The best Sky Sports Fantasy Football alternatives
Exploring the best alternatives to Sky Sports Fantasy Football after it was announced there would be no Sky game in 2024/25.
News of Sky Sports Fantasy Football not running this season leaves thousands of fans looking for a new fantasy home – but which games are the best alternatives?
In this article, we compare some of the other major Premier League fantasy football formats to help Sky managers choose a new favourite format.
Sky is a unique game, however it shares similarities with other fantasy options.
In the most recent edition of Sky, managers had 50 transfers to use over the season, with one ‘Overhaul’ period which allowed unlimited transfers in a set period.
It was an 11 player game, with no bench or price changes, and rewarded those who planned well. Managers had the ability to change captain each matchday and used transfers to take advantage of teams’ fixture gains.
And the bonus system brought in lots of different players, with points awarded for saves, shots, passing and tackles.
There is no like-for-like alternative at present that covers all of these bases, however below you’ll find a simple explanation of some of the other formats Sky fans could try.
What happened to Sky Sports Fantasy Football?
Sky released a statement on Tuesday (July 9) confirming the game would not be available in the 2024/25 season.
The news came as a shock, although in recent seasons there had been rumours it may not continue, only for it to be relaunched.
Tuesday’s statement read:
“After an amazing 15 years and engaging well over 1,000,000 players in that time, we have taken the difficult decision not to run Sky Sports Fantasy Football (Sky FF) for the upcoming 2024/25 domestic football campaign.
“The passion for Sky FF has always been fantastic and it has been a pleasure watching the community grow, while working with us on the game.
“We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has played and supported the game over the last 15 years.”
The best Sky Sports fantasy football alternatives
Our list of Sky alternatives include the main similarities, represented by ticks, and differences indicated by crosses.
None of the games have been relaunched yet – although all are expected to – so this list may need to be updated if changes are made to the 2024/25 versions.
Telegraph Fantasy Football (TFF)
✅ Can register more than one team (five)
✅ Deadlines at kick-off
✅ Pick unlimited players from any one club
✅ 11 players with no bench
✅ Tackle and save bonus points
✅ Cash prize for the winner (£5,000)
✅ Fixed player prices
❌ Fewer free transfers (40) and no Overhaul
❌ No captains
❌ No passing or shots bonus
❌ Includes FA Cup matches as well as league games
❌ Can make transfers in between games each day
Telegraph is arguably the best alternative for those who liked the planning element of the Sky game.
Using free transfers wisely, particularly in the second half of the season, is the key to success. And much like Sky, it’s a case of finding fixture gains such as three-for-ones to maximise the value of a transfer.
Including the FA Cup in transfer planning will take a little getting used to, as will the ability to make changes in between matches on any given day.
It’s worth noting that many of the fixture gains come in the new year when FA Cup matches are played. Most experienced managers will try use no more than a handful of transfers before Christmas to take full advantage of this.
The downside of TFF is that there are no captains, which can make it harder to catch up if you fall behind.
The bonus system is more limited too – tackle bonus only applies to midfielders and there’s no passing or tackle points.
But long-term Sky purists will welcome the fact there is no Overhaul – and those who played Sky for a long time will be used to having 40 transfers in a season, given that was once the case in Sky too.
Sun Dream Team
✅ Pick unlimited players from any one club
✅ 11 players with no bench
✅ Bonus point system for all players
✅ Top prize of £50,000
✅ Captains – but only one per gameweek
❌ One-team limit
❌ Includes cup and European matches as well as league games
❌ No Overhaul, two free transfers per week
❌ Player price changes
❌ Chips
❌ Gameweek deadline an hour before kick-off
Dream Team had a major overhaul last season, with the changes largely well received.
But it is a fun format that is relatively easy to play and learn, with the £50,000 top prize a strong incentive to learn the rules properly.
Inclusion of all domestic cup and European games introduces an element of planning that Sky managers will appreciate, albeit in a different way to what they are used to.
The transfer system is a lot different to Sky. Last season, Dream Team managers received two free transfers per week.
And the three chips – known as boosters in Dream Team – will be a completely new idea to Sky-only players.
They were not difficult to learn last season though. The Max Captain guaranteed the player with the most points scored double, while 12th Man simply allowed managers to pick one extra player for one gameweek.
The Park the Bus chip required more thought as it saw all defenders score double points. Picking a double gameweek and making transfers to get five at the back when playing this chip was the best strategy.
Finally, there is a bonus point system for all players but it is a little more complicated than the Sky one, so be sure to research it before playing.
Fantasy Premier League (FPL)
✅ Captains – but only one per gameweek
✅ Bonus point system for all players
✅ Premier League matches only
❌ No set Overhaul period
❌ Chips
❌ Gameweek deadline well before kick-off
❌ Pick 15 players with a bench, maximum three from one team
❌ Player price changes
❌ One free transfer per week
❌ No cash prize
❌ One-team limit
FPL is by far the most popular Premier League fantasy game, given it is available to players across the globe.
Sky managers should therefore have no problem finding friends, family or work colleagues who play the game.
It is very different to Sky, although there are endless resources on the Hub to help you learn the game.
Our AI team beat 99% of human managers last season and you can get your draft rated for free by our artificial intelligence when the game launches.
When the season gets going, our My Team tool gives you weekly AI-recommended transfers, so you won’t be alone in your debut season.
FPL is the only format we’ve looked at which only includes Premier League matches – so there’s no worrying about the cups.
One of the biggest changes is managing a full squad, with four players on the bench each week.
Like Dream Team, chips are a big part of this game too, however FPL has hinted at ‘exciting changes’ this year, so everyone may be on a learning curve when the game goes live.
