Football tiebreakers and edge cases
Cancelled, postponed or restarted matches
- If a match is cancelled or postponed after it begins, players retain the score recorded for that tournament.
- If play restarts within the same tournament window, the higher score from the two match records is used.
Playing time and match phases
- A player’s win or draw bonus is halved when they play fewer than 45 minutes.
- Scoring continues through extra time in cup matches but stops before a penalty shootout.
- A player who wins and scores the same penalty receives points for the goal, but not an assist for winning the penalty.
- A player's clean sheet bonus is based only on goals conceded while the player is on the pitch, so they can still qualify if their team concedes before they come on or after they are substituted.
When players finish on the same score
Scores are recorded to two decimal places - the full breakdown is visible by clicking on the player's score on the Live page.
- If two players have the exact same score, the average of their last five scores determines the winner.
- If two players somehow have the same score and the same form over the last five games, a random dice roll decides the winner.
When there are too few eligible players
- If fewer players are eligible than there are rewarded places, any unused rewards are not redistributed. For example, if only three defenders take part, the 4th and 5th place rewards are lost.
- Rewards cannot be won by players who did not play, even if there are no other eligible players to take the reward place.
When fewer players are available for Picks
Some tournaments have fewer eligible players than others. When this happens, we may adjust the Picks rules so managers still have enough choice to build competitive lineups.
We look at the number of available players in each position, not just the total player pool.
Classification | Player availability | What this means for Picks |
|---|---|---|
Healthy slate | 5+ goalkeepers and 8+ players in each outfield position | Normal Picks rules will usually apply |
Limited slate | 3-4 goalkeepers and/or 5-7 players in an outfield position | Picks may run without free loans, but we will relax restrictions such as Picks salaries or the maximum players per club |
Restricted slate | Fewer than 3 goalkeepers or fewer than 5 players in an outfield position | Free Picks are likely to be introduced, with loan players being made available,. Other restrictions may also be relaxed to ensure there is enough choice |
These are guidelines rather than automatic rules. We’ll always aim to make the smallest adjustment necessary to keep Picks competitive and give managers meaningful lineup choice.
We may also adjust the tournament window in exceptional cases where the available player pool is particularly limited. Any changes will always be viewable in the app.
Updated on: 15/09/2026
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