The Short Answer: You draft 10 teams, but only 5 earn you points each month. Before each month begins, you choose which 5 teams start and which 5 sit on the bench.
How It Works
When you draft, you select 10 teams for your roster.
Each month, you divide them:
| Role | Teams | Earns Points? |
|---|---|---|
| Starting 5 | 5 teams | ✅ Yes |
| Bench | 5 teams | ❌ No |
Your Starting 5 earn you points from every match they play that month — league games, cup matches, European nights, all of it.
Your Bench teams still play their real-world matches, but those results don't count toward your Fantasy Fútbol score.
Why This System Exists
This is where strategy lives in Fantasy Fútbol.
Not every month is created equal for every team:
- Fixture congestion: Some teams have 8 matches in a month, others have 4
- Competition schedule: Champions League group stages hit certain months hard
- Opponent difficulty: December might be brutal for one team, easy for another
- Cup draws: Your team might face Manchester City in the cup, or a League Two side
The Starting 5 system forces you to think ahead. Which of your teams are set up for a big month?
The Monthly Lock
Your Starting 5 locks at the beginning of each month.
Once the month's first matches begin, your lineup is frozen. You cannot swap a starter for a bench team mid-month.
Important: You'll receive a notification reminder before each lock.
Making Your Monthly Decision
Before each month locks, ask these questions about each team on your roster:
1. How many matches do they have?
More matches = more chances to score points (and more chances to lose them). Check the fixture list. A team with 7 matches has nearly double the scoring potential of a team with 4.
2. What competitions are they in?
European matches are worth more:
| Competition | Win Points |
|---|---|
| Domestic League | +3 |
| Domestic Cup | +4 |
| European | +5 |
A team playing two Champions League matches might outscore a team with three league games.
3. Who are they playing?
Opponent strength matters enormously. Your team facing Nottingham Forest, Burnley, and Sheffield United has a very different outlook than one facing Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City.
4. What's their current form?
Is the team on a hot streak or struggling? Are key players injured? Did they just sack their manager? Real-world context should influence your decisions.
5. What about your bench teams?
This is relative. You're not asking "is Real Madrid good?" — you're asking "is Real Madrid's November better than Athletic Bilbao's November?" Compare your options before you commit.
What Happens to Bench Teams?
Your bench teams play their matches, but you don't earn or lose points from them.
In the app, you can still see:
- Their match results
- Their goal differential
- Their match result points
But those points appear faded/greyed out and don't add to your total.
Why show them at all? So you can track what you're missing. If your bench team has a monster month, that's useful information for next month's decision.
Can I Change My Lineup Mid-Month?
No. Once the month locks, your Starting 5 is fixed.
This is intentional. It rewards managers who plan ahead and punishes reactive decision-making.
Strategic Concepts
Fixture Stacking
Some months have two Champions League matchdays. The months with heavy European schedules are goldmines for teams in that competition. A team with 2 European matches in a month can earn +10 points just from wins — before goal differential.
The Cup Wildcard
Cup competitions are knockout. A deep cup run can be incredibly valuable, but it's hard to predict. Consider which of your teams are still alive in which cups.
The Congestion Trap
More matches isn't always better. A team playing 8 matches in 30 days might rotate heavily, play tired, and actually underperform a rested team playing 5 matches. Quality vs. quantity is a real consideration.
Benchable Stars
Sometimes your best team on paper should be benched. If Barcelona has 4 matches against top-6 opponents while Real Sociedad has 5 matches against relegation candidates, the "worse" team might be the better start.
Don't fall in love with names. Follow the fixtures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have the same Starting 5 every month?
Yes. But you'll probably leave points on the table — the managers who adjust monthly will have an edge.
What if I forget to set my lineup before the lock?
Your previous month's Starting 5 carries over. You won't be locked out, but you might be stuck with a suboptimal lineup. Don't rely on this.
Can I see other managers' Starting 5?
Yes. On the League Home page, the "Starting Squads" section shows which teams each manager has started for the current month. This is public information.
What if one of my teams gets relegated mid-season?
They remain on your roster and continue earning (or losing) points based on their matches in their domestic league.
See Also
- How Points Are Scored — Understanding goal differential and match result points
- Changing Your Starting 5 — How to make lineup changes
- The Monthly Lock — Deadline details
- Competition Types — Leagues, cups, and European tournaments explained