Are all the teams within your league exactly the same? Not in this version, they’re not. Differing from the main game, only one manager can own either the premium choices like Salah or Haaland.

Fantasy Premier League Draft edition is a fresh and unique approach to the classic version of the game, but still as competitive and exciting. Now I have piqued your attention, here’s a guide on how to play and select your draft squad.

You can also follow our Fantasy Premier League Football Tips throughout the season for weekly insights and opinions.

The 25/26 season is on its way, and our experts will begin to roll out their Premier League Predictions soon, so now is the perfect time to get involved. We will remain across all the action on the continent, the EFL, and in Scotland in our various Football Betting Tips & Predictions, with fresh tips available here on Andy's Bet Club every day.

🆕 What’s New This Season?

• 3X re-drafts

• Bottom places team picks first

We only have two new additions for this season’s Draft form of FPL, but important changes that will increase the in-game experience. During your draft season, the league administrator can now schedule three extra drafts(4 in total) where essentially everyone has to re-select their squads. This ensures the premium assets aren’t owned by only one manager all season & improves engagement throughout the entire season: a perfect change. Re-drafts can be scheduled for any time, but the best and most fair choice would be to split the season into quarters(every 9GWs).

You came almost last last year in your league, well …don’t worry; now you will have first pick for the opening draft! The draft selection order will be in reverse, meaning the bottom-placed manager will have first pick, then second bottom, third bottom, and so on. Again, it gives those less engaged managers a slight advantage and makes for a more competitive, fun league.

❓ FPL Draft is…

The draft is played alongside your friends, work colleagues, or even strangers in leagues up to a maximum of 16 managers. The key difference is that players are selected, with no budget limit, during a crucial draft process. Each gameweek, you can trade players and ‘waiver’ players to improve your squad throughout the season.

🏆 How to Play (Step-by-Step)

1️⃣ Join/Create a League

Select a league in which to join, input the league code, and you're in. League sizes can be either four, six, or eight teams, but if you are the creator of a private league, then you can have up to 16 opponents, so choose wisely. As with the main game, the league can be set to head-to-head mode or all-versus-all. Drafts must be completed 90 minutes before the opening match of that gameweek, the same deadline as the main game.

2️⃣ Draft Sequence

The draft operates by players being selected in a number of rounds, where managers turn-by-turn select who they would like first. This sequence is random and reversed once each manager has completed their first pick. Basically, if you were last to pick in round one, you will be selecting first in round two to ensure it remains a balanced and competitive game. So don’t worry, you won’t miss out on all the best players, just ensure you have a balanced team of two goalkeepers, five defenders, five midfielders, and three forwards. If you can't make the Draft, you can create a ‘watchlist’ in your absence.

3️⃣ When does the Draft happen?

The Draft administrator of a private league can decide the time and date the draft takes place. Concurrently, the time and date of the extra drafts can also be agreed upon. Just ensure it’s the ideal time for all managers; you don’t want to have a team selected for you.

If it’s a public league, double-check the time as they are all different.

➕ Scoring

It’s easy, points are amassed in exactly the same way as the main game, with one major difference: you're not required to select either a vice or full captain.

🤝 Transfers

After the draft is complete, managers can submit a ‘waiver request’ for a new player or request a direct transfer from the free agent pool. Depending on the league setup, managers may also be allowed to trade with each other, up to a maximum of four players.

🆓 What is a Free Agent?

These are any players not selected in the initial draft and can be swapped into teams (24 hours) before the gameweek deadline, within the ‘Free Agency Mode’ carried out after the waiver round is complete. Be aware, though, that brand new players added to the game do not automatically become free agents; they can only be signed through the waiver request.

🗒️ What is a Waiver?

Essentially, it’s just another draft round conducted once a week, 24 hours before the deadline. It’s a chance to sign new players dropped by other managers or sign a much-needed new addition to your squad. You can select as many waiver requests (players to swap) as you like, with the current lowest-ranked manager securing their pick first. 

🆘 To Help – Mock Drafts

If you're currently feeling a little bamboozled, then use the mock draft to help you get to grips with the process and shape your draft plans. It carries out a dry run of the complete process so there are no hidden aspects come draft day. If you're new to the process, jump on this fantastic feature to see how easy it is; after all, practice makes perfect.

Top Tip – You only have between 30-120 seconds to decide on your player, so ensure you have a substantial list. When selecting players for your team, ensure you have a strong bench – you are going to need it!

🗓️ My Current Draft Strategy

Preparation is key. This is the biggest piece of advice I have for you in this game mode. Look at the first ten gameweeks and ensure you build a balanced team, ensuring the defence has just as much potential as the forward lines. Often, this is overlooked and is a vital way to gain an advantage over other managers while drafting. Below is a list of the top 25 players, just choose your favourites and cross your fingers you get them first.

Conclusion

For my FPL insights/analysis throughout the 2025-2026 season, follow me on X @FplVeteran_ for daily fantasy football content. Look forward to our next preseason article ‘FPL first 6 GW Strategy’