When to Use Bench Boost in FPL 2025/26

Knowing when to use Bench Boost in FPL 2025/26 can make a huge difference to your overall rank. Timing this chip correctly allows managers to take full advantage of double Gameweeks, fixture swings, and squad depth.

In this article, we break down the best Gameweek options, key planning tips, and common mistakes to avoid so you can maximise your Bench Boost this season.

What is Bench Boost?

Bench Boost is very straight forward: Players on the bench can earn points. Points earned from bench players count towards your Gameweek total. This applies for one Gameweek only.

Note: FPL has provided us with two Bench Boost chips to use this season: one in the first half of the season (before Gameweek 20) and one in the second half of the season (after Gameweek 19).

So, when is best to use the Bench Boost? Although squad dependent and able to use it any Gameweek when not playing another chip, there seems to be two very good and specific Gameweeks to use it.

Gameweek 1

Gameweek 1 has always been a round many within the community look to to play their Bench Boost. Bench Boost is an extremely difficult chip to plan for, even for the most experienced managers.

Having, 11 players who will play with good fixtures is hard enough, but to have 15 of them feels almost impossible at times.

However, a good argument which supports using Bench Boost in Gameweek 1, is that your team won’t be in better shape than it is after Gameweek 1.

Using Bench Boost in the opening round gives managers the opportunity to have 15 players with good fixtures, good potential and who are almost certain to play.

Not: The team pictured above is just an example and not the best Bench Boost team for Gameweek 1.

Another positive about Bench Boosting in Gameweek 1, is that you don’t have to plan for it until the next chip releases after Gameweek 19.

As mentioned, planning for a Bench Boost can be very difficult. Having to use up all of your transfers to bring together 15 players for a specific Gameweek in-between Gameweeks can limit other factors, including targeting fixtures, bringing in players you want, and playing other chips.

Getting Bench Boost out of the way early could give FPL managers freedom to do exactly what they want to do with their other chips and transfers.

Bench Boosting in the first round also means you are likely to spread your budget. This usually indicates that managers will have plenty of bench depth and options should any of their assets pick up injury, lose form or just simply becomes less desirable.

There are disadvantages to bench boosting in Gameweek though. You could flip our last point on its head and label the ability to spread budget a negative. Those that spread their budget early on may find it difficult to make major upgrades if needed.

Bench Boosting is likely to affect the balance of your squad, and you may not have enough free transfers to make necessary changes.

There is also another popular strategy for Bench Boost.

Gameweek 15

Those that don’t use the Bench Boost in Gameweek 1 are likely going to need to use a Wildcard chip to prepare their team. Again, maintaining 11 players in a squad is tough enough, so trying to get 15 perfect assets for a Bench Boost without the use of a Wildcard before hand is extremely difficult.

So, with that in mind, when would you Wildcard to set up a Bench Boost?

We already looked at the Best Times to Wildcard in a recent article, so check it out!

Gameweek 13 does appear to be a great time to activate the Wildcard, and it goes hand in hand with Bench Boosting in Gameweek 15.

The reason many are looking to Wildcard in Gameweek 13 is because:

• Newcastle’ fixtures turn for the better.
• Liverpool come off the back of a tough run and into an easier one.
• Arsenal and Chelsea face-off.
• Manchester City come out of a tough fixture run and into a good one.
• It could be a perfect strategy to accompany the Bench Boost chip.

But why Bench Boost in Gameweek 15?

Focusing specifically on Gameweek 15, we can see that several top sides have great fixtures.

Newcastle face Burnley, Manchester City clash with Sunderland and Liverpool play Leeds, all three are teams we are likely going to want to invest in long-term.

Wolves, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, Brighton and Tottenham and Crystal Palace also have great fixtures and could all offer good value assets to help enable the more premium options.

Another important factor we have to consider when taking this approach is additional AFCON transfers. FPL will top your free transfer allocation up to five. This could help re-build or make changes to the squad immediately after using the Bench Boost.

Are there any other good opportunities to use Bench Boost?

There are plenty of other Gameweeks FPL managers could look to Bench Boost:

• When you have a squad of 15 players, who will play, have good fixtures and solid potential. This could happen in any given Gameweek.
• When playing the Wildcard prior to plan for a Bench Boost. However, be sure that the gap between using the Wildcard and Bench Boost isn’t too big. Doing so could mean a higher likeliness of injuries and other issues.