I won FPL last season - here are my five best tips

WHAT HAPPENED
Erik Ibsen, a 23-year-old Danish medical student and Everton supporter, finished top of Fantasy Premier League last season out of about 11 million entrants despite having never played before. He spoke to the BBC to outline the methods he used and to offer his five best tips for managers ahead of the new campaign.

Ibsen says he relied on his own research rather than paid services or influencers, has already mapped out his chip and transfer plan between exams, and credits a patient, value-driven approach — including targeting defensive contribution points — with keeping his scores consistently solid across the season.

KEY CONTEXT
- FPL runs across 38 gameweeks; Ibsen notes early weeks can be misleading (he was about eight millionth worldwide after week one, while the runner-up was already in the top 100).
- He favours building a balanced squad of 16 dependable players over concentrating funds on only a few superstars and looks for low-cost “enablers” who free up budget for premium assets. Pascal Groß (Brighton) is given as an example: a £5.5m player who takes penalties, free-kicks and corners.
- Ibsen also emphasised selecting players likely to earn defensive contribution (“defcon”) points as a way to avoid very poor weeks.
- He says you must be prepared to set aside club loyalty when it harms FPL value; as an example he noted Thierno Barry shares minutes with Beto, reducing Barry’s FPL appeal.
- Erling Haaland was last season’s top scorer, is currently the most expensive FPL player at £15.5m, and Ibsen expects to include him in his side.

WHY IT MATTERS
Ibsen’s experience underlines two practical lessons for FPL managers: steady, broad-based point accumulation (including defensive contributions) can reduce volatility week to week, and disciplined squad construction — using budget enablers to afford premium picks — can be more effective than relying on a few expensive stars. His emphasis on planning several gameweeks ahead reinforces the advantage of fixture-aware squad management over reactive transfers.

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Ibsen has already planned his chip and transfer strategy for the coming season; how that plan performs in practice remains to be seen.
- He intends to select high-priced assets such as Haaland while balancing the squad with budget enablers and players who contribute defcon points.
- Managers might test whether the same blend of patience, fixture planning (three to five weeks ahead) and focus on defensive contributions pays off across a full campaign.

KEY FACTS
- Erik Ibsen won FPL overall last season from about 11 million players; he had not played before that season.
- He is a 23-year-old Danish medical student and Everton fan.
- He advises planning several weeks ahead, using budget enablers, and targeting defensive contribution points.
- Pascal Groß is cited as a £5.5m value option who takes penalties, free-kicks and corners.
- Erling Haaland was last season’s highest-scoring FPL player and is priced at £15.5m; Ibsen plans to include him.