Did you miss the deadline for GW1 in Fantasy Premier League? Or just learn about this game too late and know you are not sure if you can join it after it started?
Or would you like to join the FPL mini-league late and you are not sure if you can and what happen if you join?
We will discuss all answers to these questions in this article.
Can you join Fantasy Premier League late?
Yes, you can join Fantasy Premier League late, after the season starts.
You can join it during every gameweek of the season – in GW2 or halfway through the season – there is no limit for new players.
Of course, your score will start the count from the gameweek you registered your FPL team in. For example, If the Gameweek 1 deadline passed, you create your team in GW2, so your score will count from GW2 onwards (you will not be awarded any points in GW1 even if some matches are yet to play).
It means, that you have a smaller chance of winning the game because you missed the first gameweeks of the season.
Can you join an FPL league late?
Yes, you can join a league in FPL late. The scoring of each mini-league starts in the gameweek the league was created.
So, if you registered your team before the gameweek 1 deadline and in GW2 you decide to join the mini-league (that was created before the start of the season), your total points will be taken normally and your GW1 score will be added.
However, if you join a league that was created in GW2, your GW1 score will not be added.
Can you start an FPL league late?
Yes, you can create an FPL league late at any time during the season. However, the scoring of the league starts to count from the gameweek it was created.
For example, if you create a mini-league after GW1 deadline (so in GW2), the points accumulated by the teams in GW1 will not be retroactively counted towards the league standings. Instead, the scoring for your newly created mini-league will commence from GW2 onwards.
Is there any advantage in joining FPL in GW2 or mid-season?
When you join Fantasy Premier League late, after GW2, or anywhere in mid-season, your chances of winning the whole game are very very limited. It is almost impossible to fill the points gap between teams registered after GW1 and teams registered on time.
However, it is never too late to join Fantasy Premier League! Joining FPL late have some advantages and you still have a lot to play for!
Let’s look at some of them.
1. You can win Gameweek 2 mini-league
Even though your chances of getting a solid overall rank are limited, you can compete with all other FPL managers that decided to join FPL in the gameweek you did – for example Gameweek 2 (or Gameweek 3,4… depending on the time you join Fantasy Premier League season).
FPL has a mini-league for every gameweek for managers that registered their teams in that gameweek.
So, instead of focusing on good overall rank, you can fully focus on beating rivals from the Gameweek 2 mini-league. But no, there is no prize for winning such a mini-league.
2. You can win the Second Chance League and the prizes, and the FPL challenge!
While there are no prizes awarded in the Gameweek 2 mini-league, there are prizes to be awarded in the Second Chance league! That is a perfect opportunity for managers who joins FPL late.
The Second Chance league starts in GW21, so if you register your team before the GW21 deadline, you are eligible to win prizes in FPL!
You can also still participate in GW1 of FPL challenge (if you are joining FPL during Gameweek 1).
3. You can win the FPL cup, Second Chance league or FPL Challenge
If an FPL prize is what you aim for, you have a chance of winning some even when joining FPL late. You have a chance to win the FPL Cup as well, which starts at the end of the first half of the season.
Your chances are the same as managers that joined the game before the start of the season, so do not hesitate to join FPL late.
4. You have unlimited transfers in the gameweek you join
If you join FPL in Gameweek 2 (or any other gameweek), you will have unlimited transfers before that gameweek’s deadline, while all other FPL managers will have just 1 free transfer.
Basically, you can use all the information about players and their performances from previous gameweeks to make the best FPL team possible.
You will have a better picture of, who the key players are and who the bargains are, and could use it to your advantage.
5. You can focus on players that will rise in price
Price changes are an indispensable part of the Fantasy Premier League. Player prices will change between gameweeks based on their performance.
When you have unlimited transfers before the Gameweek 2 deadline, you can load up on players that are expected to rise in price and build your team value early.
6. You can exploit fixture swing
Similarly, you can fully exploit fixture swings when joining FPL late. For example, there are teams that had tough fixtures in GW1, however, their run of fixtures from GW2 onward is really favorable.
You can focus on players from those teams and find some good differentials – as managers who built their team before GW1 avoided these players because of tough fixtures.
7. You will get invaluable experience
Another benefit is, that you will get more experienced in the game. So even when you join FPL late, those gameweeks you participate in will help you acquire skills that might be crucial for your success in the next season.
Read more: How to get better at Fantasy Football?
You will get familiar with bonus points, price changes, chips (wildcard, free hit, triple captain, bench boost), double gameweeks… and all those things that you can experience only when you play the game. However, understanding them is a necessary part of FPL’s success.
8. You can create a mini-league for your friends and compete with them
You still can compete with your friends. Just create a mini-league in the gameweek you join and invite your friends into it. The scoring of the league starts in the gameweek it was created, so you all will have the same chance of winning it!
Conclusion
So as you can see, even if you missed the GW1 deadline, there are still things to play for in Fantasy Premier League. Do not hesitate and start picking your squad today!
Further resources
