足球经理26

International Management has arrived in Football Manager 26 as the world’s greatest football tournament kicks off across USA, Mexico and Canada. Take charge of your nation on football’s biggest stage and chase glory at FIFA World Cup 2026™.

From previous tournament winners to first-time qualifiers, here are 9 nations to consider taking charge of and leading to success.

Argentina

There’s only one place to start, the reigning champions…

Argentina's squad is packed with talent and experience, led by captain Lionel Messi and supported by the likes of Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez and Enzo Fernández. Emerging talents Nico Paz and Matías Soulé also add creativity and excitement to the group.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez remains a key figure, with his penalty-saving heroics in 2022 helped Argentina lift the World Cup serving as a reminder of his ability to deliver in the biggest moments.

Can you lead Argentina to become the first men's national team in over 60 years to successfully claim back-to-back FIFA World Cup™ victories and cement their place in football history?

Germany

For the first time in Football Manager history, the German national team is licensed in FM26. The four-time world champions have underwhelmed at the last couple of tournaments, exiting at the group stage on both occasions.

The Germans boast a star-studded squad with the likes of Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Leroy Sané as well World Cup debutants Lennart Karl and Aleksandar Pavlović.

The biggest question will be who will provide the goals? Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade are competing for the main forward role, who would you choose?



Canada

One of three host nations at FIFA World Cup 2026™, The Canucks will fancy their chances of qualifying from Group B as they face Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar and Switzerland.

2026 is their second consecutive FIFA World Cup™ appearance and only their third ever at the tournament. With star players such as Stephen Eustáquio, Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan, Ismaël Koné and captain Alphonso Davies, this latest generation of Canadian stars give them an additional edge. And that’s before considering that all three of their group fixtures will be played on home soil in Toronto and Vancouver.

Can you make it a World Cup to remember for Canada and help them emerge from the group stage for the first time in their history?

Norway

The Scandinavian side stormed through qualification to reach their fourth FIFA World Cup™ finals, their first since 1998 when they finished second in the group stages before exiting at the hands of Italy.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland will be their main star with the forward scoring sixteen goals in 8 matches during qualification.

Alongside Haaland, eyes will certainly fall on captain Martin Ødegaard who lifted the Premier League trophy with Arsenal in May. Add to this the flair and technical ability of players like Oscar Bobb, Antonio Nusa and Jens Petter Hauge, not to mention the added goal threat of Alexander Sørloth and Norway are a force to be reckoned with this summer.



Netherlands

The Netherlands have come close to football’s ultimate prize, finishing as runners-up on three occasions without lifting the trophy.

Built around a rock-solid spine, the Netherlands boast a defence led by Virgil van Dijk and Micky van de Ven, while Frenkie de Jong, Ryan Gravenberch and Teun Koopmeiners provide quality, control and intelligence in midfield. Looking further up the pitch, much of their attacking threat is likely to come from the in-form duo of Donyell Malen and Cody Gakpo.

Can you be the manager that gets the Netherlands over the line to make history lifting the trophy?

Morocco

Morocco will be a team to watch this summer as a side on the up who are now ranked eighth in the FIFA World Rankings.

The Lions head into their seventh FIFA World Cup™ finals appearance encouraged by their best-ever finish at the previous tournament, reaching the semi-final stage and finishing fourth place.

They are led by captain Achraf Hakimi, widely regarded as one of the best right-backs in world football. The attacking firepower of Brahim Diaz and Bilal El Khannouss will be key along with World Cup debutants Ayyoub Bouaddi and Neil El Aynaoui.



South Korea

Only five nations have qualified for every FIFA World Cup finals since 1986. One of those is South Korea, playing in their 11th consecutive tournament this summer.

The Reds sent shockwaves around the globe when they finished 4th at the World Cup on home soil in 2002, beating several European giants along the way before their exit at the semi-final stage.

Their squad boasts numerous players who achieved title success with their club side this season including Kim Min-jae, Lee Kang-in and Yang Hyun-jun. National team veterans Hwang Hee-chan and Son Heung-Min provide excellent leadership. Meanwhile, Jens Castrop adds a fresh dynamic to the team, offering energy and technical quality in midfield.

No Asian side has ever reached the final, can you change this and write your name into the football history books?



Curaçao

Having qualified for their first ever World Cup, Curaçao arrive as the smallest nation ever to reach football’s biggest stage.

This small Caribbean island nation has assembled a squad packed with eligible dual nationals, many of them Dutch-born or of Curaçaoan heritage, including Jürgen Locadia, Leandro Bacuna, Sontje Hansen and Tahith Chong.

