Guide

Game
Guide.

Everything you need to know about Fantasy Dugout — from setting up your first auction to lifting the trophy at the end of the season.

01 · Overview

How the game works

Fantasy Dugout is a season-long fantasy football league where managers draft a squad of real Premier League players at the start of the season via a live auction, then score points based on those players' real-world performances each gameweek.

Each league follows a fixed lifecycle:

1
Draft — the admin sets up the league, configures rules, and runs the auction.
2
Auction Complete — every manager has a squad; the season is ready to begin.
3
In Season — gameweeks run week by week; managers pick their Starting XI, earn points, and trade players.
4
Finished — the season ends; trophies are awarded; a new season can begin.
02 · Setup

Creating a league

Any user can create a league from the dashboard. Once created, the creator becomes the league admin and is responsible for configuring settings before the auction takes place.

League settings

The admin configures the following before the auction begins — most settings are locked once the auction is confirmed:

  • League name — the name displayed across the app.
  • Auction budget — the amount (e.g. £50M) each manager has to spend on players at the auction. Every manager gets the same amount.
  • Transfer budget — a separate budget (e.g. £30M) each manager has to spend on players throughout the season via sealed bid windows.
  • Squad size — the total number of players each manager must own at any time (default: 15).
  • Starting XI size — how many players score points each gameweek (default: 11).

Position rules

The admin sets minimum (and optionally maximum) position requirements for the Starting XI. A typical setup requires at least: 1 GK, 2 Full Backs, 2 Centre Backs, 3 Midfielders, and 3 Forwards.

Scoring rules

The admin can customise how many points each in-game event is worth, including which positions it applies to and any conditions that must be met. The default scoring setup is shown in  05 below.

Inviting managers

Once settings are configured, the admin shares an invite link with other managers. Invited managers create an account (or log in), join the league, and set their team name.

03 · Auction

The draft auction

The auction is how managers build their squads at the start of each season. Rather than an automated draft, Fantasy Dugout uses a results-upload model — the league runs its auction however it likes (in person, on a call, via a spreadsheet) and the admin then uploads the results.

How it works

1
The admin downloads a CSV template from the Auction admin page. It is pre-filled with all active Premier League players grouped by position.
2
During the live auction, managers bid against each other for players. Each player goes to the highest bidder at the price they bid.
3
The admin fills in the CSV with each player's assigned manager and the price paid, then uploads it back into the admin panel.
4
The admin panel validates the results — checking no manager has exceeded their auction budget — and flags any errors before confirming.
5
Once confirmed, each manager's squad is populated, their remaining auction budget is noted, and the league moves to Auction Complete status.
Budget rule: No manager can be confirmed over their auction budget. The admin must resolve any overspends before the auction can be locked in.
04 · Squad

Managing your squad

Your squad

Each manager owns a squad of players (default 15). You can view your squad at any time on the My Squadpage, which shows each player's position, club, purchase price, acquisition method (auction or sealed bid transfer), and their total points for the season.

The Starting XI

Each gameweek you select 11 players from your squad to score points — your Starting XI. The XI must meet your league's position rules (e.g. at least 1 GK, 2 CBs, etc.).

  • Selections are locked once the first fixture of the gameweek kicks off.
  • If you haven't selected by kickoff, an auto-pick fills your XI based on position requirements.
  • Only the 11 players in your Starting XI score points that week — players on your bench do not.

Releasing players

You can release any player from your squad at any time. Released players become free agents— available for any manager to bid on in the next transfer window. Once released, a player cannot be recalled; they must be re-acquired via a sealed bid.

Think carefully before releasing: a player on your bench still contributes to your squad depth. Only release players you genuinely no longer want — and check if a transfer window is open so you can immediately bid on a replacement.
05 · Scoring

How points are awarded

Points are awarded based on real Premier League player performances. Stats are entered by the league admin after each gameweek's fixtures. Your Starting XI players' points are added to your weekly and season totals.

