Gameweek 16, when Manchester City host Hull, is the best slot still on the board. More than two million FPL managers have already spent the chip on Haaland, in Gameweeks 3 and 7, so this advice is for the patient few who kept it. Hull carry a difficulty rating of 2, no European tie sits close by in the calendar, and promoted sides have been generous to him. Fulham at home in Gameweek 11 is the fallback, while his fitness is the only real worry.

Chip Burn in Weeks Three and Seven

Gameweek 3 was the first big test, with 1,639,168 managers triple-captaining Haaland against Coventry. He returned nine points, which became 27 with the chip. Four weeks later another 664,000-plus managers repeated the bet against Ipswich and banked 13 points, 39 once tripled, even after VAR chalked off a third goal.

Over 2.3 million chips are already spent, so the question now belongs to the managers who resisted. He leads the scoring with 58 points, though only one earlier seven-week stretch of his has been poorer. Gameweek 7 also equalled the 13 he took at Crystal Palace, his best single week this term.

FPL 2026 Haaland Triple Captain window

Gameweek 16 at home to Hull is the pick. The fixture is rated 2, and Haaland’s average against promoted sides is just under eight points a start, 159 across 20 starts. City also have no Champions League game between the Barcelona tie on 8 December and the Lens tie on 20 January, so rotation fears shrink.

Fulham at home in Gameweek 11 ranks second. Gameweek 19 brings Tottenham, also rated 2, though it would be the third City fixture in nine days, following the away games at Newcastle and Everton, and the chip lapses that week. Haaland has started every league and European game so far, yet Maresca has talked about protecting him.

Fixture Run Through Gameweek 19

Every City match from Gameweek 8 to 19 appears below with its official difficulty rating and Haaland’s past record against that opponent. Arsenal away in Gameweek 12 is the hardest assignment at 5, followed by Chelsea at 4.

Fulham stands out on history, with eight goals and three assists in eight meetings, while Brighton has given him seven goals in seven. Leeds and Hull are the thin-data cases, since the Leeds sample is only two games and Hull have never been an opponent.

Alternatives Worth a Look

Four alternatives fall inside this window, each at home and each rated 2: Saka against Hull in Gameweek 10 and Ipswich in 19, Fernandes against Coventry in 14, and Isak against Coventry in 19.

None matches Haaland’s floor, though. Isak has gathered 42 points and Fernandes 33, with 23 of those from one hat-trick week, while Saka sits on 34 despite missing Gameweek 7 entirely. A chip on any of them is a bigger gamble than the Hull plan.

Planning Around the Spare Chip

The first Triple Captain has to be used by Gameweek 19, while a second becomes available from Gameweek 20. Two chips cannot be played in the same week. Many managers hold the second for blank or double gameweeks, where the chip has traditionally paid best.

My call stays with Hull in Gameweek 16. For anyone who has not yet used the chip, the FPL 2026 Haaland Triple Captain window opens there, with Fulham as the safety net. The one real danger is fitness, since he hobbled away after the final whistle against Ipswich and then assured Maresca he was fine.

Would you spend the chip on Hull in Gameweek 16, or wait for a double gameweek? Tell us in the comments.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which gameweek suits a Triple Captain best in FPL?

Back a premium player at home against a weaker side, and avoid weeks with European rotation worries. For Haaland this season, Gameweek 16 against Hull fits that description best.

Is there a second Triple Captain chip in FPL 2026/27?

Yes, the game hands out two Triple Captain chips over the campaign. The first must be played before the Gameweek 19 deadline, and the second can be used anywhere from Gameweek 20 to 38.

Does my Triple Captain still count if the player misses the match?

No, the armband moves to your vice-captain, who then earns the tripled score. Should both of them stay off the pitch, the chip brings no extra points.

Should managers back Haaland with the chip in a home game?

Generally yes, since his home average last season was 7.4 points a start. The 2026/27 figure is 7.5 per home game, even with an opening-day return of only two.

When is the deadline for the first FPL chip set?

The first set must be used by the Gameweek 19 deadline. The app currently shows the cut-off as 18:30 GMT on 1 January 2027, a day before pre-season guides said, so double-check it.