plays.
That rule also limits when the vice-captain can step in. A captain who appears in any of his scheduled matches keeps the armband for that Gameweek. The same appearance test applies to automatic substitutions: a player who gets any minutes in any scheduled match does not qualify for an automatic substitution.
The “Triple Captain” chip changes the multiplier from double to triple. For example, a captain who scores 8 points adds 16 to the Gameweek total, or 24 with Triple Captain.
If the captain does not play, the triple bonus passes to the vice-captain. If the vice-captain does not play either, the bonus is lost and the chip is not returned. There is also a wider chip rule attached to this: only one chip can be active in a Gameweek, so a manager cannot use the Wildcard and the Bench Boost in the same Gameweek.
What the official help says about choosing them
The help page gives a practical description of the role: pick a captain who is very likely to start and has strong potential for a goal, an assist or a clean sheet. The vice-captain should be chosen in the same way.
That is guidance on selection, not a scoring rule. The rules only decide when the multiplier stays with the captain, moves to the vice-captain, or disappears entirely.
FAQ
When does the vice-captain actually take over?
Only when the captain records no minutes across the whole Gameweek. If the captain gets on the pitch at any point, the vice-captain does not replace him.
How do you make a player captain in FPL?
Go to “Pick Team”, click the player, and use the pop-up menu to assign the role. The choice has to be made before the Gameweek deadline.
Does the vice-captain take over if the captain plays only one match in a Double Gameweek?
No. A captain who appears in one of his two scheduled matches remains the captain and gets the multiplier for the match he plays.
What happens if Triple Captain is active and the captain does not play?
The triple bonus moves to the vice-captain. If the vice-captain also gets no minutes, the bonus is lost and the chip is not given back.