We’ve been tracking everything, leaks, community chatter, studio moves… and it’s time to give you a no-nonsense update.

What Happened With FM25?

Let’s not sugarcoat it: FM25 got canned. Sports Interactive officially scrapped the game in February, refunding pre-orders and admitting they just couldn’t get the quality right, especially with a new engine, revamped UI, and expanded features all trying to come together at once.

They didn’t just delay it, they buried it and moved their entire focus to FM26. That alone tells you how serious they are about getting this next one right.

FM26 Is Real and Well Underway

Everything we’ve seen since points to FM26 being deep in development. There was confirmation from SEGA that FM26 is targeting a “Fall 2025” release window. Internally, the team’s been hiring QA testers for months, working out of Sofia, with test cycles extending into next year. That tells us they’re already deep in either alpha or early beta.

And let’s not forget: FM24 had over 17 million players. The pressure is on to deliver a game worthy of that momentum and SI knows it.

The Silence Is Loud but It’s Strategic

One thing that’s bugged the community is the total lack of communication from SI so far this year. No sneak peeks, no roadmap, nothing. That’s rare. But when you think about what happened with FM25, it makes sense. They’re playing this one close to the chest until everything is locked down.

From our perspective, that’s a smart move. They’ve burned goodwill with delays and half-teases before. This time, I’d bet they’re planning a full-blown reveal closer to launch, probably September.

When Will It Drop?

Let’s talk timing. If you’ve followed FM for a while, you know the pattern. Releases typically land late October to early November. FM24 was a bit of an outlier with that early December launch, but that felt like a one-off.

With FM26, here’s how the timeline likely shakes out:

• Reveal trailer and features: Early to mid-September

• Early access (for pre-orders): Last week of October

• Full release: First or second week of November

There’s always a small chance it slides into December if polish is still needed, but I’d say that’s the exception, not the plan. Right now, November is looking like the sweet spot.

Why FM26 Matters More Than Ever

This isn’t just FM25 with a new coat of paint. FM26 is shaping up to be a full rebuild—what SI themselves have called a “generational overhaul.”

They’re switching over to the Unity engine, which means a whole new level of visuals, smoother animations, and likely better optimization across platforms. We’re expecting a brand-new interface, with a card-based layout replacing the old inbox system. That’s designed to streamline how you absorb info and make decisions day-to-day.

And yes, women’s football is finally set to be integrated properly. It was planned for FM25, and now it’s expected to land in FM26 with a full database of players and staff. Add to that broader platform support, possibly even on services like Netflix and Apple Arcade, and you’ve got a title aiming to hit players wherever they game.

This is the biggest technical and design leap for the series in at least a decade.

Final Thoughts

So, where does that leave us?

FM26 is real, it’s deep in development, and all signs point to a launch right around early November 2025. The silence from Sports Interactive might feel strange, but this time, it’s likely by design. They’re all in on making sure FM26 doesn’t just meet expectations, it resets them.

If you’ve been hanging back waiting for something worth getting excited about, this might just be the one.

We’ll keep tracking everything from here, feature reveals, release dates, and what early access looks like. Stay tuned. This could be the Football Manager we’ve been waiting years for.

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Sports Interactive has announced that Football Manager 25 (FM25) will no longer be released, with the studio now shifting its focus to Football Manager 26 (FM26). The decision follows an internal review of the game’s development, which led to the conclusion that the product did not meet the expected quality standards.

Development Challenges and Transition to FM26

FM25 was initially planned for a March 2025 release after being delayed from its original November 2024 window. However, the studio faced challenges in transitioning to the Unity engine while simultaneously integrating women’s football for the first time in the series. Despite progress in these areas, the team determined that the overall player experience and interface did not meet internal benchmarks.

Studio Director Miles Jacobson addressed the situation, stating,

“We could have pressed on, released FM25 in its current state, and fixed things down the line—but that’s not the right thing to do.”

He emphasized the importance of maintaining quality and not compromising on the player experience.

Jacobson also noted, “We were unwilling to go beyond a March release as it would be too late in the football season to expect players to then buy another game later in the year.” This consideration played a role in the decision to cancel FM25 and focus on FM26.