To celebrate, we’ve partnered with FIFAe to bring you the Curaçao Challenge. Take your place in the dugout and lead the Caribbean nation on a journey to glory. At the end of the challenge, the player with the best save will win a once‑in‑a‑lifetime trip to Curaçao.

Can you guide the Caribbean underdogs to the greatest upset football has ever seen and lift the World Cup trophy?

England

The Three Lions have been on an upwards trajectory in international football over the last decade. They got to semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and finished runners-up twice in their continental competition.

They boast one of the strongest teams in terms of quality and depth. A world-class midfield in Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, the creativity and threat of Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford, plus rising stars like Nico O’Reilly, Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson. Their main star and all-time leading goalscorer, Harry Kane, is looking to take home his third international Golden Boot.

Are you the manager that can finally stop the years of hurt and lift a trophy for the first time since 1966?



There you have it, nine nations to manage at FIFA World Cup 2026™. There's no better time to step into the dugout and take charge of a national team.

Let us know which nation you chose to take over and lead to glory on our socials @FootballManager

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Take charge on football's biggest stage and chase international glory in Football Manager 26, now available at up to 50% off across selected platforms.

Get 50% off FM26 (PC/Mac), FM26 Console (Xbox/PS5) and FM26 Touch (Nintendo Switch™) and experience new tools and game upgrades that prime you for success as an international manager. 

FM26 (PC/Mac) and FM26 Console (Xbox) are on sale until 18:00 BST on Thursday 9 July, with other sale end-times varying by platform and region*.

For more on what to expect from FM26, head to our dedicated feature page to explore this season's changes to tactics, transfers and the introduction of Women’s Football. You’ll also discover more on the recent International Management updates, including new match preparation tools, squad-building enhancements and licensed FIFA World Cup 2026™ assets.

FM26 also includes save game compatibility across platforms, allowing you to continue existing careers from FM23 and FM24 while benefitting from FM26’s new additions.

*FM26 Console (PS5) is on sale until 23:59 BST on Wednesday 1 July in the EMEA region. The sale ends at 13:59 BST on Wednesday 1 July in South-East Asia and Japan and at 07:59 BST in the Americas

FM26 Touch (Nintendo Switch™) is on sale until 23:59 BST on Thursday 9 July in the EMEA region. The sale ends at 07:59 BST on Friday 10 July in the Americas, and at 13:59 BST on Friday 26 June in South-East Asia. 

To celebrate the arrival of International Management and the officially-licensed FIFA World Cup 2026™ in FM26, we’ve teamed up with FIFAe to launch the Curaçao Challenge. 
From now until Saturday 27 June, we’re inviting you to step into the dugout with the Caribbean nation and attempt to guide them to FIFA World Cup 2026™ glory. 
At the end of the challenge, the player with the best save will win a once in a lifetime trip to Curaçao and get the opportunity to meet the federation and national officials. 
To take part in the FIFAe Curaçao Challenge, head to FIFA.GG and download the custom-built save file*. 
From there, the key decisions are yours to make. Pick your best starting XI, craft a winning tactical approach and aim for victory on football’s grandest stage.
When Curaçao topped their FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifying group in November 2025, they became the smallest nation by population and land area to reach the tournament proper in its 96-year history. 
They enter this summer’s tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico as the ultimate underdogs, but with an experienced, capable squad and you in charge, anything is possible. 
Let us know how you’re getting throughout with the #FIFAeCuracaoChallenge hashtag on social media, and ensure you upload your save file to FIFA.GG. 
The winner of the Curaçao Challenge will be announced no later than Monday, July 27th. More information, and full competition terms and conditions, can be found on FIFA.GG.

*The Curaçao Challenge is open to FM26 (PC/Mac) players on Steam, Epic, Xbox Game Pass and the Microsoft Store only.

The second International Management update is now available on Football Manager 26 on Steam, Epic, and Microsoft Store.

An equivalent update is available on Football Manager 26 Console, Football Manager 26 Touch (Apple Arcade), and Football Manager 26 Mobile. An update for Nintendo Switch users will be available late this month.

This update completes the roster of qualified teams available to manage for the FIFA World Cup 2026™*, incorporates all licenced tournament kits, adds a new option to start your save with the final squads and fixes several identified crash issues.

Check out our dedicated FAQ for any queries relating to International Management. For any technical issues, head over to @FM_Assist.

