{"id":406566,"date":"2026-02-04T01:15:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T01:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/406566\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T01:15:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T01:15:14","slug":"fpl-double-gameweek-26-confirmed-your-complete-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/406566\/","title":{"rendered":"FPL Double Gameweek 26 confirmed: Your complete guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following Arsenal\u2019s aggregate win over Chelsea in Tuesday\u2019s EFL Cup semi-final, the Double Gameweek 26 picture is confirmed.<\/p>\n

Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers will play twice in Gameweek 26, with the other 18 Premier League clubs playing only once.<\/p>\n

The Gunners and Wolves will then blank in Gameweek 31.<\/p>\n

WHY IS THERE A DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 26 + BLANK GAMEWEEK 31?\"\"<\/p>\n

The EFL Cup final clashes with Gameweek 31 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL).<\/p>\n

So, whoever made it to Wembley had to have their Gameweek 31 league fixture postponed and rearranged for another date.<\/p>\n

WHO WILL ARSENAL + WOLVES FACE IN DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 26?\"\"<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a decent double-header for the Gunners, although both matches are away games.<\/p>\n

Brentford have generally been good on their own soil. Only two teams have scored more home goals than their 23. Just four teams can better their 12 goals conceded, too.<\/p>\n

Wolves are bottom of the home league table, unsurprisingly. No one has scored fewer goals (10) on their own turf. Rob Edwards\u2019 side concede an average of 2+ goals per home match.<\/p>\n

As for the 20th-placed outfit themselves, the Nottingham Forest game looks like the more winnable test \u2013 if such a thing exists in Wolves\u2019 world.<\/p>\n

Saying that, Forest are ranked third for fewest big chances since Sean Dyche took over!<\/p>\n

EARLY THOUGHTS ON TRANSFER TARGETS\"FPLARSENAL<\/p>\n

The ongoing concern<\/a> over Bukayo Saka (\u00a310.0m) may make many FPL managers\u2019 minds up for them.<\/p>\n

Declan Rice (\u00a37.5m) will be the default (and not particularly sexy) Arsenal midfielder of choice for a lot of managers now. He has enjoyed plenty of success on the road this season, albeit with blanks in his last two away trips. Seven of his eight DefCon returns have come on his travels, along with four of his five top FPL scores.<\/p>\n

Gabriel Magalhaes (\u00a37.0m) is a given: he\u2019s averaged more points per start (7.5) than any other FPL asset, in any position, this season. Is he even the standout captaincy candidate? Handing the armband to a defender in a Double Gameweek couldn\u2019t go wrong<\/a>\u2026<\/p>\n

It\u2019ll likely be David Raya (\u00a35.9m) v Jurrien Timber (\u00a36.3m) for many managers\u2019 third Arsenal pick. And a fair chunk will have already made their bed; few will consider rejigging their Gunners\u2019 picks now, one Gameweek to go, with other fires to fight.<\/p>\n

Given a blank canvas, Timber offers the threat of extras that Raya doesn\u2019t, even if it hasn\u2019t always been realised. The Dutchman is FPL\u2019s leading defender for expected goal involvement<\/a> (xGI) in 2025\/26.<\/p>\n

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS<\/p>\n

As for Wolves, nothing says \u2018Double Gameweek fever\u2019 more than considering a player from a Championship-bound club who face the league leaders in one of their two fixtures.<\/p>\n

Budget forward Matheus Mane (\u00a34.6m) is the obvious name, someone who can be fielded in the Double Gameweek before being parked on the bench for emergency sub duty for the rest of the campaign. He\u2019s had more shots (20) than any Wolves player since his unbroken run in the starting XI began in Gameweek 18, albeit with only four coming from inside the area.<\/p>\n

Defender Yerson Mosquera (\u00a34.3m) could have been an outside shot, having had 11 attempts in the last six Gameweeks. He\u2019s also banked DefCon points in five of his last eight outings. He is, however, on nine bookings,<\/a> so that pick is heavy on risk for likely little reward.<\/p>\n

From Noni Madueke (\u00a36.8m) to Tolu Arokodare (\u00a35.4m), we\u2019ll have a proper look at players from both sides in our Scouting the Doubles series.<\/p>\n

INITIAL CHIP THOUGHTS\"When<\/p>\n

Whenever there\u2019s a Double Gameweek, there\u2019s a temptation to use a chip.<\/p>\n

The Bench Boost is one option, although we\u2019re expecting a bigger Double Gameweek further down the line (Gameweek 33 or 36). For those considering it, cheap defenders like\u00a0James Hill\u00a0(\u00a33.9m),\u00a0Chris Richards\u00a0(\u00a34.4m) and\u00a0Harry Maguire\u00a0(\u00a34.3m) have reasonable-to-good matches in Gameweek 26. Mane, of course, is another \u2018boostable\u2019 option.<\/p>\n

And while it\u2019s tempting to use a Free Hit to cherry-pick Double Gameweek assets, many of us will a) already own two or three Arsenal players and b) not want to go crazy on Wolves picks. The Free Hit will likely come in handy in Blank Gameweeks 31\/34, too.<\/p>\n

The Triple Captain is arguably the most alluring chip. There will likely be further Double Gameweek opportunities but will there be a double-header worthy of it? Man City would very likely play Arsenal in one of their Double Gameweeks (33), for instance. Clubs could very well be concentrating on other competitions come Gameweek 36, too, if the league title\/Champions League qualification\/relegation is settled by then.<\/p>\n

Something to consider before next Tuesday\u2019s deadline.<\/p>\n

FA CUP BISECTS DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 26\"The<\/p>\n

Both Arsenal and Wolves have FA Cup fourth-round ties to contest in between their first and second Double Gameweek 26 fixtures.<\/p>\n

Arsenal play Wigan Athletic and Wolves face Grimsby Town, so there is a good chance of second-stringers being sent out to play in those cup ties.<\/p>\n

That\u2019ll be the hope from an FPL perspective, anyway!<\/p>\n

NO ARTETA PRESSER PRE-GAMEWEEK 26 DEADLINE?\"FPL<\/p>\n

One other thing to mention is that Mikel Arteta likely won\u2019t face the media before the Gameweek 26 deadline next Tuesday. With Arsenal in action on the Thursday of next week, we\u2019re expecting his pre-match press conference to take place a day after the FPL deadline.<\/p>\n

So, any lingering questions around fitness (eg about Saka) that aren\u2019t cleared up after Gameweek 25 may remain unanswered before the deadline passes.<\/p>\n

Not that Arteta would likely have been much help anyway\u2026<\/p>\n

WHY CAN\u2019T MAN CITY OR NEWCASTLE DOUBLE IN GAMEWEEK 26?\"FPL<\/p>\n

Whoever progresses out of Manchester City and Newcastle United in the other semi-final will also have their Gameweek 31 league fixture postponed.<\/p>\n

However,\u00a0neither of their outstanding league matches would be able to fall in Gameweek 26.<\/p>\n

Newcastle are playing a two-legged Champions League play-off on either side of Gameweek 26. Man City\u00a0are\u00a0free \u2013 but their scheduled Gameweek 31 opponents Crystal Palace aren\u2019t. The Eagles have to contest a European play-off too.<\/p>\n

Whichever of Newcastle v Sunderland or Man City v Palace is postponed in Gameweek 31 (very likely the latter) probably then moves to Gameweek 33.<\/p>\n

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