Gameweek 1 of the Premier League 2026/27 season begins on Friday 21 August 2026 with Arsenal hosting Coventry City at the Emirates, and continues across the weekend. A strong Gameweek 1 sets the tone for your whole season, so here is how to think about building your opening Fantasy XI on FootballDream.
Read the opening fixtures first
Before picking anyone, look at who each club plays. Teams facing a newly promoted side at home are natural targets for attackers and clean-sheet defenders, while big clashes between top-six sides are riskier for points. FootballDream lists every Gameweek 1 fixture with kickoff times so you can plan around them.
Balance premium and budget
A 100-credit budget forces trade-offs. Spend big on one or two proven attackers, then fund the rest with budget enablers who are nailed on to start. A common structure is two premium attackers, a mid-priced creative midfielder, and value defenders from clubs with kind opening fixtures.
Premium picks to consider
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City) — the benchmark premium forward; captain material against weaker defences.
- Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) — consistent attacking returns from the right.
- Cole Palmer (Chelsea) — penalties and set pieces add a high points floor.
- Alexander Isak & Florian Wirtz (Liverpool) — dangerous new-look attack worth watching in GW1.
- Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) — involved in everything, a captaincy differential.
Captaincy
Your captain scores double, so it is the most important pick you make. In Gameweek 1 many managers captain a premium forward with a favourable opening fixture. If you want to differentiate from the crowd, a penalty-taking midfielder against a promoted side can be a smart punt.
Don't forget defenders
Defender goals score 6 points and clean sheets 4, so an attacking full-back from a club with a kind opener can out-score a mid-priced midfielder. Pick at least one defender who gets forward.