Final-day frenzy: FPL managers prepare for Gameweek 38
The clock is ticking. Gameweek 38, the last roll of the Fantasy Premier League dice, closes at 14:30 BST on Sunday 24 May, and every decision now feels heavier than the rest of the season combined.
Titles, mini-leagues, bragging rights. All of it comes down to one deadline.
The Scout’s final XI: one last “dream” roll of the dice
The Scout has named a final-day dream line-up, a selection built for chaos, goals and late drama. Gameweek 38 has a history: tired legs, open games, and managers willing to gamble. The picks reflect that.
The emphasis is clear. Target teams facing out-of-form defences, lean into attacking upside, and accept that clean sheets can disappear in a heartbeat on the final day. This is not the week to play safe with low-ceiling options. It’s the week to chase double-figure hauls.
The armband question: who gets the last captaincy?
One decision towers above the rest: captaincy. The Scout has compared the leading candidates for the final armband, weighing form, fixture, and motivation.
It’s not just about picking the “best” player. It’s about context. Who still has something to play for? Who faces a defence already on the beach? Who has been relentlessly delivering returns?
Get it right, and the captain can swing an entire season. Get it wrong, and a 21-point lead can vanish in a single televised match.
Protecting a lead vs chasing a miracle
By Gameweek 38, every manager knows their situation. The Scout has laid out two very different blueprints.
Protecting a lead? You mirror key assets your rivals own, cut down on differentials, and lean on high-ownership players who can shield you from damage. You don’t need to be spectacular. You just need to be solid.
Chasing? That’s a different sport. You look for explosive options your rivals are unlikely to own, target vulnerable defences, and accept the risk. If you’re 30, 40, 50 points behind, a cautious approach is just a slow surrender.
The final day rewards bravery. Or punishes it. That’s the gamble.
Spotting weak defences and the best attackers to punish them
The Scout has dug into the data to highlight clubs heading into Gameweek 38 with faltering back lines. Those are the fixtures to mine.
From there, the focus is on attackers with both form and opportunity: forwards with high shot volume, midfielders hogging set-pieces, wide players with license to stay high and run at tired full-backs.
It’s simple: find the struggling defence, then pick the player most likely to twist the knife.
The title race at the very top: Erik Ibsen’s 21-point cushion
At the summit of the overall standings, Danish manager Erik Ibsen carries a 21-point lead into the final weekend of the 2025/26 Fantasy season.
It’s a handsome advantage, but not an unbreakable one. One wrong captain, one surprise benching, one hat-trick from a rival’s differential, and the entire campaign can flip.
The battle to be FPL champion will be played out in millions of teams, but all eyes lock on that narrow gap at the top. A season’s work, judged on one last team sheet.
Barclays transfer radar: four final-day heavy-hitters
For those still tinkering, The Scout’s Barclays transfer radar has singled out four players tipped to deliver big returns in Gameweek 38.
These are not speculative punts with limited minutes. They are players with clear roles, strong fixtures, and the potential to define the final day. If you still have a free transfer or two, this is where the spotlight falls.
Salah’s farewell: a Fantasy giant bows out
One storyline rises above the rest emotionally: Mohamed Salah’s farewell. The question hangs in the air – is Liverpool’s Egyptian the greatest Fantasy asset of all time?
The numbers, the seasons of relentless returns, the captaincies that rescued gameweeks and defined campaigns – all of it has placed him firmly in the conversation. The debate is open, and the vote is live, but for many managers this final day is about one thing: giving Salah one last armband, one last send-off.
Chips on the table: use them or lose them
If you still have a chip, this is the final chance. No second leg. No next week.
The Scout’s advice is clear: maximise upside. Whether it’s a Bench Boost to squeeze every last point from your squad or another chip still tucked away, there is no merit in caution now. A well-timed chip on the final day can obliterate gaps that looked unbridgeable a month ago.
Injuries, bans and the late curveballs
The final day always carries a sting: rotation, niggles, suspensions. The latest injuries and bans will shape line-ups and force late transfers.
Yellow and red cards still matter, and players at risk can vanish from the team sheet without warning. Serious FPL managers will be glued to the news right up to the deadline, searching for any hint that a key asset might sit out.
FPL Pod and a new way to show off your season
Kelly Somers and the FPL Pod panel have broken down the main talking points ahead of Gameweek 38, from captaincy calls to final transfers and chip strategy. It’s the conversation that mirrors every office, group chat and family league right now.
There’s also a new feature on the FPL website and Premier League app: a shareable graphic that shows how your team performed at the end of a Gameweek. One tap, and your triumphs – or disasters – are there for family, friends and work colleagues to see.
Fantasy Challenge: Coca-Cola series reaches its finale
The Coca-Cola Fantasy Challenge also signs off in Gameweek 38, with a twist that could reshape scores in an instant: any player on the winning side earns eight points.
That rule changes the calculation. Picking winners becomes as important as picking goalscorers, and one correct call on a tight fixture can catapult a manager up the standings.
One deadline. One team. One last chance to get it right.
When the final whistle blows on Gameweek 38, and the points settle, who will be left standing at the top – and who will spend the summer wondering about the transfer they didn’t make?
