The Free Hit, explained
A squad for one week only. Make any changes you like, then your old fifteen come back. The chip for a blank gameweek.
How the Free Hit works
- 1For one gameweek you can make unlimited free transfers, as on a Wildcard.
- 2After that gameweek your squad goes back to exactly how it was before, players, bench order and captain included.
- 3Two per season in 2026/27: one from Gameweek 2 to the Gameweek 19 deadline, one from Gameweek 20 to 38. The first is lost if unused by GW19.
- 4Once you confirm transfers on an active Free Hit it cannot be cancelled.
- 5Your saved free transfers are kept for the following gameweek.
- 6Price changes during the Free Hit week do not affect your returned squad; it comes back at the values it had.
When to play it
The blank gameweek
A blank gameweek is one where some clubs have no match, usually because of a cup round. If five or six of your fifteen are among them, you would otherwise field a half team. A Free Hit fields eleven who all play, then hands your squad back for the double gameweek that often follows. This is what the chip is for, and the double-gameweeks page shows every blank as FPL confirms it.
A one-week double you are not set up for
The second-best use: a double gameweek where your squad has few of the clubs playing twice and you do not want to wreck it with transfers. A Free Hit squad full of double-gameweek players scores twice for one week; your real squad returns untouched.
Not for a normal week
In an ordinary gameweek a Free Hit squad built from the odds beats your own by a few expected points, and then the chip is gone. Unless the first-half deadline is forcing your hand, keep it for a blank.
The mistakes to avoid
- Playing it on a Wildcard-shaped problem. The Free Hit fixes nothing after the week ends.
- Forgetting the returned squad: check the bench order and captain for the week after, they come back as they were.
- Chasing a 'big' double with a Free Hit when your own squad already has most of the double-gameweek clubs. Save it for the blank.
- Losing the first one at the GW19 deadline because no blank came in time.
Questions
01What is the Free Hit in FPL?
A chip that gives unlimited free transfers for one gameweek only. You pick any legal fifteen for that week; when it ends, your previous squad comes back exactly as it was. It is built for a blank gameweek, when several of your players have no match.
02How many Free Hits do you get in FPL?
Two in 2026/27: one from Gameweek 2 to the Gameweek 19 deadline, one from Gameweek 20 to 38. An unused first Free Hit is lost at GW19.
03What is the difference between a Free Hit and a Wildcard?
Both give unlimited free transfers for one gameweek. A Wildcard's changes are permanent; a Free Hit's last one gameweek, after which your previous squad returns. The Wildcard rebuilds a squad; the Free Hit covers one awkward week.
04When should I use my Free Hit?
In a blank gameweek, when several of your players have no match, or in a double gameweek your squad is not set up for. The first Free Hit must be used by the Gameweek 19 deadline; the second is available from Gameweek 20.
05Does my team come back exactly as it was?
Yes: the same fifteen, bench order and captain, at the prices they had. Check them for the following gameweek before that deadline.