<p>Sun Dream Team offers the overall winner a £60,000 cash prize &#8211; so learning the rules properly could be a very worthwhile decision!</p>
<p>Welcome to our simple how to play Dream Team guide, freshly updated for the 2025/26 season.</p>
<p>Including all domestic league and cup games as well as European matches, it&#8217;s the fantasy format where every fixture counts.</p>
<p>If you prefer your content in audio form, listen to our quick summary below.</p>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/dream-team-fantasy-football-tips-the-ultimate-guide"><strong>Ultimate Guide to Sun Dream Team: All our content under one roof</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong><em>Last updated: 15/07/24</em></strong></p>
<h2>Dream Team 2025/26: The basics</h2>
<p>Never played Dream Team before? Here are the absolute basics:</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>✅ Pick 11 players with a budget of £50m &#8211; no bench like in FPL</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>🧢 Select a captain to score double points and a back-up vice-captain</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>🏆 Players score points in the Premier League, domestic cups and Europe</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>👀 Points for goals, assists and clean sheets but also bonus points for a variety of actions</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>🍟 Three chips, known as Boosters &#8211; extra points for goals, select an extra player and highest score in your team as captain</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>🤑 Player price changes after deadline</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>♻️ Two free transfers per week &#8211; no FPL-style Wildcard</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_73281" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-73281" class="size-full wp-image-73281" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Pedro-Chelsea.jpg" alt="Joao Pedro. Picture by Getty Images" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Pedro-Chelsea.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Pedro-Chelsea-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Pedro-Chelsea-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-73281" class="wp-caption-text">Joao Pedro. Picture by Getty Images</p></div>
<h2>What&#8217;s new in Dream Team 2025/26?</h2>
<p>As well as bumping first prize up to £60,000 &#8211; another £10,000 on top of last season, there are two major rules changes this season.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/sun-dream-team-25-26-new-rules"><strong>READ MORE: What&#8217;s new in Dream Team 2025/26?</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Save up to six free transfers</h3>
<p>You get two free transfers every week in Dream Team &#8211; but those you don&#8217;t use now roll over to the following week.</p>
<p>Save up to six free transfers to give your team a major overhaul.</p>
<h3>Substitutes feature</h3>
<p>Got a player in your team that didn&#8217;t play? Swap them out for a player within your budget who hasn&#8217;t yet featured.</p>
<p>You&#8217;ll be able to do this up to five times this season &#8211; a maximum of one time per week.</p>
<div id="attachment_73303" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-73303" class="size-full wp-image-73303" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rayan-Cherki.jpg" alt="Rayan Cherki. Picture by Getty Images" width="1024" height="679" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rayan-Cherki.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rayan-Cherki-300x199.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rayan-Cherki-768x509.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-73303" class="wp-caption-text">Rayan Cherki. Picture by Getty Images</p></div>
<h2>How do you score points?</h2>
<p>Players receive points for everything from appearances to shots on target, big chances created and tackles &#8211; as well as the usual goals, assists and clean sheets.</p>
<p>Goalkeepers additionally earn points for saves.</p>
<h3>Scoring system: All players</h3>
<p>Points include any instances of extra time but exclude penalty shootouts:</p>
<ul>
<li>Goal scored: +6</li>
<li>Shot on target: +1</li>
<li>Big chance created: +1</li>
<li>Tackles: +1 per two tackles</li>
<li>Appearance (up to 60 mins): +1</li>
<li>Appearance (60+): +1</li>
<li>Assist: +3</li>
<li>Yellow card: -1</li>
<li>Red card: -3</li>
<li>Penalty miss: -3</li>
<li>Own-goal: -2</li>
</ul>
<h4>Goalkeepers only</h4>
<ul>
<li>Saves: +1 per two saves</li>
<li>Penalty save: +3</li>
</ul>
<h4>Goalkeepers and defenders</h4>
<ul>
<li>Clean sheet (60 mins minimum played): +5</li>
<li>Two goals conceded: -1</li>
<li>Each goal conceded over two goals: -1</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_73288" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-73288" class="size-full wp-image-73288" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Salah-7.jpg" alt="Mohamed Salah. Picture by Getty Images" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Salah-7.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Salah-7-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Salah-7-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-73288" class="wp-caption-text">Mohamed Salah. Picture by Getty Images</p></div>
<h2>How does the bonus system work?</h2>
<p>In addition to the scoring above, players will earn points based on a bonus system.</p>
<p>The player performance marks (PPM) system will see players earn up to five extra points, so it&#8217;s worth paying attention to how this works.</p>
<p>In order to score bonus points, players must reach the following PPM thresholds:</p>
<ul>
<li>5-7 PPMs &#8211; 1 bonus point</li>
<li>8-11 PPMs &#8211; 3 bonus points</li>
<li>12+ PPMs &#8211; 5 bonus points</li>
</ul>
<p>PPMs are awarded for the actions below:</p>
<ul>
<li>Successful dribbles: +1</li>
<li>Crosses: +1</li>
<li>Offsides: -1</li>
<li>Pass completion rate (70-80%)*: +1</li>
<li>Pass completion rate (80-90%)*: +2</li>
<li>Pass completion rate (90%+)*: +3</li>
<li>Interceptions (successful tackle?): +1</li>
<li>Block: +1</li>
<li>Goal outside of the area: +1</li>
<li>Foul won: +1</li>