With FM25 no longer moving forward, there will also be no 2024/25 season update for Football Manager 2024. Instead, Sports Interactive is directing its resources toward FM26, which is now set to launch in November 2025. The additional development time is expected to allow for further refinement of the game’s new features and engine transition. Jacobson reassured fans, stating, “Through the cancellation, every effort is now focused on ensuring that our next release achieves our goal and hits the quality level we all expect.”

Refunds for Pre-Orders

Players who had pre-ordered FM25 will receive automatic refunds. Jacobson expressed gratitude to the community, saying, “For the large numbers of you who pre-ordered FM25, we thank you enormously for your trust and support—we’re very sorry to have let you down.” He encouraged players to refer to the official FAQs for information on obtaining refunds.

More updates on FM26 are expected as development progresses. In the meantime, FM24 remains the latest available version in the series. Fans can continue to follow official channels for further announcements regarding Football Manager’s future.

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[This press release has been made courtesy of Sports Interactive]

Football Manager 2018 brings with it over 1,000 new improvements and features, building on the success of last year’s game to make this the most in-depth Football Manager yet. New staff roles and enhanced scouting reports, improvements to match analysis, press conferences, new player personality traits and morale are just a few of the things to look out for, but the key new features and improvements this year are:

• All new Dynamics system– A harmonious squad produces better results on the pitch. By building partnerships amongst your players – both on and off the pitch – and maintaining a good dressing room atmosphere you’ll get the best performances out of your squad.
• Improved Matchday Experience– A brand new graphics engine produces the best lighting, stadiums and player models in the series’ history, alongside a sleeker match interface and modernised presentation that bring your fixtures to life.
• Real World Scouting System– A true-to-life representation of the techniques used by the world’s biggest clubs including more detailed data analysis that, combined with a wider range of scouting options, give you a better overview of any potential signing.
• Sports Science– The new Medical Centre gives you a more complete overview of your squad’s injury situation, with your medical team providing advice on feedback on individual players’ injury risks and how to avoid injuries occurring during training.
• Tactics Overhaul – A redesigned tactics screen puts analysis at its heart, giving you a clear view of whether your tactic is working. The new pre-match briefing allows you to be better prepared for your upcoming fixtures, while new player roles give you more ways to exploit your players’ abilities.
• Improved Fantasy Draft– Redesigned with a new interface that is perfect for streaming and with several new setup options that help tailor the Fantasy Draft experience to you, including a bigger squad budget and a Quick Start option.
• Football Intelligence– A realistic transfer market that reflects the inflated transfer fees and contract values, more clauses to help finalise that blockbuster deal and the more intelligent transfer and board AI that take into account more contextual information from the game world.

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What’s new in Football Manager 2017? Here are some of the changes.

Brexit simulation
The developers have opted to introduce the effects of UK leaving the EU. Since the kind of Brexit – “soft” that allows free movement of labour, or “hard” that has tough work permit regulations – that will actually happen is yet unknown, FM17 randomizes it for each player. Expect it to impact your game whether your club is in the UK or not.

Enhanced match engine
SEGA claims an improved 3D match engine, bolstered by the addition of thousands of motion-captured animations, better looking stadiums and improved AI.

News feed, and social Feed
Changes to your inbox mean the news will be geared towards happenings in your club, and include more detail and staff advice than before. The all-new social feed, on the other hand, will contain the responses and opinions of the media and fans, who’ll let you know at every moment what you’re not doing right.

Facial scanning
You can now scan your own face and have it rendered as part of your manager’s avatar in FM17, thanks to Singular Inversions’ FaceGen technology. If you’ve ever used this feature in other games, you know what to expect.

Conversations with future signings
FM17 allows you to enter pre-contract offer talks, which is basically a chance to market your club, and convince players and their agents that this move is the right fit for them.

A quicker start
Sports Interactive wants to help players get into the game quicker, and it’s created “Optimal Quick Start” just for that purpose – the feature lets you pick your team before the game even loads, while providing you recommendations on the number of leagues, size of the database and expected performance based on your computer’s specifications.

Other changes
Introduction of a single-player option in Fantasy Draft, the game’s multiplayer mode. Sports Interactive is also adding Data Analysts, and Sports Scientists to FM17 – in a bid to reflect the technology-driven nature of today’s sporting world. Rounding up the improvements are new player traits, so if they are unhappy about something at the club expect to hear about it as their manager.