The changelist for update 26.3.2 is available below:

 

International Management

•
Added option to start your save with the confirmed World Cup squads

•
All 48 qualified teams in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ now have licensed kit

•
All 48 qualified teams in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ are now playable

 

Technical Issues

•
Fixed a crash when trying to assign squad numbers to specific players

•
Fixed a crash caused by clicking the ‘Wnt’ icon on a Player Profile if the player has no club

•
Fixed a rare crash when changing Contract Expires Date on the Player Database screen

•
Resolved multiple crashes in online saves that are far into the future

•
Prevented a soft lock occurring in specific circumstances when using the space bar to continue in a dual management save

•
Fixed an issue in Hotseat mode where the Portal interface could incorrectly appear during matches after half-time

*The 26-player squads implemented for FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualified nations are correct as of Monday 1 June. Subsequent injuries, suspensions and squad changes have not been reflected.

International Management has arrived in the latest update for Football Manager 26, now live across platforms. 

Update 26.3.1 is live across FM26 (Steam/Epic/Microsoft), FM26 Console (Xbox/Playstation), FM26 Touch (Apple Arcade) and FM26 Mobile (Netflix), with new tools and game upgrades to prime you for glory on football’s biggest stage. The update for FM26 Touch (Nintendo Switch) will follow early next month subject to the submissions process.  

For more on what to expect, including new match preparation tools, updates to squad building and licensed FIFA World Cup 2026™ assets, dive into our dedicated feature blog.

The update also brings further functionality improvements to the User Interface, alongside updates to the wider game. A full changelist will be available on our community forums.

This update should take effect automatically but if you have any issues, please visit our dedicated FAQ.  

A second International Management update for FM26 across platforms is currently scheduled ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026™. This will cover the remaining official kits and the final 26-man 2026 FIFA World Cup™ tournament squads for participating nations*.  

*While we previously indicated that official kits would be included as part of the international management feature, licensing approvals are still ongoing. As a result, not all FIFA World Cup 2026™ team kits will be available upon launch of the feature and some may be added at a later date.

At the initial launch of this feature, 47 of the 48 qualified nations for FIFA World Cup 2026™ will be playable. We will provide further updates should that status change in future updates.

International management arrives in FM26 ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026™ in the USA, Canada and Mexico this summer. 

New tools and game upgrades prime you for glory on football’s biggest stage, elevated by our first-ever licensing agreement with FIFA. 

Let’s dive into what you can expect from May 26th.

Dive right into the action​​

The first thing you’ll see when loading up FM26 following this update is a new quick start option allowing you to dive straight into FIFA World Cup 2026™ action*.

You can kick off your campaign on May 11th in-game, giving you two final friendlies to run the rule over your players and complete your squad selection ahead of the summer’s action. 

In a subsequent game update in June, there’ll also be an early June start date available. So, you’ll step right into the into the dugout before the first game of FIFA World Cup 2026™. The final 26-man squad all set, ready for your opening match day and the next step on their path to glory.

You can still manage national teams and clubs simultaneously in FM26, including with the FIFA World Cup 2026™ specific start dates. If you opt to begin in May or June, your club’s season will simulate in the background ahead up to the point of your start date. 

You'll also be able to load your existing FM23 and FM24 saves and continue your national team saves. If you have started a club save in FM26, international management will be seamlessly integrated into your save file. You'll be able to start a new save game or have international management brought into your existing save game, it's entirely up to you.

Squad Building and Squad Selection

Before you get to those all-important Match Days, you’ve got to answer one of international football’s age-old questions: who makes your final squad? 

Inspired by insights from managers in the professional game, we’ve reworked the squad registration flow to make it more intuitive. 

You’ll discover a new Provisional Squad selection system, allowing you to call-up a wider selection of players before whittling it down to your final squad for your next friendlies, continental qualifiers or title tilt. 

The Squad Planner is now better embedded in the squad selection process, with new functionality allowing you to pick your Provisional Squad directly from your Squad Planner. 

These changes to squad registration are connected to wider adaptations of the National Pool and the National Shortlist, all designed to better equip you for international success.  

The National Pool is now one of the six headers used in the top navigation bar. Within that you’ll discover a refreshed National Shortlist that now functions similar how your shortlists work at club level. 

The National Shortlist includes new displays, such as the Player Discovery view that provides a clear indication of each player’s recent club form. Alongside that, there’s a column clearly outlining their international expectations, ranging from none through to those expecting to be the first names on your team sheet. 

Giving you more visibility of these expectations works in conjunction with a range of new interactions you can have with your players.

There are now more ways to let a player know whether they are likely to be picked or not, inform them they’re moving from the youth to senior teams or encourage them to reconsider retirement. 

