As Arsenal reached the League Cup final, the first double gameweek of the 2025/26 FPL season was confirmed for gameweek 26. In this article, we look at the upcoming double and what it means for the FPL fixture landscape.
The Teams that have a Double Gameweek
Using our FDR, we can see that both Arsenal and Wolves have gained an extra fixture in gameweek 26. This has been predicted by the ‘Planet FPL Projected Fixtures’ setting on our site for a few weeks and has now been confirmed.
Arsenal will have two away trips for their part of the double gameweek. They will play Brentford and Wolves either side of their FA Cup tie against Wigan.
Wolves take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, before hosting Arsenal to complete their double gameweek. They play Grimsby between those two matches.
Arsenal Players to Target
As Bukayo Saka (£9.9m) limped out of the pre-match warm-up in gameweek 24, many well-laid plans were torn up. His injury has meant that some managers will be considering who to pick as their third Arsenal asset. Any other managers who do not yet have a third pick should be looking to rectify this.
Gabriel (£7.0m) is owned by 40% of managers for good reason. He is the highest scoring defender despite missing a chunk of time through injury. He is essential as they come, especially with the upcoming double.
Given Arsenal’s defensive numbers this season, a second or even a third defensive asset is a smart choice.
The keeper David Raya (£5.9m) is the safest option yet lacks any upside. He has delivered reliable clean sheet points, but has come away with more than six points on only two occasions.
With rotation concerns at left back, Jurrien Timber (£6.3m) has more security on the right-hand side, despite some threat from Ben White. Timber has started on 21 occasions this season and has the most upside of any defender other than Gabriel. He leads defenders with 5.4 expected goal involvements so far this season. In the last six weeks alone, he has missed two big chances, much to the relief of non-owners. He is capable of a 24-point haul, as shown by his gameweek 2 return, making him a tempting option for the double.
William Saliba (£6.0m) is similar to Raya in that he has no real upside but feels secure. He does not hit the defensive contribution (defcon) threshold with any regularity and has just 0.4 xG in total this season. For those concerned by Timber’s rotation risk, or looking for a third defender, he could be an option.
Anyone who does not want the defensive triple-up could look to the midfield.
Declan Rice (£7.5m) has been the standout this season. His excellent set-piece delivery means that he has seven assists already. He has also chipped in with four goals and secured defcon points on eight occasions. Interestingly, he has thrived away from home. He has scored 81 points on his travels, with just 48 coming at the Emirates. This bodes well for Rice in a double gameweek featuring two away matches.
Saka’s injury has opened the door for Noni Madueke (£6.8m). He enjoyed a fruitful gameweek 24, securing his first goal and assist of the campaign. In limited minutes, he has looked bright, but it is impossible to draw too many conclusions. One positive for his prospects in the double gameweek is that Wolves and Brentford are in the top six for crosses conceded down his left wing.
Wolves Players to Target
Although this is a much shorter list, there may be merit to a few picks from a much-improved Wolves side.
Jose Sa (£4.2m) is offering a cut-price route into a defence which ranks eighth for expected goals conceded since Rob Edwards took charge. He has made the starting spot his own, keeping Wolves’ first clean sheet of the season in gameweek 22.
Yerson Mosquera (£4.3m) was one of our differentials this week, where we covered his upside in detail. While benefitting from the improved defensive numbers, he has also been racking up shots and xG of late.
Matheus Mane (£4.6m) is another recently featured differential. His performances this season have been a real positive for Wolves. He has recorded two goals and an assist since securing a starting role in gameweek 18. He had a goal ruled out in gameweek 24 and was unlucky not to return otherwise in a strong performance. At just £4.6m, he is an enabler for moves elsewhere while also offering points potential himself.
FPL Blank and Double Landscape
The double gameweek in 26 has repercussions on gameweek 31. Arsenal and Wolves will blank, along with potentially Crystal Palace and Manchester City. This is due to the clash with the League Cup final, taking place that same week.
Using the ‘Planet FPL Projected Fixtures’ tool on our FDR, there are more predicted blank and double gameweeks on the horizon. These are due to potential clashes with future FA Cup rounds.
As it stands, gameweek 33 is likely to be a larger double gameweek, with teams subsequently blanking the following week.
Gameweek 36 could be the final, much smaller double gameweek this season.
FPL Double Gameweek 26 Confirmed: Final Considerations
Whenever a double gameweek comes around, managers will be tempted to activate a chip. Gabriel will be a popular candidate for the triple captain chip, but Rice’s away form this season could earn him a few backers.
Anyone with triple Arsenal and a few Wolves assets could consider using the bench boost in gameweek 26. This is a notoriously tough chip to plan for, so getting it out of the way early could take away a headache in future gameweeks.
There is still a gameweek to go before the madness of the double ensues, but transfers need to be made with gameweeks 26 and 31 in mind. Raya could be more easily benched in gameweek 31, while transfers may need to be used on other Arsenal assets to field a full XI.
