FPL Gameweek 32 could see hundreds of thousands of Wildcards played &#8211; but should the chip be activated now or is there value in waiting?
With FPL paused for the international break, we explain everything you need to look out for before the next deadline.

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<h3>🤖 Hub AI quick summary 🤖</h3>
Your at-a-glance summary of this article &#8211; and an audio summary 👇
<ul>
<li>🏆FPL takes a break &#8211; but upcoming FA Cup results will be pivotal</li>
<li>🍟Wildcards will be highly used ahead of Gameweek 32</li>
<li>🫷Waiting until the cup matches are played and for fixture news is wise as alternative chip strategies may emerge</li>
</ul>
<audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-78498-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GW32-tips.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GW32-tips.mp3">https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GW32-tips.mp3</a></audio>
<h2>When does FPL return?</h2>
It&#8217;s nearly three full weeks until the FPL Gameweek 32 deadline on Friday, April 10.
There&#8217;s plenty of football before that though.
The international break comes first, with World Cup qualifiers and other teams like England playing friendlies.
Then it&#8217;s the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5.
The following midweek sees Liverpool and Arsenal in Champions League action, while Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest play in the Europa League and Crystal Palace the Europa Conference League.
FPL then returns on the Friday, with West Ham v Wolves the first match of Gameweek 32.
<div id="attachment_76991" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-76991" class="size-full wp-image-76991" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Rosenior.jpg" alt="Liam Rosenior. Picture by Getty Images" width="1024" height="682" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Rosenior.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Rosenior-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Rosenior-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Liam Rosenior&#8217;s Chelsea are among the teams in FA Cup action. Picture by Getty Images</div>
<h2>What do FPL managers need to keep an eye on and why?</h2>
Keen FPL fans will have a close eye on the FA Cup results.
These ties will help determine who will and won&#8217;t have a fixture in Gameweek 34 because the FA Cup semi-finals will clash with the league schedule.
Resident fixture scheduling expert <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/ben-crellin-fantasy-premier-league-team-reveal">Ben Crellin</a> &#8211; and others in the FPL community &#8211; believe the cup teams&#8217; games will be moved from Gameweek 34 to 33, creating a blank and double gameweek.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fpl-blank-double-gameweek-guide">READ MORE: FPL Blank and Double Gameweek Guide</a></li>
</ul>
Six sides left in the FA Cup are Premier League teams, with the draw as follows:
<ul>
<li>Manchester City v Liverpool</li>
<li>Chelsea v Port Vale</li>
<li>Southampton v Arsenal</li>
<li>West Ham v Leeds</li>
</ul>
Before a ball has been kicked in the FA Cup matches, there are just four fixtures definitely going ahead in Blank Gameweek 34.
All of these teams have been eliminated from the cup, so there&#8217;s no need to reschedule their matches. They are highlighted in green in Ben&#8217;s graphic below, which shows the various permutations for postponements.
<div id="attachment_78499" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-78499" class="wp-image-78499 size-large" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GW34-fixtures-blank-1024x411.jpg" alt="Blank Gameweek 34 permutations" width="1024" height="411" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GW34-fixtures-blank-1024x411.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GW34-fixtures-blank-300x120.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GW34-fixtures-blank-768x308.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GW34-fixtures-blank-1080x434.jpg 1080w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GW34-fixtures-blank.jpg 1106w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Blank Gameweek 34 permutations</div>
<h2>Which teams could have a double gameweek?</h2>
<h3>What&#8217;s guaranteed?</h3>
Very little is guaranteed at this stage.
But one thing for certain is that Manchester City and Crystal Palace will have at least one double gameweek.
Their Gameweek 31 fixture was postponed due to City&#8217;s Carabao Cup final &#8211; and while it could slot into Gameweek 33, Gameweek 35 or 36 is most likely.
City or Palace could have a second double gameweek, depending on the outcome of the City v Liverpool cup tie.
If City advance, then their Gameweek 34 trip to Burnley is expected to be moved, while a Liverpool win would see their fixture against Palace rearranged.
The City v Liverpool showdown is one of the toughest quarter-finals to predict, making planning particularly difficult at this stage.
