EFL launches new Fantasy League for 2024/25 campaign
Joining the Fantasy Premier League this season is a fantasy competition for the EFL Championship, League One and League Two. Yet, Fantasy Premier League involves teams just from the English top flight. Fantasy EFL is a pool of all players from the second, third and fourth divisions in England. That means the 72 clubs in the EFL beneath the Premier League have their players available for selection in the fantasy league. That amounts to almost 2,000 players available for selection in the competition.
There are key differences between Fantasy EFL and the Fantasy Premier League that many fans are already familiar with. For example, Fantasy PL involves a full XI of players. You can pivot your formation around, but the side must have multiple defenders, midfielders and forwards to go along with a goalkeeper. Fantasy EFL generally follows the same format but with fewer players. Rather than creating a full XI, players in the new league will have a dream team of seven. Users can pick from four formations, but that means one goalkeeper, two to three defenders, two to three midfielders and one or two forwards. Players allocate a captain among their squad who then earns double points.
Another key difference is that players will also select two clubs. Each matchday, the two clubs selected will have a role in the player’s final score. You can pick teams from multiple divisions, but players are limited to picking a team no more than five times. In other words, players cannot rely on the title-winning side from the EFL Championship throughout the season. Teams get points for your fantasy side with wins, with more points rolling in for away wins and scoring multiple goals.
From then on, there are no differences between Fantasy EFL and Fantasy PL. Individual players earn points for performances. Goals, assists, saves, defensive actions and player-of-the-game performances all earn points.
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Starting a Fantasy EFL side
Fantasy EFL runs through its own website, but this is different than the service used for Fantasy Premier League. There is a downloadable app for smartphones, and users can access the site on their web browsers. Those looking to see what Fantasy EFL is like can join the global league. They can mess around with their budget to see what it is like. Of course, fans can also create mini-leagues or join competitions. The EFL noted that each of the 72 clubs will have a mini-league where fans can compete against like-minded opposition. This is the same as the Fantasy Premier League mini-leagues. You can join the World Soccer Talk Fantasy Premier League competition now!
For Americans, this new virtual competition pairs well with the new rights deal between CBS and the EFL. That deal brings more EFL games than ever to American screens via CBS’s channels and, crucially Paramount+. The streaming service will have a say as a must-have service for soccer fans, and those playing Fantasy EFL are no different. Granted, the CBS deal with the EFL does not involve League Two. Regardless, players in Fantasy EFL can still use clubs from this division like Notts County, Salford City and AFC Wimbledon.
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