UCL Fantasy Rules and How to Play

Europe’s biggest club competition has returned for another season so we take a look at the UCL Fantasy rules and how to play. There is some big changes this season so below we highlight them alongside all of the basics.

This UCL Fantasy rules and how to play guide is essential for both new and regular managers. Knowing how to play is crucial towards both rank and mini-league success on a Matchday daily basis so let’s dive in.

Matchdays

UCL Fantasy is separated into 17 different Matchdays. Matchdays are similar to Gameweeks or Rounds for those familiar with other fantasy football games.

Every Matchday excluding Matchday 8 and Matchday 17 is split over more than one day.

Picking your Team

Firstly, ahead of building your squad you must give it a team name.

When picking your team you must select: Two goalkeepers, five defenders, five defenders and three forward. One of those goalkeepers along with three outfield players will sit on the substitutes bench, or at least for now.

To pick your players you are given a €100m budget. This budget rises to €105m ahead of the Round of 16.

There is a limit on how many players a UCL Fantasy manager can own from each club. Check out the graphic below.

UCL Fantasy managers can also start the season late. So, for example, if you miss the first round you can simply build a team for the second Matchday and start earning points.

Managing your squad

Once you have built your 15-man squad with the €100m budge you can arrange your starting line-up ahead of the Matchday 1.

You can line up in any formation as long as your starting XI includes one goalkeeper, at least three defenders, at least two midfielders and at least one forward.

Substitutions

If a player doesn’t feature for you during the Matchday then automatic substitutions will take place. This means that the first player on your bench will replace the player who hasn’t featured, providing that the substitute meets a legal formation.

UCL Fantasy managers can also make manual substitutions. If a player failed to meet your expectations in terms of points awarded then you can simply replace him with a player off the bench who is yet to play. However, you can’t substitute a substitute, so once your substitute (providing he has played) you will end the Matchday with him in your line-up.

With the above in mind, be sure to place you players playing early in the Matchday into your starting XI and the players playing later in the Matchday on the bench.

Captaincy

Every Matchday you can pick a captain. That captain has to be a player in 15-man squad. Your captain will earns you double points.

You can pick a different captain every day of a Matchday. So, if you captain a player on Tuesday but aren’t happy with his return, you can then change captain to a player playing in the Wednesday. Once you have changed captaincy however you cannot change back.

Matchday 8 and Matchday 17 are the only rounds you can captain just one player. This is because there is just one day in those particular rounds.

Transfers

UCL Fantasy managers are provided with free transfers to manager their team in-between Matchdays. This allows you to sell and buy (trade) your players. Once you have made a transfer it is irreversible. If you exceed your Match daily allocation of free transfers you can keep making transfers but accept a -4 points deduction for from you overall points tally.

Below we can see how many transfers we are given ahead of Matchday.

During the league phase (Matchday 1-8) if you don’t use your free transfers you can only save one for the following round. Once the knockout stag begins you can’t carry any transfers forward and will lose any that are un-used.

Deadlines

Deadlines are in place for each and every Matchday. You will have to make your final changes (transfers, captaincy etc) prior to each deadline.

Each deadline will be when the first match kicks off in that specific Matchday. Below you can see what day each deadline falls on. You can also see the dates of each Matchday which can help with planning.

Chips

UCL Fantasy provides managers with two different boosts and chips. Boosts/Chips can be used to give you a huge advantage whether that be for a specific Matchday or period of Matchdays.

One of the two chips is Wildcard. Activating the Wildcard means you can make as many changes as you like to your team (providing you are within budget and formation limitations) before the deadline ahead.

The second of the two chips is Limitless. Activating the Limitless chip allows users to make as many changes as they like without budget restrictions. This team will be active for one Matchday only unlike the Wildcard and your original team returns after the Matchday ends.

Both chips can only be used once each and cannot be used during Matchday 1, Matchday 9 or Matchday 11.

Scoring Points

The aim in each Matchday is to earn as many points as possible. Players can earn points for different actions. The amount of points a player earns can change depending on player position.

Below you can see how players can earn points.