<div id="attachment_77872" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-77872" class="size-full wp-image-77872" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Haaland-Feb.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="783" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Haaland-Feb.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Haaland-Feb-300x229.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Haaland-Feb-768x587.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Manchester City and Erling Haaland could have two double gameweeks. Picture by Getty Images</div>
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<h3>What&#8217;s most likely?</h3>
Arsenal and Chelsea have cup ties against lower-league opposition, making their results easier to call than City v Liverpool and the other all-Premier League match, West Ham v Leeds.
The Gunners face Southampton, who are sixth in the Championship, and the Blues host League One&#8217;s bottom side Port Vale.
Assuming there are no upsets, Arsenal v Newcastle and Brighton v Chelsea would both be affected.
All four clubs could then have a double &#8211; and if they were moved to Gameweek 33, the fixtures would be:
<ul>
<li>Arsenal: Manchester City (A) and Newcastle (H)</li>
<li>Newcastle: Bournemouth (H) and Arsenal (A)</li>
<li>Chelsea: Manchester United (H) and Brighton (A)</li>
<li>Brighton: Spurs (A) and Chelsea (H)</li>
</ul>
Add in two fixtures for either City or Liverpool and you have the most likely scenario.
But even that is not guaranteed. Some matches could be played in the midweek of Gameweek 34 instead &#8211; and this could well be the case for West Ham or Leeds&#8217; potential postponements.
There are multiple scenarios that could happen and European results could affect things too. Our <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fpl-blank-double-gameweek-guide">Blank and Double Gameweek Guide</a> will be updated when news breaks.
<div id="attachment_78500" style="width: 781px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-78500" class="size-full wp-image-78500" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Blank-and-double-predictions.jpg" alt="Ben's blank and double gameweek projections" width="771" height="636" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Blank-and-double-predictions.jpg 771w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Blank-and-double-predictions-300x247.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Blank-and-double-predictions-768x634.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px" />Ben&#8217;s blank and double gameweek projections</div>
<h2>When will we know more about the FPL fixture schedule?</h2>
Once the FA Cup matches are completed, we&#8217;ll know which Gameweek 34 fixtures definitely going ahead.
For example, if Leeds go out of the cup then they will play Bournemouth (A) in the league as the Cherries are already out.
Announcements about rearranged fixtures and double gameweeks should come before the Gameweek 32 deadline, which is five days after the cup weekend.
That is because fans should be given plenty of notice &#8211; and Gameweek 33 begins the following Saturday.
But those looking to Wildcard after fixture news is known could have a short window to prepare if an announcement comes later in the week.
<div id="attachment_73207" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-73207" class="size-full wp-image-73207" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Blank-and-double-gameweek.jpg" alt="Crystal Palace won the FA Cup last season. Picture by Getty Images" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Blank-and-double-gameweek.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Blank-and-double-gameweek-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Blank-and-double-gameweek-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Cup competitions will shape the schedule. Picture by Getty Images</div>
<h2>Wildcard 32: Activate now or wait?</h2>
Using the Wildcard ahead of Gameweek 32 will be a very popular strategy.
It will allow FPL managers who still have their Bench Boost to use it in Double Gameweek 33, which is predicted to be have the most extra fixtures.
And with doubling teams then blanking in Gameweek 34, the Free Hit can be used for a one-week refresh.
The advantage of activating the Wildcard now is that players can be moved in before they rise in price.
Danny Welbeck and Bruno Fernandes rose overnight and both could feasibly be part of many Wildcard squads.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fantasy-premier-league-price-rises">FPL price changes predictions</a></li>
</ul>
Waiting until after the cup results however enables more information to be gained, which could far outweigh the downside of missing a few price changes.
Shock results could change the best strategy and free hitting in Double Gameweek 33 and a later Wildcard &#8211; after Blank Gameweek 34 &#8211; may be an alternative that emerges.
It will all depend on how individual teams look once the fixtures are set. Our <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/my-team/pick">My Team tool</a> will be updated with the latest fixture news soon after it is announced to help with planning.
Just be prepared for a quick turnaround!
<div id="attachment_75517" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-75517" class="size-full wp-image-75517" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GettyImages-2241808036.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="673" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GettyImages-2241808036.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GettyImages-2241808036-300x197.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GettyImages-2241808036-768x505.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Danny Welbeck. Picture by Getty Images</div>
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Wait to Wildcard? Everything you need to know before FPL Gameweek 32

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