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The new full-screen version is set to be released on November 13th, 2015. Opportunities are available to pre-order through their website. Mobile and Touch screen versions are set to be released before Christmas 2015.

Here are some of the new features coming soon,

• New Game Modes: Take on your mates with ‘Fantasy Draft’ mode – which gives you the chance to build your own dream team and compete in a mini league – or add your own custom-built team to any existing league you choose with the new ‘Create-A-Club’ option.
• Manager on Touch-Line: Get closer to the action than ever before with your own customisable character to bark out instructions and join the celebrations from the touchline.
• Improved Match Day Experience: More than 2,000 new animations make the Football Manager 2016 match engine the best ever. There’s also more control when planning set pieces and a new highlights package to keep you up-to-date with all the action from every league.

Some of the other goodies that are coming out from the Sports Interactive twitter account.

#FM16 Customise your own touchline manager character & see them and other managers on the touchline pic.twitter.com/DKGINbgTPg

— Football Manager (@FootballManager) September 7, 2015

#FM16 Go head-to-head with mates in Fantasy Draft mode pic.twitter.com/wA8ixiFqKz — Football Manager (@FootballManager) September 7, 2015

#FM16 EXTRAS: Upgrades to board requests, finances, press conferences & more pic.twitter.com/cK0jjb6jlw

— Football Manager (@FootballManager) September 7, 2015

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This season’s release not only includes up-to-date player and competition data, it also includes a number of gameplay enhancements, many of which have been implemented as a direct result of user feedback. These include:

– An all-new player comparison module (allowing managers to compare potential recruits against existing squad members or existing squad members against one another).
– Player photos (in licensed leagues)
– An increase in the number of playable leagues (from 12 to 14)
– A player form ‘hot list’
– The facility to promote reserve team players to the first-team squad
– Club captain selection
– Improvements to the in-game news, media interaction and match engine
– Twitter support for all devices – allowing managers to share their exploits with friends
– A host of in-game achievements for manager to strive towards

In addition to these gameplay enhancements, there have also been a number of improvements to the user interface; in particular, specific ‘skins’ have been developed for the most popular tablet devices and retina support has been added for high-end iOS devices.

For managers who like to accelerate their progress through the game, Football Manager Handheld 2013 allows, for the first time, the purchase of a number of ‘unlockable’ features, including the introduction to the club of a ‘sugar daddy’, the option to expand the club’s stadium, the ability to manage national teams from the beginning of the game and even taking a place on the board (giving the manager immunity from the dreaded sack). While all of these unlockables are available through the in-game store, many can also be ‘earned’ through in-game achievements as with previous iterations of the game.

Football Manager Handheld 2013 also sees the reappearance of the popular challenges (which first appeared in Football Manager Handheld 2012) and the introduction of a whole new challenge, ‘The Dangers of Capitalism’.

For more information, check out our user forums or navigate to SI Games.

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In addition to offering an array of improvements and enhancements over its predecessors, the new release also incorporates a series of radical changes and new game modes which, for some, will revolutionise the way the game is played.

Perhaps the most noteworthy of these is the introduction of the all-new Classic mode… or ‘FMC’ as it’s become known within Sports Interactive. FMC offers, for the first time in Football Manager’s long and successful history, an alternative, less time-consuming way for players to approach the game. The new mode simplifies the way players manage their club and allows them to focus on the nuts and bolts of taking their team to the top.

“The introduction of FMC is a major step forward in Football Manager’s evolution,” says Sports Interactive’s Studio Director Miles Jacobson. “In recent years it’s become clear that there’s a large group of people who would like to play Football Manager, but simply can’t devote the time required to get the most out of the game – in fact, now that they have families and other commitments, even some members of the SI team have found themselves in this position. We decided, therefore, to try to find a way to accommodate players with limited free time, without significantly diluting the experience. We believe that FMC achieves this beautifully.”

“I would, however, like to stress to our many, many fans around the world that the introduction of FMC will not impact in any way on the game that they’ve come to know and love. For those who still want the full, ‘hands-on’ experience, FM13 offers exactly what they’re looking for – a bigger, better and even more immersive version of the world’s greatest football management simulation.”

