2025/26 is a reconstructive replay (cutoff = first kickoff − 90 minutes, not a live two-hour freeze). 2026/27 pages are an illustrative sample of the live format. What that means

FPL Replay

When to play Free Hit

Free Hit rebuilds the squad for one gameweek, then reverts. Use it for blanks, not for a mild upgrade.

How Free Hit works

You may make unlimited transfers for one gameweek without changing your next-week squad. Hits are not the point; covering a blank or fielding 11 starters is.

When to play it

  • A blank gameweek with several owned players out is the classic case.
  • A stacked double can also be right if the rest of the squad cannot be moved in time.
  • Do not Free Hit just to chase one differential while the rest of the XI is fine.

What the 2025/26 replay did

In Gameweek 34 the optimiser and the template both took three transfers and an 8-point hit during a blank, instead of Free Hit or Wildcard. Free Hit was available and unused.

When should I play Free Hit?

When you cannot field a legal, competitive XI without wrecking next week’s squad — usually a blank. Compare it with taking hits and with Wildcard.

What happened in 2025/26 Gameweek 34?

Both the optimiser and the template took an 8-point hit (three transfers, one free transfer) in a blank. Free Hit was not used. That is the main chip case on this replay.

2025/26 season · Chip timing guide