<li>Foul conceded: -1</li>
<li>Error leading to goal: -2</li>
</ul>
<p>*Minimum 25 passes</p>
<h4>Goalkeepers only</h4>
<ul>
<li>Successful claim:  +1</li>
<li>Successful punch: +1</li>
<li>Keeper sweeper clearances: +1</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_73163" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-73163" class="size-full wp-image-73163" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Palmer-Getty-2.jpg" alt="Cole Palmer. Picture by Getty Images" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Palmer-Getty-2.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Palmer-Getty-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Palmer-Getty-2-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-73163" class="wp-caption-text">Cole Palmer. Picture by Getty Images</p></div>
<h2>Which competitions count?</h2>
<p>Not only do your players score points from their Premier League games but also the Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup games too.</p>
<p>This means more fun but also a lot more planning!</p>
<h2>What are the Dream Team Boosters?</h2>
<p>Dream Team has retained the same three Boosters&#8217; from the 2024/25 season.</p>
<p>They can each be used once and like in FPL, just one can be used per week.</p>
<p>Once selected, you can deselect them or pick a different one before the gameweek deadline.</p>
<h3>Goal Bonus</h3>
<p>Nine points per goal scored by players from your team &#8211; as explained above.</p>
<h3><strong>12th Man</strong></h3>
<p>When the 12th Man Booster is activated, Dream Team managers are able to add an additional player to the team who will earn points for the gameweek in which it is activated.</p>
<p>The additional player can be of any value and in any position &#8211; but he cannot be nominated as captain.</p>
<h3><strong>Max Captain</strong></h3>
<p>When Max Captain is activated, the player with the highest points in the team at the end of the gameweek is retrospectively made captain and awarded double points.</p>
<p>If two or more players have the same points total at the end of the gameweek, the player who reached the total first is declared Max Captain.</p>
<p>As with the standard captain, positive and negative scores will be doubled, so for example four becomes eight and -2 becomes -4.</p>
<p>When Max Captain is in play, the captain feature is automatically disabled and then reinstated for the following gameweek.</p>
<div id="attachment_73178" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-73178" class="size-full wp-image-73178" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bruno-Fernandes-pre-season.jpg" alt="Bruno Fernandes. Picture by Getty Images" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bruno-Fernandes-pre-season.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bruno-Fernandes-pre-season-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bruno-Fernandes-pre-season-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><p id="caption-attachment-73178" class="wp-caption-text">Bruno Fernandes. Picture by Getty Images</p></div>
<h2>How do you pick a team? What formations can you use?</h2>
<p>Dream Team managers will need to pick 11 players from a budget of £50m &#8211; there is no bench like there is in FPL.</p>
<p>Dream Team has previously limited players to a maximum of three formations &#8211; 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and 3-4-3 &#8211; but now there are seven to choose from:</p>
<ul>
<li>4-4-2</li>
<li>4-3-3</li>
<li>4-5-1</li>
<li>3-4-3</li>
<li>3-5-2</li>
<li>5-4-1</li>
<li>5-3-2</li>
</ul>
<h2>How does captaincy work?</h2>
<p>A captain as well as a vice-captain can be selected ahead of the start of each gameweek. If Dream Team managers forget to set one, the captain from the previous week will keep the armband.</p>
<p>If you transfer out a captain, the player brought in will automatically receive the captaincy &#8211; but this can be changed before the start of the gameweek.</p>
<h2>What are the rules on making transfers?</h2>
<p>Unlimited transfers can be made before the Gameweek 1 deadline at 20:00 on Friday, August 15.</p>
<p>After this, two free transfers will be available per gameweek &#8211; and they can be saved up to a maximum of six free transfers.</p>
<h2><strong>How do price changes work?</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">There are price changes in Dream Team. They change based on a players&#8217; point-scoring <span class="spellchecker-word-highlight">performance.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span class="spellchecker-word-highlight">At</span> the end of each gameweek, the player’s point-scoring performance is matched up against what was expected and this is used to either increase, decrease or keep the price the same.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span class="spellchecker-word-highlight">The</span> price changes will be applied following the conclusion of the gameweek.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span class="spellchecker-word-highlight">The</span> maximum a player’s value may increase or decrease per gameweek is <span class="spellchecker-word-highlight">£0.3m.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span class="spellchecker-word-highlight">The</span> first round of price will take place after Gameweek 1 and thereafter after every gameweek.</p>
<h2>What prizes are on offer in Dream Team?</h2>
<p>See our section above on changes to the 2025/26 game and the Dream Team website for <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/administration/23035895/dream-team-2023-24-game-rules/#:~:text=WE%20offer%20our%20classic%20Dream,2023%20until%2015%20July%202024.">full details</a>.</p>
<p>The overall top prize is £60,000.</p>
<h2>Dream Team mini-leagues</h2>
<p>Mini-leagues can once again be created, however Dream Team is no longer running the head to head format.</p>
<p>There is no limit to the number of mini-leagues a manager can create.</p>
<p>Public and private mini-league options are available, with the latter requiring a code to enter.</p>
<p>Mini-league chairmen reserve the right to remove managers from a mini-league at any time.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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