As well as streamlining the manager’s role – to the point where a full season can be played out in eight to 10 hours – FMC also offers its players two distinct ways to play; they can either embark on an open-ended career or test their mettle in the new Challenge mode.

In Challenge mode the player faces a particular scenario which is designed to test his or her management skills over a set period of time – usually half a season. The challenges replicate a variety of real world circumstances… is it possible to achieve success with a squad consisting entirely of kids, for example, or can a team that’s bottom of the table on Christmas Day be saved from relegation by the end of the season?

Challenge mode was first introduced to Football Manager in Football Manager Handheld 2012 (for iPhone and Android) and proved so popular that it has been incorporated into the PC and Mac game. FM13 will ship with five challenges included, while more will be made available throughout the year, depending on the level of demand from players around the world.

Alongside Challenge mode, FMC also incorporates a number of ‘unlockable’ features which, if used, make the game a little easier to play – managers can remove the need for work permits, for example, or add a few million to their transfer budget. Players can ‘earn’ some of these unlockables by reaching in-game milestones, while all are available to purchase if the player chooses to do so.

FM13 also sees the introduction of a range of all-new features and significant enhancements to some of the game’s existing elements. Some of the highlights include:

Improved 3D match engine
Perhaps the most visible enhancements to FM13 will be those that have been made to the 3D match engine. In this year’s release, everything on and around the pitch will look more realistic; from the stadiums and crowds through the players’ movements and the way the ball moves through the air. A variety of new and improved animations give matches a more realistic feel, while a revamp of the camera system makes the matchday experience more ‘televisual’. These visual enhancements are underpinned by a dramatic improvement in the match engine’s artificial intelligence system.

New staff roles
FM13 sees a significant restructure of the manager’s backroom staff and a revamp of their roles. This includes the introduction of a Director of Football who will (if required) take on some of the manager’s workload, such as contract negotiations or the disposal of unwanted players. In addition, the number of specialist coaches has increased and the manager has greater flexibility to choose which coaches to seek advice from and when to do this, as well as more specialised coaches and the ability to improve coach’s skills as they qualify for their coaching badges.

Improved media interaction
The interaction between the manager and the media has been revamped. One significant aspect of this is that managers can now adopt different tones when dealing with the press – choosing between a number of moods ranging from ‘calm’ to ‘aggressive’.

Network game
FM13 sees a huge revamp of the multi-player game, which now makes full use of the Steam system’s network functionality, allowing players to set up and enjoy games against other managers far more easily than before. The improved network game also includes a number of bespoke, one-off league and cup options alongside the standard career version, including one mode which allows the player to take the team that he or she has built and developed in their single-player game and test it in the multi-player environment.

Worldwide leaderboards
FM13’s deeper integration with Steam also sees the introduction of worldwide leaderboards which means, for the first time, that players can see exactly where they stand compared to their fellow managers across the globe. In addition to the full global ranking ladder, there will also be a number of individual leaderboards covering the game’s different modes and every playable nation and division. The leaderboards use a sophisticated scoring system that takes into account a variety of factors including the level a manager chooses to compete at, his or her club’s financial performance and even their in-game wages – making the new manager contract negotiation feature a really important addition to the game.

User interface
FM13 boasts a new interface and skin for ‘career’ mode, and a fresh new look for ‘classic’ mode, as well as lots of work on navigation, an animated interface and a new search system means that whichever mode you go for, FM13 will be the easiest to use and best-looking game in the series to date.

Enhanced training
In FM13 managers will have the ability to go deeper into their team’s training and choose a schedule that suits their needs. Training is now managed through a simplified overview panel which combines general coaching with more detailed preparation. Managers can now choose where they want to focus their team’s training, whether that is on more general routines or in preparing for specific matches.

Realistic tax regimes
One of the major factors which influences real world footballers when they come to choose which club to sign for is the different level of tax which is payable from one country to another. This is now reflected in FM13, which includes up-to-date tax regimes for each of its featured countries – something which the in-game footballers will take into account when deciding which club to join.

Football Manager 2013 will be published by SEGA for Windows PC and Mac before Christmas 2012. Many of the game’s 900-plus new and enhanced features will be outlined in a series of video blogs which will be released over the coming weeks.

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