The 2026/27 Premier League season kicks off with Arsenal facing Coventry City, and Nigerian football fans are among millions worldwide registering for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) on the official Premier League website. FPL is a free online game that allows participants to build and manage a squad of real players, earning points based on their actual match performances each week.
How to Get Started with FPL in Nigeria
To begin, Nigerian fans can sign up for a free account on the official Premier League website and start selecting their squad immediately. Each manager receives a £100 million budget to assemble a 15-player squad, consisting of two goalkeepers, five defenders, five midfielders, and three forwards. Player prices vary according to their expected quality and output during the season.
From the 15 players, managers select 11 starters for each gameweek, with the remaining four on the bench. Before each round of matches, managers must also name a captain and a vice captain. The captain earns double points for that gameweek, and if the captain does not feature in a match, the vice captain steps in to receive the doubled score instead.
Points System and Scoring in FPL
Points are earned through a range of in-game actions, according to Sofascore. Goals and assists are among the most valuable contributions, while defenders and goalkeepers can also score points by keeping a clean sheet. Goalkeepers earn extra credit for saves, and all players are eligible for bonus points based on their overall match performance.
FPL Chips Explained for the New Season
One of the most strategic elements of FPL is the use of chips, which are special tools that give managers a temporary advantage at key moments during the season. Eight chips are available in total, split evenly between the first and second halves of the campaign. The four chips from the first half must be used before the Gameweek 19 deadline on January 2 and cannot be carried forward.
The Triple Captain chip upgrades the captain's points multiplier from double to triple for one gameweek. The Free Hit chip allows managers to overhaul their entire squad temporarily for a single round, after which the team reverts to its previous composition. The Bench Boost chip activates points from all 15 players in a squad, including the four on the bench, while the Wildcard chip lets managers make unlimited permanent changes to their team without any transfer penalties. Each chip can only be used once, so timing and planning are essential to getting maximum value from them.
Opening Fixture and Season Outlook
Arsenal face Coventry City in the opening fixture of the 2026/27 Premier League season, giving FPL managers their first look at how their selected players are performing before the rest of Gameweek 1 gets under way. In a related development, Legit.ng reported about the start of the 2026/27 Premier League season, featuring Arsenal defending their title against newly promoted Coventry City. With Arsenal holding the highest probability of winning the league, fans eagerly anticipate whether they can maintain their dominance amid fierce competition and precarious predictions for the league's newcomers.
