In Fantasy Premier League, a Wildcard makes all transfers in one Gameweek free, including transfers already made in that Gameweek, but your squad still has to stay within your current budget. In 2026/27, each manager gets two Wildcards, one for each half of the season, and it cannot be played in Gameweek 1.
What the Wildcard does
The Wildcard gives unlimited free transfers for a single Gameweek. The official help page describes it as a way to rebuild the entire squad, but it does not give unlimited spending power, because every move still has to fit your current budget.
It also covers transfers already made in that Gameweek. If points deductions were taken for earlier transfers, playing the Wildcard removes those deductions. The transfers do not have to be completed in one go either: once the Wildcard has been played, every transfer up to the next deadline in that same Gameweek is free.
Wildcard rules for FPL 2026/27
Here are the Wildcard rules for the 2026/27 season.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Wildcards per season | 2 |
| First Wildcard | After the first Gameweek of your season, until the Gameweek 19 deadline |
| Second Wildcard | After the Gameweek 19 deadline, until the end of the season |
| Budget | Must stay within the current budget |
| Transfers already made that Gameweek | Become free |
| Saved free transfers | Kept |
| Cancelling | Possible while Pending; not once Active |
| Another chip in the same Gameweek | Not allowed |
The first Wildcard only becomes available after the first Gameweek of a manager's season, so it cannot be used in Gameweek 1. The second becomes available after the Gameweek 19 deadline and remains available through the rest of the season.
As of 15 September 2026, the official schedule lists the Gameweek 19 deadline as 18:30 on Friday 1 January 2027 UK time, which is 02:30 on Saturday 2 January 2027 Beijing time, and the Gameweek 20 deadline as 18:00 on Tuesday 5 January 2027 UK time. Deadlines can still change, but not within 24 hours of the scheduled time.
How to play it and when it can be cancelled
The Wildcard is played on the “Transfers” page when confirming transfers that would otherwise cost points. Its status can be either “Pending” or “Active”, and that status decides whether it can still be cancelled.
While no transfer or only one has been confirmed, the Wildcard shows as “Pending” and can still be cancelled. Once a second transfer is confirmed, it becomes “Active” and cannot be cancelled or reversed. That differs from the Free Hit, which cannot be cancelled once it has been confirmed.
Playing a Wildcard uses up the free transfer for that Gameweek, but saved free transfers are kept for the following Gameweek. For example, a manager who had 2 saved free transfers still has 2 in the next Gameweek. There is also a transfer-cap rule in FPL: outside the unlimited transfers before a manager's first deadline, the usual limit is 20 transfers in a single Gameweek, and that limit does not apply when a Wildcard or Free Hit is played.
Wildcard vs Free Hit
Here is the official comparison between the Wildcard and the Free Hit.
| Item | Wildcard | Free Hit |
|---|---|---|
| Transfers in the Gameweek | Free and unlimited | Free and unlimited |
| Squad afterwards | Kept | Returns to the squad at the start of the Gameweek at the next deadline |
| Chips per season | 2 | 2 |
| Cancelling | Only while Pending | Not once confirmed |
Both chips allow free and unlimited transfers for that Gameweek. The key rule difference is what happens after the deadline: a Wildcard leaves the new squad in place, while a Free Hit only changes the squad for one Gameweek before it returns to the earlier squad.
Only one chip can be active in a Gameweek, so a Wildcard cannot be combined with another chip such as Bench Boost or Triple Captain in the same round. Transfers made with a Wildcard or Free Hit also do not count towards a manager's total number of transfers, which is the first tie-breaker in classic leagues.
FAQ
How many Wildcards do managers get in FPL 2026/27?
Managers get two Wildcards in the season. One is for the first half of the campaign and the other becomes available after the Gameweek 19 deadline.
How does the Wildcard work in practice?
It makes every transfer in that Gameweek free, including transfers already made before the chip was played. If those earlier moves had caused points deductions, those deductions are removed.
Where do you activate the Wildcard?
It is played on the “Transfers” page when confirming transfers that would otherwise cost points. After that, later transfers in the same Gameweek remain free until the next deadline.
Can a Wildcard be cancelled after activation?
Yes, but only while it is still shown as “Pending”. Once a second transfer has been confirmed and the status changes to “Active”, it cannot be cancelled or reverted.