That’s not all. To help you look for dual nationals that could yet declare for you or exciting young players for your nation’s future, we’ve also added Scouting Focuses.

Similar to Recruitment Focuses at clubs, you can adjust these searches across several variables, and your national team scouts will look at identifying players outside of your existing national shortlist to bolster your options.

These changes to squad registration and player identification improve the way information is presented to you, allowing you to make smarter decisions who’ll be leading you to glory. 

Be mindful that more tools for selecting and speaking to your players comes with greater media scrutiny, as we’ve added a range of new press conference questions to probe more into who is and isn’t in your squads. 

New Tools

It’s not just in Squad Selection and Squad Building that we’ve given you new tools as a national team boss in FM26. 

Before every match, you’ll be prompted to select Match Preparation training focuses for your team. Here, you can set specific In Possession, Out of Possession and Set Pieces priorities for each match to try and get the edge on the opposition.

We’ve also made several under-the-hood changes to player condition to ensure that players recover better during international tournaments, so they’re able to play more consecutive matches.

To fine tune your preparations, you’re now able to recruit Set Piece Coaches for your national teams. To give you the full picture, the Data Hub also now provides you with team-level data for national teams.

Football’s grandest stage

Official FIFA World Cup 2026™ licensed assets elevate your experience throughout the competition in-game. 

To give you that tournament feel, there’s a bespoke branded header in the Portal and a themed background as you navigate your pre-match preparations. 

Match Days are where the licence really comes to life. You’ll discover new cutscenes, broadcast graphics, teamsheets, kits** and the official Adidas Trionda match ball. 

And to crown the moment you claim world glory, you’ll see your captain lift the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Trophy in a new, authentic trophy lift sequence.

There’s plenty more for you to discover too when International Management returns to FM26 from May 26th, including the ability to manage women’s national teams for the first time in FM history. It’s nearly time to step into the international dugout. 



*At the initial launch of this feature, 47 of the 48 qualified nations for FIFA World Cup 2026™ will be playable. We will provide further updates should that status change in future updates.

**While we previously indicated that official kits would be included as part of the international management feature, licensing approvals are still ongoing. As a result, not all FIFA World Cup 2026™ team kits will be available upon launch of the feature and some may be added at a later date.

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You can now play Football Manager 26 and Football Manager 26 Console* for free until Monday, April 20th.

FM26 is available at no cost on Steam until 6pm BST on Monday, 20th April, with FM26 Console (Xbox) available at no additional cost until 7:59am BST on the same day.

Save Game Compatibility with both FM23 and FM24 means that you keep your journeys going into FM26 across platforms.

FM26 features more licensed clubs, leagues and competitions than ever before. You can learn more about those here alongside this year's new additions with our dedicated feature blogs.

Both FM26 and FM26 Console have been regularly updated since launch to improve stability and performance. These updates have included enhancements to in-game navigation, the reintroduction of in-match Shouts, redesigns for multiple game screens and significant Match Engine AI upgrades.

If you enjoy your initial spell in the dugout, you can get both titles at 40% off until April 23rd*. Any careers kicked off during the Free Play period can be seamlessly continued when you purchase the game.

*Available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers on the Ultimate, Premium or Essential tiers only. More info.

**Sale end times vary by platform and region.

FM26’s latest update is now live across platforms, including updated squads following the January transfer window and thousands of player rating changes based on performances over recent months. 

Those new squad dynamics and the stories from world football so far this season make it the perfect time to dive into a new adventure. To help you choose where to start, we’ve pulled together a selection of our favourites that offer a variety of challenges. 

Parma Calcio 1913

Parma hold a special place in the heart of a certain generation as one of Italy’s most iconic teams. Their instantly recognisable home kit, their big signings and their performances in Europe – all of them bring fond memories. 

The last two decades have proved challenging off the pitch but the Gialloblu are back on the up. With a well-built international squad, Parma have fielded the third youngest side across Europe’s top five leagues this season and have been thoroughly competitive in Serie A. 

In real life they’ve given a first opportunity to a young manager. Why not let them do the same for you in FM26 and repay their faith with a first-ever Scudetto? 



Aston Villa

Over the course of 2025, Aston Villa had the third-best record in the Premier League and ended the year with a club record 11 consecutive wins in all competitions. 

That run was testament to the quality squad they’ve built, their excellent tactical coaching from Unai Emery and their impressive ability to battle back from behind.

While Arsenal currently lead the table looking to end their 22-year title drought, Villa’s wait goes all the way back to 1981. Based on their performances this season, and the contributions from in-form stars like Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia, they’re not far away. 



