Chelsea Football Club has issued a warning to its staff regarding the use of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) after concerns that team news may have been leaked through the popular game. The move comes after an email was sent to employees reminding them of the potential consequences of using inside information when playing FPL or other public gaming platforms, where team selection choices could reveal which players are unavailable or close to returning.
Joao Pedro Injury Leak
The warning follows an incident before Chelsea's 2-0 home defeat by Tottenham, when forward Joao Pedro was a surprise absentee due to a quad injury. Several influential FPL content creators claimed to have seen evidence that Pedro, along with several members of Chelsea staff, had removed the player from their FPL teams before kick-off at Stamford Bridge, despite no club announcement having been made about his injury.
When asked about the matter by BBC Sport after the defeat, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said he was unaware of the situation. He replied: "I am not into the fantasy team thing, so I didn't know that." Since joining Chelsea in the summer, Alonso has generally been guarded when discussing injury issues in media conferences.
Previous Leaks
Chelsea have also previously experienced problems with leaks. During former manager Liam Rosenior's four-month spell in charge last season, team selections were leaked before both legs of the club's Champions League defeat by Paris St-Germain. It also later emerged that former defender Marc Cucurella's barber had revealed on social media that Pedro and Cole Palmer would miss a trip to Brighton last season after discussing the matter with his client.
With regard to FPL, no further restrictions are expected because Chelsea regard the incident as an isolated case that can be managed through greater awareness among players and staff.
FPL and Team News
There have been many further examples suggesting players from clubs like Arsenal, Liverpool, Leicester and Newcastle made revealing changes to their teams, while BBC Sport has identified accounts believed by FPL trackers to be linked to high-profile players and figures at clubs across the division. The highest-profile example was arguably the revelation of then Aston Villa forward Jack Grealish's omission from the squad before a match against Leicester City in February 2021. Then Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers later said he had been aware of rumours surrounding Grealish's injury absence before the match, which his side won.
More than 11 million people are said to play FPL, which has become an increasingly prominent part of the wider football ecosystem. Although there are strict rules prohibiting gambling, the Premier League offers no specific guidance to clubs on how, or whether, those involved in the game should participate in FPL. Instead, it is generally treated as a matter for individual clubs to manage themselves.
