How do I find the best FPL fixtures for 2026/27?

Use a fixture ticker that colour-codes each team's upcoming games by difficulty, then look for sides with a run of three or more favourable matches rather than a single easy game. Our Fixtures page rates every team's schedule so you can compare opening runs and longer swings at a glance, and the Transfer Planner lets you plan up to five gameweeks ahead around those runs.

Should I pick players based on fixtures in GW1?

Partly. In GW1 there is no form data yet, so the schedule carries more weight than usual — but only as a tie-breaker between similar players. Don't reach for a weak asset just because of one home game; instead favour good players who also happen to open with a friendly run of two or three fixtures, so they hold their value while you wait for form to settle.

What is FPL fixture difficulty rating (FDR)?

FDR is a 1–5 score FPL assigns to each fixture based on how tough the opponent is, where 2 is easy and 5 is very hard. It's a quick starting point, but the official rating is blunt — it doesn't separate attacking difficulty from defensive difficulty. A data-driven ticker that weights recent team strength and home/away splits gives a sharper read.

How many gameweeks ahead should I plan fixtures?

Around three to five. Planning one week ahead is reactive and expensive in transfers; planning much further than five is guesswork because injuries, form and rotation change everything. A three-to-five gameweek window is long enough to catch fixture swings and price rises while staying realistic — which is exactly the range our Transfer Planner is built around.

Do good early fixtures actually win you points?

They help, but they're a tie-breaker, not a strategy on their own. The biggest points-winners are elite players and captaincy, which matter every week regardless of opponent. Fixtures matter most for your mid-price and budget picks, where a good run turns a rotation risk into a set-and-forget starter and protects your team value.

←Back to Blog

Guides

FPL Best Fixtures 2026/27: How to Target Easy Starts & Good Runs

Fixtures are the one edge you can plan for before a ball is kicked. Here's how to read the 2026/27 schedule, find the teams with the best opening runs, and build a squad that rides fixture swings instead of chasing them.

The best fixtures aren't about a single easy home game — they're about a run of three or more favourable matches. Target sides with a soft opening five for your mid-price and budget picks, keep your premiums regardless of opponent, and plan three to five gameweeks ahead. Our Fixtures ticker rates every team's live schedule so you can see the runs at a glance.

Why fixtures matter most in pre-season

In August there is no form data yet, so the fixture list is the clearest signal you have. It won't decide your captain — that's about talent — but it should decide the tie-breakers: which of two similar £6.5m midfielders you pick, which promoted-side defender is worth an enabler slot, and which team's assets you load up on for the first month. Get the opening run right and you protect your team value while form settles.

How to read a fixture ticker

Look for	What it tells you
A run, not a game	Three-plus green fixtures in a row is a reason to invest; one easy home game is not
Home vs away split	Attackers lean on home fixtures; a good run stacked with home games is worth more
Attack vs defence difficulty	A fixture can be great for clean sheets but poor for goals — rate the two separately
Fixture swings	Where a good run turns bad (or vice-versa) is where your transfers should be aimed
Early blanks & doubles	Note any early rescheduling so you don't get caught with non-players

The official FPL fixture difficulty rating (FDR) is a blunt 1–5 score. A data-driven ticker that weights recent team strength and home/away splits gives a sharper read — that's what our Fixtures page is built on.

Turning fixtures into picks

Premiums: ignore the fixtures. Haaland and the top midfielders stay in your team whoever they play. You captain talent, not fixtures.
Mid-price: chase the runs. This is where a soft opening five turns a £7m–£8m attacker into a set-and-forget pick worth a captaincy punt on his best week.
Defence: buy clean-sheet runs. A back line with three or four favourable fixtures is where cheap defenders and goalkeepers earn their money.
Enablers: nailed beats pretty fixtures. For your £4.0m bench, a guaranteed starter matters more than the opponent.

Plan three to five gameweeks ahead

One-week planning is reactive and burns transfers; planning ten weeks out is guesswork. The sweet spot is three to five gameweeks — long enough to catch a fixture swing and get ahead of price rises, short enough to stay realistic. Our Transfer Planner maps fixture ratings across that window alongside effective ownership and captain tiers, so you can line up your moves before the crowd does. When the schedule is confirmed, check the live runs on the Fixtures page and build the squad in the Wildcard draft tool.

See the Fixture Ticker Plan Transfers Ahead Build a GW1 Draft

FAQs

How do I find the best FPL fixtures for 2026/27?: Use a fixture ticker that colour-codes each team's upcoming games by difficulty, then look for sides with a run of three or more favourable matches rather than a single easy game. Our Fixtures page rates every team's schedule so you can compare opening runs and longer swings at a glance, and the Transfer Planner lets you plan up to five gameweeks ahead around those runs.
Should I pick players based on fixtures in GW1?: Partly. In GW1 there is no form data yet, so the schedule carries more weight than usual — but only as a tie-breaker between similar players. Don't reach for a weak asset just because of one home game; instead favour good players who also happen to open with a friendly run of two or three fixtures, so they hold their value while you wait for form to settle.
What is FPL fixture difficulty rating (FDR)?: FDR is a 1–5 score FPL assigns to each fixture based on how tough the opponent is, where 2 is easy and 5 is very hard. It's a quick starting point, but the official rating is blunt — it doesn't separate attacking difficulty from defensive difficulty. A data-driven ticker that weights recent team strength and home/away splits gives a sharper read.
How many gameweeks ahead should I plan fixtures?: Around three to five. Planning one week ahead is reactive and expensive in transfers; planning much further than five is guesswork because injuries, form and rotation change everything. A three-to-five gameweek window is long enough to catch fixture swings and price rises while staying realistic — which is exactly the range our Transfer Planner is built around.
Do good early fixtures actually win you points?: They help, but they're a tie-breaker, not a strategy on their own. The biggest points-winners are elite players and captaincy, which matter every week regardless of opponent. Fixtures matter most for your mid-price and budget picks, where a good run turns a rotation risk into a set-and-forget starter and protects your team value.