GW32 vs GW35 Wildcard: What’s Best for Your Team?

Following the blank gameweek in GW31, the wildcard timing debate is absolutely raging right now, and for good reason. The choice between activating your chip in GW32 or holding all the way to GW35 is one of the most consequential calls of this entire FPL season. Get it right and you’re riding a wave of green arrows into the run-in. Get it wrong and you could find yourself slipping behind while your league mates sail off into the distance.

The decision hinges on several variables unique to your squad, your free transfers banked, your exposure to the GW34 blank, your chip sequencing plans, and whether your current team can survive the next few Gameweeks without a full restructure. There is no one-size-fits-all answer here, but there absolutely is a framework. Let’s walk through it.

Before We Dive In

• As always, make sure you check out our Predicted Line-Ups and Team News Hub before locking in any changes.
• It is also worth bookmarking our best GW32 wildcard team build if you decide to pull the trigger in GW32.

Option 1: WC32/BB33/FH34

The GW32 wildcard is the consensus favourite right now, and the fixture data backs it up completely. Data from FPL Copilot’s chip optimizer across more than 7,000 squads shows 67.6% of teams are optimally served by a WC32. The headline reason? The double gameweek in GW33, where six teams, Burnley, Bournemouth, Brighton, Chelsea, Leeds, and Man City, all have two fixtures.

Playing your wildcard in GW32 means you arrive at GW33 with a squad fully loaded for the double. Then, with a Bench Boost stacked on top of that GW33 double, you’re looking at one of the most potent chip combos available, WC32 into BB33 is genuinely elite sequencing. After that, a Free Hit in GW34 covers the blank beautifully while your wildcard squad sits untouched underneath.

Objective reasons its good:

• BB33 will be far stronger than FH33.
• FH34 will be stronger than the normal line-up for GW34.
• It allows for BB and TC to each be used and capitalise on a double, instead of compete for DGW36.
• You get to target the best team in the league (City). Haaland, Semenyo, O’Reilly etc.
• Brighton, Leeds and Bournemouth all have good defences at present and great fixtures until the end of the season.

You should be leaning toward GW32 Wildcard if:

• You will have 3/4+ free transfers banked for GW35 onwards.
• Your squad has 4+ players blanking in GW34. The more players you have blanking in GW34, the more you should be looking to Wildcard in 32. Otherwise GW34 will require lots of FTs which could be valuable come end of season.
• You still have your Triple Captain chip intact, and don’t want to have to decide between TC and BB for DGW36 and risk playing one with no DGW.
• You are high on City, Brighton, Chelsea, Bournemouth, Leeds.

The popular chip strategy sequence here runs: WC32 → BB33 → FH34 → TC36 . It’s clean, it’s logical, and it’s set up perfectly by the fixture calendar as it currently stands.

Option 2: FH33/WC35/BB36

The GW35 wildcard is by no means the inferior option, it’s the right call for a specific type of team, and is genuinely better under certain circumstances.

The appeal of waiting is clarity. By GW35, you’ll know exactly which teams have something to play for, which players are in form, and, crucially, what the fixture picture looks like for GW35-38. That final stretch is where titles are won and lost in mini-leagues, and a WC35 lets you build the perfect squad for exactly that window.

Objective Reasons its good:

• Gives you a full reset to attack the end of season with. You will have more info about which teams have stuff to play for and which don’t. WC32’ers may find themselves with a team full of players subject to rotation by GW35.
• WC35 allows you to perfectly attack the DGW36 doublers, where non-wildcarders will struggle to cover/have to burn FTs. Means you can save more for GW36-GW38.
• Plenty of the doublers in GW33 have bad fixtures in GW32, Bournemouth vs Arsenal, Chelsea vs City, Leeds vs Man U etc. Not the case for most non-doublers in GW33.
• FH33 allows you to cover any players who may miss GW32 but may return for the double, such as Enzo, James, Stach, Rodon, Bijol, Kroupi etc.
• Will likely be the more differential option despite it being equally good. Increased value for those chasing.

You should be leaning toward FH33/WC35 if:

• Your GW34 starting line-up is solid and doesn’t require much maintenance.
• You don’t have many FTs in the bank. 1 or 2 only.
• You have already used your Triple Captain and/or Bench Boost. (not a reason not to WC32, but if you had both available I’d advise WC32).

 

Play Your Own Game

At the end of the day, even though this will likely be a big swing, there is no clear winner. Both have their merits and weaknesses so don’t listen to anyone who tells you there is objectively a correct strategy. The main determinants should be:

• How many blankers do you have in GW34?
• How Many Free Transfers do you have?
• What chips have you already used?

those 3 questions alone should lead you to your optimal choice for your team.

 

Check out our Game Week Tips section for more Gameweek 32 Tips.