The Sun Dream Team is back! Everything you need to know about our fantasy football game ahead of the 2025/26 season

THE SUN Dream Team’s fantasy football is now available to play ahead of the 2025/26 season!

Aspiring managers can play for free via the Dream Team app or website with over £100,000 in prize money up for grabs.

PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR FREE: OVER £100,000 IN PRIZE MONEY!

Dream TeamHere we go again![/caption]

Whether you’re new to the world of Dream Team or a returning gaffer coming back for another crack at the world’s most compelling fantasy game, here’s everything you need to know.

Prize Pool

There are multiple ways to win cash this season, including an increased top prize for the overall winner.

1st: £60,000

2nd: £15,000

3rd: £5,000

4th: £3,000

5th: £2,000

6th – 10th: £1,000 each

We’re also giving away £250 after every Gameweek to the manager who earned the most points. This means you only have to get it right once to enhance your bank account.

Furthermore, we’ll be giving away £5,000 in the second half of the campaign via our Second Shot League.

As if that wasn’t enough, there will be a £5,000 prize draw among all entrants to Gameweek 1. Simply submit a team for the opening weekend and you could be celebrating the new season in fine style.

That’s well over £100,000 in total prize money across the season for our free-to-play fantasy game alone!

Channel your inner Arne SlotAP

Team Selection

You will have a starting budget of £50million to select a team of eleven Premier League players, with seven formations to choose from:

5-4-1

5-3-2

4-5-1

4-4-2

4-3-3

3-5-2

3-4-3

Your formation will change dynamically as you experiment with your team in the lead up to Gameweek 1. For example, if you initially select 4-3-3 but later decide 3-4-3 would work better, simply remove a defender and choose a midfielder as a replacement.

The most expensive players in the game this season? Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland at £7.5m each!

Once the action starts, player prices will fluctuate depending on form. Work the Dream Team stock market to your advantage and your XI will be worth more than £50million in no time.

Don’t forget to select a captain for each Gameweek, who will have their points doubled as a result.

Your vice-captain will have their score doubled if your first-choice skipper doesn’t play for any reason.

Score points in multiple competitionsRex

Scoring Points

Dream Team’s scoring system is perhaps the best aspect of the game.

We recognise individual performances in suitable detail, without overcomplicating things, to ensure players receive due reward for their efforts.

All Players

Goal +6 points

Assist +3 points

Appearance (0-59 minutes) +1 point

Appearance (60+ minutes) +1 point

Shot on target +1 point

Big chance created +1 point

Successful tackles +1 point per two

Yellow card -1 point

Red card -3 points

Penalty miss -3 points

Own goal -2 points

Goalkeepers & Defenders Only

Clean sheet (minimum 60 minutes played) +5 points

Each goal conceded over one goal -1 point

Goalkeepers Only

Saves +1 point per two

Penalty save +3 points

Players are also able to earn bonus points, based on other actions such as blocks, successful dribbles, interceptions, etc – see the Game Rules for a full breakdown.

Erling Haaland boasts a formidable Dream Team recordAlamy

Eligible Competitions

Dream Team seeks to entertain you all week long.

The Premier League provides the bread and butter but players will also score points in the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, Conference League, Europa League and Champions League (not including European qualifying rounds).

With NINE English teams set to play in Europe this coming season, there will be shed-loads of points on offer in midweek.

And you only have to look at the massive returns provided by the likes of Daniel Munoz, Eberechi Eze and Alexander Isak last season to see how valuable the domestic cups can be if targeted shrewdly.

GettyDaniel Munoz was Dream Team’s best defender last season[/caption]

Transfers

Once the season is underway, transfers become the most important aspect of the game as they allow you to swap under-performing players for superior replacements – at least that’s the idea.

You will have the option to make two transfers per Gameweek.

Alternatively, if you’re happy with your XI then you can roll transfers over to the following Gameweek.

Similarly, if you have two transfers available and decide to use just one, then the unused transfer will carry over to the next Gameweek, when you’ll have three at your disposal.

Through rollovers, you can accumulate transfers until you reach the maximum of six.

Managing your transfer allowance will be a key strategic element throughout the season.

Please be aware that the deadline for each Gameweek falls 90 minutes before the first fixture kicks off – any transfers made after the cut-off time will not go through until the following Gameweek.

The exception to this is Gameweek 1 when you will be able to make changes right up until Liverpool v Bournemouth kick-off at 8pm on 15th August – this is to ensure as many gaffers as possible avoid getting caught out by the Friday night start.

Transfers are unlimited prior to Gameweek 1, allowing you to tinker to your heart’s content.

The European competitions should not be overlookedAlamy

Substitute Feature

New for this season, we’re introducing a Substitute feature to help you swerve those frustrating times when one of your key players is unexpectedly absent for an important fixture.

Available to use five times throughout the campaign, Substitute allows you to swap out a player who didn’t feature for another player who is yet to play that Gameweek.

For example, if Bukayo Saka is unexpectedly absent from Arsenal’s squad in the 12:30pm Saturday kick-off, you can activate Substitute once that fixture is complete and select a replacement for the Gunners’ No7 from all the players yet to play, budget permitting.

When the Gameweek concludes, Saka will regain his place in your XI but you’ll keep the points earned by his replacement.

Activating Substitute is the only way you’ll be able to make changes after the Gameweek deadline that will take immediate effect.

ReutersOur new Substitute feature is a game-changer[/caption]

Boosters

You have three Boosters at your disposal, each with a special effect to aid your progress (if deployed smartly).

GOAL BONUS: Each goal scored is worth NINE points

12TH MAN: Select an additional player to score points for your team

MAX CAPTAIN: Whichever player earns the most points will automatically be selected as captain (doubling their score)

Each Booster applies for the duration of a single Gameweek and can only be played individually (never in combination) once per season.

You are not eligible to win a weekly cash prize if you activate a Booster.

GettyCole Palmer averaged an impressive 7.7 points-per-game last season[/caption]

Mini Leagues

We encourage you to participate in private Mini Leagues against your friends, colleagues, family members… or whoever you can wrangle.

For many gaffers, competing against their mates for bragging rights is the very essence of Dream Team.

You are also able to join public Mini Leagues.

We’ll be on hand with plenty of tips, tricks, stats and facts via articles, newsletters and push notifications throughout the season.

What are you waiting for? Play now or see our Game Rules for more information.

Open to residents of UK and Rep of Ireland, 18+ only. T&Cs apply. 

Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]