Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has reportedly introduced a new rule preventing players and staff members from selecting Gunners footballers in their Fantasy Premier League (FPL) teams. According to a report by the London Evening Standard on Saturday, November 7, 2026, the decision follows an incident in which a player's fantasy selections appeared to reveal information about his availability before a Premier League fixture.

The development has highlighted the growing influence of Fantasy Premier League as an unexpected source of information about team selections. Although the game is designed for supporters to manage virtual squads, the choices made by professional footballers can sometimes provide clues about their fitness and potential involvement in upcoming matches.

The issue arose last week when Christos Tzolis' FPL team was shared online ahead of Arsenal's Premier League meeting with Liverpool. His decision to include himself suggested that he was available for the contest, despite questions surrounding his fitness before the match.

That indication proved accurate when Tzolis was named in the starting lineup for the encounter at Anfield. His selection attracted attention because it appeared to offer an early clue about a team decision that Arsenal would ordinarily prefer to keep private until the official lineup was announced.

In response, Arteta reportedly instructed everyone associated with the club to stop selecting Arsenal players in their fantasy teams. The restriction is understood to cover both members of the first-team squad and staff, making it a wider measure intended to prevent further disclosures through the popular online game.

Tzolis has already acted on the instruction by activating his wildcard and removing all Arsenal players from his fantasy squad. An Arsenal staff member who also participates in Fantasy Premier League has reportedly made the same adjustment.

The manager's decision reflects the importance Arsenal place on controlling information about player fitness, availability and potential team selections. Clubs generally seek to keep such details confidential before important matches, particularly when opponents could use early information to prepare their tactics.

Although FPL selections are not official team announcements, the Tzolis incident demonstrated how individual choices can attract attention and lead to speculation about a player's condition. In this case, his decision to select himself provided an indication that he was likely to feature against Liverpool, and his eventual inclusion in the starting eleven supported that suggestion.

Arsenal's new directive is therefore intended to reduce the possibility of similar situations arising. By preventing players and employees from including Gunners stars in their fantasy squads, Arteta wants to remove a potential source of unofficial team news.

The restriction also underlines how closely modern football clubs monitor information that could reveal details about their preparations. With fantasy football attracting widespread participation among players, staff and supporters, even routine selections can generate unwanted attention.

For Arsenal, the priority is to maintain greater control over information surrounding the squad. The reported instruction makes clear that those inside the club are expected to avoid actions that could unintentionally disclose details about player availability before matchday announcements.