Default scoring rules

EventPoints
Goal scoredFWD / GK
6 pts
Goal scoredMID
5 pts
Goal scoredCB / FB
4 pts
AssistAll positions
3 pts
Played 45+ minutesAll positions
2 pts
Clean sheetGK / CB / FB
4 pts
5 saves (GK)Per 5 saves
1 pt
Penalty saveGK only
5 pts
Goals conceded (2+)GK / CB / FB, per 2 conceded
-1 pt
Penalty missedAll positions
-2 pts
Own goalAll positions
-2 pts
Red cardAll positions
-3 pts
Your league admin may have customised these values. Check the Admin → Settings page to see the exact rules for your league.
06 · Transfers

Sealed bid transfers

During the season, managers can improve their squads by bidding on free agents — players not owned by anyone in the league. Transfers use a sealed bid system: all bids are private until the window closes.

Transfer budget

Each manager starts with a separate transfer budget (e.g. £30M). This is entirely separate from the auction budget and is the only money you can use for in-season transfers. Winning bids are deducted from this budget; losing bids cost nothing.

Sealed bid windows

The admin opens transfer windows at their discretion — typically once a week or between gameweeks. Each window has an opening and closing time. Here's the process:

1
Window opens — you can browse free agents and place bids. Bids are hidden from other managers.
2
Place your bid — select a free agent, enter your bid amount, and optionally choose a squad player to release in their place (if your squad is at capacity).
3
Window closes — no more bids can be placed or changed. The window enters a processing state.
4
Admin processes bids — the highest bidder for each player wins. Tied bids are resolved at admin discretion. Results are published to all managers.
5
Squads updated — winning managers receive their new player; the transfer budget is deducted accordingly.

Bid rules

  • You can only bid up to your remaining transfer budget.
  • You can update or cancel a bid at any time while the window is open.
  • If you need to make room in your squad, you must nominate a player to release as part of your bid.
  • Losing bids are free — your budget is only spent when you win.

Transfer history

The Transfers page shows a full history of all completed windows, including every bid placed, who won each player, and the winning price paid.

07 · Standings

The league table

The Standings page is the main scoreboard for your league. It shows every manager ranked by their total season points, with gameweek-by-gameweek breakdowns available.

Season tab

The Season tab shows the full league table: team name, manager name, this week's points, total season points, and a form indicator (based on the last 5 gameweeks). Your row is highlighted so you can find yourself instantly.

Analytics tab

The Analytics tab displays a cumulative points chart showing how every manager's season has progressed gameweek by gameweek. You can filter by specific teams and restrict the gameweek range to zoom into key periods of the season.

Historical seasons

Use the season selector to view standings from previous seasons. All history is preserved when the admin starts a new season.

08 · Stats

Player statistics

The Stats page shows a league-wide leaderboard of all player performances across the season. You can filter by position and club to scout free agents or track your own players.

Stats shown include total points, goals, assists, clean sheets, and more — helping you decide who to target in the next transfer window.

09 · Trophies

End of season awards

At the end of each season, the league admin awards three trophies. These are displayed on the Trophies page and preserved permanently in the league's history.

🏆
Premier League
Awarded to the manager with the most points across the full season.
⭐
Champions League
Awarded to the runner-up or second competition winner.
🥇
FA Cup
Awarded to the third competition winner or as a special award.

Trophies from all seasons are shown together on one page, building up a permanent hall of fame as your league continues year after year.

10 · New Season

Starting again

Once the season is finished and trophies have been awarded, the admin can start a fresh season directly from the admin panel. Here's what happens:

  • The season year advances (e.g. 2025/26 → 2026/27).
  • All squad players are released — every manager starts with an empty squad.
  • Auction and transfer budgets are reset to the configured defaults.
  • The league returns to Draft status, ready for a new auction.
  • All previous season data — standings, stats, trophies — is preserved and viewable.
Before starting a new season: make sure all trophies have been assigned and the final standings are correct. Historical data cannot be edited once a new season begins.