FPL Defensive Contribution Points Explained for 2025/26
With new rule changes arriving ahead of the new season, understanding how points are scored is more important than ever. In this guide, we break down FPL Defensive Contribution Points explained for 2025/26, helping you get to grips with what they are, how they work, and which players could benefit most.
Whether you’re building your squad from scratch or planning chip strategies, these new points could make centre-backs and defensive midfielders more valuable than ever.
For years, attacking threat has been the go-to metric when picking Fantasy Premier League players – even for defenders. Clean sheets are unpredictable, so managers have often favoured attacking full-backs or goal-scoring centre-backs. Meanwhile, defensive midfielders have mostly been ignored due to low attacking output and minimal clean sheet rewards.
But in the 2025/26 season, that’s about to change.
FPL has introduced Defensive Contribution Points, a new scoring system aimed at rewarding outfield players – particularly centre-backs and defensive midfielders – for doing the less glamorous, defensive side of the game.
How Defensive Contribution Points Work
Defenders will now earn two extra FPL points if they make a combined total of 10 clearances, blocks, interceptions, or tackles (CBIT) in a single match. This is similar to goalkeepers getting one point for every three saves – except capped at two points per match. So even if a player makes 15+ defensive actions, they’ll still only receive a maximum of two extra points through this system (though they might earn bonus points too).
What About Midfielders and Forwards?
For non-defenders, the bar is slightly higher – they’ll need to reach 12 defensive contributions to get the same two-point reward. However, they also have a broader range of actions that count, thanks to the addition of ball recoveries.
Ball recoveries include:
- Being first to a loose ball
- Starting a counter-attack after winning possession
- Securing control for their team after a transitional moment
This tweak is designed to better reflect the true value of defensive midfielders – who are often key to breaking up play and launching attacks.
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Top Players for Defensive Points (Projected from 2024/25)
Here are the players who would have benefited the most from this new system last season:
| Player | Position | Club | Projected Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Tarkowski | DEF | Everton | 44 |
| Moises Caicedo | MID | Chelsea | 42 |
| Jan Bednarek | DEF | Southampton | 40 |
| Dean Huijsen | DEF | Bournemouth | 38 |
| Murillo | DEF | Nott’m Forest | 38 |
| Elliot Anderson | MID | Nott’m Forest | 36 |
| Joao Gomes | MID | Wolves | 36 |
| Idrissa Gueye | MID | Everton | 36 |
| Wout Faes | DEF | Leicester | 34 |
| Christian Norgaard | MID | Brentford | 34 |
Real Match Examples
- James Tarkowski made 18 defensive actions in a game against Man City – easily enough to earn his two-point bonus under the new rule.
- Moises Caicedo racked up 12 contributions against Arsenal, including eight ball recoveries – one of which saw him win the ball from Declan Rice and immediately launch a counter-attack.
Where Will You See These Points?
During matches, the FPL website and app will now display a “Defensive Contributions” tracker in real time – just like save points or bonus point leaders. You’ll be able to see which players have hit the threshold and earned their extra points. However, only players who’ve reached the contribution limit will be visible – no live tracking below the threshold.
What This Means for FPL Managers
- Centre-backs and defensive mids now carry more value.
- Players like Tarkowski, Caicedo, and Murillo could become solid budget picks.
- Chip strategy and bonus points may shift based on these new scoring wrinkles.
- It’s a big step toward rewarding real-world impact – not just goals and assists.
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