When an auto-sub happens
If a player in your starting 11 plays 0 minutes in the gameweek, the game replaces him with a player from your bench who did play. This happens automatically after the gameweek's matches. A starter who plays even one minute stays in your team, even if he scores very little.
Bench order matters
Your bench has a substitute goalkeeper plus three outfield players in order: first, second and third. The game tries them in that order and brings on the first one who played, as long as your formation stays valid.
- A goalkeeper can only be replaced by your substitute goalkeeper.
- Your team must still have at least 3 defenders, 2 midfielders and 1 forward after the change. If bringing on your first sub would break that, the game skips to the next one who keeps the formation valid.
Captain and vice-captain
If your captain plays 0 minutes, your vice-captain's points are doubled instead. The captain himself is also replaced by a bench player like any other starter. This is why your vice-captain should be someone who is very likely to start.
How to set your bench
- Put the bench player most likely to play and score first.
- If one of your starters is a doubt, put a player from the same position first on the bench, so the formation rules don't get in the way.
- Check the injury list and team news before the deadline, and move clearly injured players to the bench yourself.
Bench Boost
When you play the Bench Boost chip, all four bench players score that week, so bench order doesn't matter. See FPL chips explained for when to use it.
Last updated October 2026.