We look at the race to become 2025/26 Fantasy champion, with Danish manager Erik Ibsen holding a 21-point lead

The overall leader since Gameweek 29, Denmark’s Erik Ibsen needs to hold on for one more round in order to beat 13.1million people and be crowned Fantasy Premier League champion for 2025/26.

Remarkably, this is Ibsen’s first season playing FPL, and victory on Sunday would see him become the first debutant to win since Dimitri Nicolaou’s triumph over a decade ago. 

But it’s not over yet. The final weekend has become a more nail-biting affair than it may otherwise have been after Ibsen saw his lead slashed from 40 points to 21 in Gameweek 37.

The Dane’s closest rival, England’s Steve Connor, has nine different players to Ibsen in his 15-man squad, while in fourth place, Ian Foster has 11 differentials and also his Triple Captain chip, the only manager in the top 10 with a chip still to play. 

Top 10 managers in the world

Rank
Team
Pts
Pts behind No 1

1
Ibsen
2,506
0

2
afternoon de ligt
2,485
21

3
mirinda
2,481
25

4
The Honest Trundlers
2,479
27

5
Aboudz
2,479
27

6
DOC’s Red Devils
2,475
31

7
Number One
2,472
34

8
Soucek Yourself Son
2,471
35

9
2EZE
2,470
36

10
Rewan ChomanY
2,469
37

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The chasing pack will take confidence from the fact that bigger leads have been overhauled before.

In 2017/18, eventual winner Yusef Sheikh was sixth and 33 points behind leader Bharat Dhody heading into Gameweek 38. 

But 93 points, including 33 from Triple-Captain Mohamed Salah (£14.0m), catapulted him into first place.

Where could the title be won or lost?

With two free transfers to use on his Gameweek 38 team, Ibsen may consider a defensive move to reduce the number of differentials between his side and the leading challengers. 

Leeds United‘s Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.8m) is the most-selected player among the chasing pack that Ibsen doesn’t own, found in seven of the top 10 teams.

Arsenal‘s David Raya (£6.2m) is the next biggest danger, found in four teams. Although having secured the Premier League title following Manchester City’s midweek draw at AFC Bournemouth, how much of a threat Ibsen considers him to be is open to debate, as the Gunners’ Gameweek 38 encounter with Crystal Palace looks a little more unpredictable now.

Only four players are currently found in all 10 teams; Gabriel Magalhaes (£7.3m) and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes (£10.4m), together with Manchester City duo Erling Haaland (£14.7m) and Nico O’Reilly (£5.3m), all enjoy universal ownership.

Differentials between chasing managers and world No 1

Position
Manager
Differentials to Erik Ibsen

2
Steve Connor
Raya, Saliba, Munoz, Cherki, Guimaraes, Thiaw, Calvert-Lewin, Pickford, Dewsbury-Hall

3
Luka Ortulan
Saliba, Cherki, Richarlison

4
Ian Foster
Raya, Munoz, Alderete, Eze, Cherki, Watkins, Calvert-Lewin, Henderson, Gibbs-White, Sarr, Bogle

5
Abdalrahman Allam
Raya, Virgil, Rice, Doku, Wilson, Calvert-Lewin, Dubravka, Mukiele, Dango, Andersen

6
Ed Jenkinson
Raya, Tarkowski, Rice, Calvert-Lewin, Szoboszlai, Wilson

7
Semenyo Magic
Munoz, Trossard, Gross, Calvert-Lewin

8
David Whitlock
Saliba, Ampadu, Bowen, Hill, Anthony

9
Shamim Wakil
Keane, Gross, Gyokeres, Calvert-Lewin, Hill

10
Rewan Ali
Dewsbury-Hall, Calvert-Lewin, Hill, Struijk

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Ibsen’s three closest challengers have a decision to make over Rayan Cherki (£6.6m), who hasn’t started any of Man City’s last three matches across all competitions. But with the title no longer at stake, could Cherki be recalled to the starting line-up?

For third-placed Luka Ortulan and his team “mirinda“, Tottenham Hotspur‘s Richarlison (£6.4m) looks a more appealing differential, with Spurs potentially needing a result in their final match to ensure Premier League safety. 

Ortulan, who led in the standings before being overtaken by Ibsen, is another manager making their Fantasy debut, one of five in the top 10. By comparison, none of last season’s top 10 were FPL rookies.

Who will win the FPL Cup?

In the final of the FPL Cup, John Lynch and his team “The Jam” take on Paul Brookman’s “Podunk Ipsunk LaDeDa“.

It promises to be an exciting final, with each manager sharing just five players and having completely different forward lines. 

Lynch has the in-form Junior Kroupi (£4.7m), Ollie Watkins (£8.7m) and Igor Thiago (£7.3m), while Brookman has Haaland, Calvert-Lewin and Danny Welbeck (£6.4m).

Each manager has one free transfer and no chips remaining, although Lynch, who doesn’t own Haaland, has £6.3m in the bank, compared to Brookman’s £0.4m. Both tend to be cautious with their transfers, with only one points hit taken in the second half of the season by either manager.

Differences between cup final teams

Manager
Team
Differentials

John Lynch
The Jam
Saliba, Guehi, Konate, Semenyo, Doku, Rayan, Kroupi, Watkins, Thiago, Pickford

Paul Brookman
Podunk Ipsunk LaDeDa
Szoboszlai, Cherki, Saka, Haaland, Calvert-Lewin, Justin, Welbeck, Senesi, Mukiele, Dubravka

Brookman is the form manager heading into the final, and had he met his rival in any of the last six Gameweeks, Brookman would have won in each occasion. Over that period he’s amassed 86 points more than Lynch.

But of course, in a one-off head-to-head match, form counts for very little.