Fantasy football is back – but this time, it’s the EFL that takes centre stage.
With Fantasy EFL launching for the 2026/27 season, Grimsby Town fan and fantasy football content creator Holly Shand is teaming up with her hometown club to take on the challenge, with plenty of Mariners players set to feature in her selections throughout the campaign.
A Grimsby girl born and bred, Holly has followed the Mariners throughout her life and has played Fantasy Premier League for 12 seasons. Now, she’s swapping the Premier League for the EFL and is ready to put her fantasy football knowledge to the test.
With all 72 EFL clubs and more than 2,000 players available to choose from, Fantasy EFL is one of the biggest fantasy football games around, rewarding everything from goals and assists to tackles, clearances and clean sheets. And there’s plenty to play for, with monthly prizes, play-off tickets and even a Grimsby Town season ticket up for grabs.
Fantasy EFL gets underway on Friday 14th August, so there’s no time to waste in getting your first team locked in.
How does Fantasy EFL work?
One of the biggest differences from traditional fantasy football games is that you select a completely new team every gameweek.
There are no player prices to worry about and no need to plan your squad weeks in advance. Simply log in, select your team and watch your players earn points. Even if you miss a deadline, your previous lineup will roll over, meaning you’ll always have a team scoring points.
Each gameweek, you can select seven players from across the EFL, including one goalkeeper, at least two defenders, two midfielders and one forward. There is one catch – you can only select a maximum of two players from each club.
So, while Holly will be showing plenty of support for her beloved Mariners, she won’t be able to fill her entire team with Town players!
Managers can also use two chips during the season, including One Club, which allows you to select seven players from a single club once during the campaign. You can also select two clubs to score you points each gameweek, although each club can only be selected a maximum of five times during the season.
And then there’s your captain. Players score points for appearances, goals, assists and clean sheets, while bookings and missed penalties can cost you points. If one of your selected players is named on the bench, you can also make changes before kick-off.
Clubs earn points for wins, with additional rewards for away victories, clean sheets and scoring two or more goals. Choose your captain wisely, too, as their score is doubled each gameweek.
Managers also have two opportunities to use the Max Captain chip, which doubles the score of their highest-scoring player.
What can you win?
There are prizes to compete for throughout the season. Each month, the top five managers will receive a Puma football and Fantasy EFL merchandise pack.
The overall winner will receive hospitality at Wembley for the Championship Play-Off Final, while play-off final tickets are also up for grabs for those finishing in the overall top five. But for Mariners supporters, the Club League offers the biggest prize of all.
The winner of the Grimsby Town Club League will receive a Grimsby Town season ticket.
So, make sure you join the Club League and see if you can finish the season as the Mariners’ top fantasy manager. You can also create private leagues with friends, family and fellow supporters for the ultimate bragging rights.
Which Mariners should you pick?
Holly has already been looking ahead to Gameweek 1 and has picked out some Mariners who could be worth considering. Town open their campaign at home to Exeter City, with the visitors having been relegated from League One last season.
After an impressive pre-season, Justin Amalazour and Andy Cook have caught Holly’s eye, with Amalazour scoring three times and Cook finding the net four times during pre-season.
Both feature in Holly’s Gameweek 1 plans.
Gameweek 2 sees the Mariners travel to Walsall, where Cook could once again be in contention for selection after scoring twice against the Saddlers in February, with Jamie Walker providing both assists in that impressive performance.
Town were also 1-0 winners on their last visit to the Bescot Stadium in August 2025. Then it’s back to Blundell Park for Gameweek 3 and a meeting with Fleetwood Town.
The Mariners recorded 1-0 victories home and away against the Cod Army last season, making a defensive selection potentially appealing. Cam McJannet could be one to watch, while Cook could once again provide a goalscoring threat.
Town’s last home meeting with Fleetwood produced a dramatic late winner, with the Mariners registering 19 shots before finally finding the breakthrough in the sixth minute of added time.
Could another late Cook goal be on the cards?
Join the Mariners’ Club League
Fantasy EFL gets underway on Friday 14th August, so now is the time to start building your Gameweek 1 lineup.
Make sure you join the Grimsby Town Club League for your chance to win a Mariners season ticket, compete against fellow supporters and follow Holly’s Fantasy EFL journey throughout the season.
Stay tuned to the Club’s channels for more Fantasy EFL tips, picks and content from Holly throughout the campaign.
Good luck, Mariners!
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