How to Pick the Best Starting Team in FPL for 2025/26: Complete Guide for New Managers

Fantasy Premier League is a season-long obsession for millions. You build a team of real Premier League players, watch their real-life performances turn into points, and compete with friends or thousands of other managers around the world. It’s free, it’s fun, and it can be addictive in the best way possible.

But if you’re new, the first hurdle is figuring out how to pick a solid starting squad within the £100 million budget. And with 15 players to choose, four chips to manage, and endless opinions on Twitter and YouTube, it can feel a bit much.

Here’s a practical, down-to-earth guide to help you build your first team in FPL 2025/26 with confidence, and maybe even finish well ahead of your mates.

First, Know the Basics (Because the Rules Shape Everything)

Here’s what you’re working with:

• Budget: £100 million to pick 15 players
• Squad size: 2 goalkeepers, 5 defenders, 5 midfielders, 3 forwards
• Team limits: Max 3 players from any one club
• Transfers: 1 free each week; extra transfers cost -4 points
• Chips: Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost, Triple Captain

Got it? Good. Let’s get into team-building.

Step 1: Choose a Flexible Formation

Start by deciding where your money will work hardest. You can switch formations during the season, but your starting shape often sets the tone. Here’s a quick look:

Beginner tip: Try 3-5-2 or 3-4-3. Midfielders and forwards are where the real fireworks happen, and these formations help you squeeze in the big names without tanking your budget.

Just like comparing stake alternatives, choosing a formation is about value, flexibility, and where the payoff feels right.

Step 2: Get the Goalkeepers Right

You won’t win your mini-league because of your goalkeepers—but a smart pick here saves you headaches.

Strategy:

• Spend around £9.0–£10.0m total
• Go for either:
  1. One premium + one budget
  2. Two £4.5m options you rotate based on fixtures

Popular Combos for 2025/26:

• David Raya (£5.5m, Arsenal): Strong defense, good for clean sheets
• Jordan Pickford (£4.5m, Everton): Budget-friendly, good early fixtures
• Dean Henderson (£4.5m, Crystal Palace): Could rotate well with Pickford

Want to avoid decisions? Just pick Raya and a £4.0m backup and forget about it.

Step 3: Build a Smart Defense

Defenders offer value through clean sheets, assists, and the odd goal—especially if they bomb forward or take set-pieces.

Targets:

• Attacking fullbacks: Reece James (Chelsea), Pedro Porro (Spurs)
• Set-piece specialists: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
• Solid starters: Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton)

Avoid:

• Static center-backs who don’t score or assist
• Defenders on teams likely to concede a lot

Balanced Build:

• 1 premium (~£5.5m)
• 2 mid-priced (~£4.5m–£5.0m)
• 2 budget options (~£4.0m–£4.5m)

Step 4: Stack the Midfield

This is where you can really rack up points. Midfielders get 5 points per goal (forwards only get 4), plus they earn points for clean sheets.

Reliable Big Hitters:

• Mohamed Salah (£12.5m, Liverpool): Still the king. Pens, goals, assists.
• Cole Palmer (£10.0m, Chelsea): Exploded last season, takes set-pieces
• Martin Ødegaard (£9.5m, Arsenal): Central to Arsenal’s attack

Mid-Range Value:

• James Maddison (£8.0m, Spurs): Corners, free-kicks, goals
• Bryan Mbeumo (£7.0m, Man. Utd.): High xG, penalties, great fixtures
• Jarrod Bowen (£7.5m, West Ham): Regular scorer in a mid-table team

Budget Enablers:

• Anthony Gordon (£6.5m, Newcastle): Decent goal threat
• Any £4.5m–£5.5m starter on set-pieces or playing further forward

Quick tip: Wingers classified as midfielders (like Mbeumo) are gold.

Step 5: Pick Forwards with Goal Threat

You don’t need three premium forwards. That just ruins your midfield and defense. Instead, pick one elite striker and build from there.

Must-Have:

• Erling Haaland (£15.0m, Man City): He’s expensive for a reason. Ignore him at your peril.

Mid-Tier Gems:

• Ollie Watkins (£8.5m, Aston Villa): Good run of fixtures, nailed starter
• Alexander Isak (£9.0m, Newcastle): If he’s fit and playing regularly, he’s a solid pick

Budget Bravery:

• Dominic Solanke (£7.5m, Spurs): Scores against weaker teams
• Any £5.5m forward starting for their club—monitor pre-season

Step 6: Don’t Mess Up the Captain

Each gameweek, your captain earns double points. This is where you win or lose ground fast.

Safe Captain Picks:

• Haaland: Obvious choice when City play anyone outside the top 4
• Salah: Great alternative when Liverpool play at Anfield
• Ødegaard: Especially useful if Arsenal are playing a newly promoted side

Don’t overthink it early in the season. Later on, start rotating based on fixtures.

Step 7: Time Your Chips

Use them wrong, and they’re wasted. Use them right, and they can catapult you 30–50 points ahead.

Don’t burn chips early unless absolutely necessary.

Step 8: Transfers: Think Ahead, Not Sideways

 

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Transfers are where managers get greedy. One bad game and people start selling stars.

Good Habits:

• Plan 4–5 weeks ahead: Use the fixture ticker on Fantasy Football Hub
• Watch price changes: Check who’s rising or falling
• Avoid taking too many hits: Losing -4 points just to chase a trend rarely pays off

Injuries, suspensions, and fixture swings matter more than a blank gameweek from a star player.

Step 9: Keep Up with What’s Happening

FPL is part strategy, part staying plugged in. A few sites can help you massively:

• Fantasy Football Scout: News, injury updates, community discussions
• Fantasy Football Hub: xG stats, fixture difficulty, form trackers
• Fantasy Football Fix: Rotation planner, price change tracker

And yes, YouTube channels like FPL Focal and Twitter accounts like Ben Crellin are absolute gold.

Step 10: Learn From the FPL Crowd

Wirtz Price Reveal
byu/dan_doe_91 inFantasyPL

You’ll pick up more in your first month just by lurking in Reddit threads than you would by playing solo all season.

Places to Hang Out:

• r/FantasyPL on Reddit
• Twitter/X hashtags like #FPLCommunity
• YouTube watchlists, live streams, team reveals

Pre-season friendlies are also worth watching or tracking—some budget options emerge every year based on those performances alone.

Watch Out for Classic Rookie Mistakes

• Going all-in on stars: Haaland, Salah, Palmer all in one team? Good luck affording anyone else.
• Ignoring fixtures: Don’t load up on Arsenal defenders if they play City and Liverpool in the first two weeks.
• Punting on bench warmers: Make sure at least one of your bench guys is a regular starter.
• Panic selling: If Bowen blanks one week, give it time. Form swings fast in FPL.

Sample Starting Squad for 2025/26

A sensible, balanced 3-5-2 example:

It’s tight, but it’s playable. Shift funds around if you prefer 3-4-3.

Final Thoughts

FPL is fun when you’re prepared. Build a strong squad, pick smart captains, and don’t chase every bandwagon. Stay patient and consistent, and you’ll do better than most casual managers.

If nothing else, enjoy the ride. Watch the games, cheer your players, curse the 89th-minute substitutions. Welcome to the beautiful chaos of Fantasy Premier League 2025/26.

Good luck, and may your captain always haul.