The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is looming, and for FPL managers, this mid season international tournament brings a unique set of challenges and, crucially, a brand new rule to navigate player absences. Here is a breakdown of the key dates, the special FPL rule change, and the strategy required to successfully manage the AFCON period. The tournament will run from Sunday, December 21, 2025, to Sunday, January 18, 2026.
From an FPL perspective, this means, players will return to their Premier League clubs at different times, depending on how far their nation progresses in the tournament. Players in the final could potentially miss Gameweek 23 as well. AFCON fixtures span Gameweeks 17 through 22. Some players may depart early for national team training camps and pre tournament friendlies, potentially missing their Gameweek 16 fixture. If you are looking at which players will travel to AFCON, i have made a table in this article.
To help managers deal with the significant number of missing players, FPL has introduced a special one off transfer boost. Following the Gameweek 15 deadline and ahead of Gameweek 16, all managers’ Free Transfers will be topped up to the maximum possible number of five. This means managers who go into Gameweek 16 with zero free transfers banked will receive an additional four free transfers, bringing their total to five (the regular one plus four extra). If you have free transfers banked (e.g., 2 Free Transfers) going into GW16, your total will still only be topped up to a maximum of five. You would, therefore, only receive three extra transfers, missing out on the full allocation.
The new five Free Transfer allowance gives FPL managers a Mini wildcard to essentially overhaul their squads. To get the full benefit of the transfer top up, you must have zero Free Transfers banked going into Gameweek 16. Plan to use your transfers in GW14 and GW15 to bring in players who will play through AFCON, or to address other squad issues. Use the five Free Transfers in GW16 to move out all your departing AFCON assets and restructure your team for the next six Gameweeks.
Unlike previous tournaments, there is no automatic price lock for players going to AFCON. With such a massive wave of sales (especially for assets like Sarr and Mbeumo), expect significant price drops. Selling these players before they drop is crucial to preserve team value for their eventual return. The second Wildcard becomes available after Gameweek 19. This chip provides the perfect opportunity to bring back all your AFCON stars after they return, allowing you to focus your five Free Transfers on the immediate absence period.
The AFCON period is a major strategic window in the FPL season. By leveraging the new five Free Transfers and carefully planning transfers up to Gameweek 15, managers can navigate the fixture chaos and gain a significant rank advantage.
