The Scout explains why managers in Fantasy Premier League have been given FIVE free transfers ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Managers in Fantasy have given extra free transfers to help plan around this season’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which begins on 21 December.
The tournament, which involves players from 24 African countries, takes place midway through the Premier League season, finishing on Sunday 18 January 2026.
From a Fantasy perspective, the AFCON matches cover Gameweeks 17-22.
However, there is a possibility that some players will leave early for the tournament ahead of the Gameweek 16 fixtures.
Dates of AFCON matches and the corresponding GWs in FPL
| Dates | AFCON round | FPL Gameweeks |
| 21-31 Dec | Group stage | 17-19 |
|---|---|---|
| 3-6 Jan | Round of 16 | 20-21 |
| 9-10 Jan | Quarter-finals | - |
| 14 Jan | Semi-finals | - |
| 17 Jan | Third-place playoff | 22 |
| 18 Jan | Final | 22 |
As a result, your total number of free transfers in Fantasy has been topped up to the maximum possible number of five, immediately after the Gameweek 15 deadline.
This allows you to react if any members of your FPL squad do depart early, while also helping you avoid any potential price drops when rival managers sell the same players.
Consider your chip strategy
There are only four Gameweeks remaining to use your chips in the first half of 2025/26 Fantasy, so the extra free transfers handed to you for AFCON should be factored into your planning.
For example, the Wildcard and Bench Boost chips are typically used in conjunction, with managers ensuring they have 15 players who are all regular starters prior to playing the Bench Boost chip to gain points from all of their squad.
But by using the extra free transfers, you could prepare your squad for a Bench-Boost in Gameweeks 16-19.
Who are the key players going to AFCON?
Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo (£8.4m) and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (£14.0m) are the headline names among the departing AFCON stars.
The 15 players whose involvement at AFCON is likely to have the biggest impact on FPL managers are listed in the table below.
| Club | Player | Country |
| Brentford | Dango Ouattara | Burkina Faso |
|---|---|---|
| Burnley | Lyle Foster | South Africa |
| Crystal Palace | Ismaila Sarr | Senegal |
| Everton | Iliman Ndiaye | Senegal |
| Fulham | Alex Iwobi | Nigeria |
| Liverpool | Mohamed Salah | Egypt |
| Man City | Rayan Ait-Nouri, Omar Marmoush | Algeria, Egypt |
| Man Utd | Amad, Bryan Mbeumo | Ivory Coast, Cameroon |
| Newcastle | Yoane Wissa | DR Congo |
| Nottingham Forest | Ola Aina | Nigeria |
| West Ham | El Hadji Malick Diouf, Aaron Wan-Bissaka | Senegal, DR Congo |
| Wolves | Emmanuel Agbadou | Ivory Coast |
Due to Ghana not qualifying for AFCON, AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo (£7.6m) and Tottenham Hotspur's Mohammed Kudus (£6.5m) are unaffected and will remain with their clubs, along with Brighton & Hove Albion winger Yankuba Minteh (£6.3m), whose country The Gambia also failed to qualify.