Why Your Draft Premier League Draft Should Happen as Late as Possible

Dutch Cowboy
Jun 30
6 min read

For many EPL Draft leagues, one of the most daunting tasks of the entire season is simply figuring out when to hold your league's draft. Some are still debating between running a classic live draft or a slow draft, others are juggling multiple time zones, and most are just trying to squeeze a date & time into maybe twelve busy schedules. It’s no easy task. The 2025/26 Premier League fixtures have been released and the dates of all 380 matches are out. Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth will kick us off on Friday, August 15th.

In my opinion, the best time to draft is always as close as possible to the first kickoff of the season. That would make Thursday the 14th the most optimal draft date, giving you plenty of time to prep beforehand. As you do that, check out our 25/26 Draft Kit and explore our Pricing Plans. Here’s why waiting until the last moment might be the smartest move your Fantasy EPL league can make!

Check out our 25/26 Draft Kit for all the pre-season information you could ever need. We've got a Live Draft Aide, Draft Rankings, Team Previews, Cheat Sheets, Strategy Articles, Draft 101. Dominate your draft!

Why Your Draft Premier League Should Happen as Late as Possible

Here are three key reasons why waiting until the final days of pre-season can set you up for a winning campaign. Let’s dive in.

Summer Window Signings and Rumors

The summer transfer window is a whirlwind, and the closer you draft to the season opener, the clearer the picture becomes. Players come and go like the wind, and you don’t want to be swept up in the wrong direction like those poor souls who drafted Harry Kane two seasons ago just before he jetted off to Germany. Drafting too early means gambling on players who might not even be in the league when the season kicks off, or missing out entirely on late arrivals who could reshape your draft board. Every year, there are last-minute moves that shift the fantasy landscape. Waiting gives you the full view: who’s joined, who’s left, and who’s survived the nonstop rumor mill.

Some leagues allow placeholder picks for players whose transfers are confirmed but not yet reflected in Fantrax, while others go even further, letting managers draft players based on speculation alone. That’s a bold (and risky) move. As of me writing this we still don't know the final destinations of players like Bryan Mbeumo, Viktor Gyökeres, or even Alexander Isak. Where they end up could massively shift your draft day plans.