TSG Hoffenheim

One of the stories of the Bundesliga season so far has been the return to form of TSG Hoffenheim. 

15th last time out, the club from Germany’s south-west had huge squad turnover in the summer and it’s paid off so far as they sit 3rd at the time of writing – on track for their highest finish since 2018. 

Their outstanding performances this campaign mean that their squad is one of the most improved in the latest update, led by talismanic Dutch midfielder Wouter Burger who has five goals and nine assists in 20 games. Stronger from the off, they’re now a very exciting prospect for you to take over. 



Club América

The most successful club in Mexican football history, Club América are fully licensed for the first time in FM history in FM26. 

Their squad is packed with experienced internationals from Mexico, Uruguay, Chile and the USA, spearheaded by captain and striker Henry Martín. 

Step into the dugout in the Mexican capital, build a legacy and push the team on, while also battling for continental bragging rights in the Leagues Cup and North American Champions Cup.



West Ham

It’s not really gone to plan for West Ham since that joyous day in 2023 when they won the UEFA Europa Conference League final. 

This season they’ve struggled in the Premier League at both ends of the pitch but took steps to remedy that in January by adding Axel Disasi at the back and a hat-trick of new attacking players in Adama Traore, Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe. 

With those new players at your disposal, you can rewind the clock and bid for a stronger top-flight campaign in the 2025/26 season. From there, smart recruitment will be essential if you’re to capture more European success and deliver football the way their fans demand. 

Widzew Lodz

The Ekstraklasa is one of Europe’s fastest growing leagues, with the increased UEFA Club Competition spots boosting Polish football financially and competitively. 

Unlike other similarly-sized nations, there’s currently not one dominant force and that makes it perfect for you to head there for your next save and build a dynasty. Our recommendation is Widzew Lodz. 

Based in the centre of Poland, Lodz are four-time Ekstraklasa winners but have been relegated three times since winning their last top-flight title in 1997. Now in their fourth season back in the top tier, it’s over to you to help the Widzewiacy re-establish themselves atop Polish football.



Motherwell

The William Hill Scottish Premiership has been drama-filled this season, with typical powerhouses Celtic and Rangers going through managerial changes and Hearts emerging as genuine title contenders. 

That’s perhaps led to Motherwell’s incredible season under Jens Berthel Askou going under the radar. By early February they’d almost matched their 2024/25 points tally, having lost just three of their first 25 games. 

Form like that explains why their squad is one of the most upgraded in the latest FM26 update, with headline Current Ability increases for Premiership top scorer Tawanda Maswanhise and midfielder Elliot Watt. 

RAAL La Louviere

The Belgian leagues have long been popular with FM fans for being a hotbed of exciting Wonderkids and young prospects. Without doubt the most interesting team from the Jupiler Pro League to manage in FM26 are RAAL La Louviere. 

Since initially forming in 2009, RAAL have had a few changes of name but over the last decade they’ve enjoyed a remarkable rise. Led by Frederic Taquin, they’ve achieved four promotions in eight years to reach the top division. 

With a new stadium built in time for the 2025/26 season, we think it’s time for you to take on the baton to see how you can continue their fairytale. Your first goal will be avoiding relegation and claiming the bragging rights over local rivals Charleroi. After that, the possibilities are endless. 

Shrewsbury Town

Several Sky Bet League Two side were busy in January but few have seen more immediate rewards than Shrewsbury Town. 

The Shropshire side had endured a tough start to the campaign, winning just one of their first 11 league games and staring down the barrel of successive relegations. A January managerial change coincided with seven new arrivals, headlined by Brentford loanees Matthew Cox and Iwan Morgan, and they’ve since won five on the spin to pull away from the relegation zone. 

That recent form shows what might have been for The Shrews this season – and that’s where you come in. Take over in the New Meadow dugout and see whether you can have them thinking about an immediate return to Sky Bet League One instead and even more to follow. 



FC Augsburg

Having never played in the Bundesliga before 2011, this season is FC Augsburg’s 15th consecutive campaign in the German top tier. 

Although they continue to fill up the WWK Arena for every home game, it’s now a decade since they made their UEFA Club Competition debut and finished in the top half of the Bundesliga table.

It’s time for you to change that and elevate the Bavarian club, building around their exciting young players like Mert Kömür, Noahkai Banks, Uchenna Ogundu and Fabian Rieder. 

Macclesfield

Of course we had to include Macclesfield FC on this list after that cup win in January. But that’s just part of their story. 

The Cheshire club have been constantly newsworthy since forming as a phoenix club in 2020, attracting notable managers, having their fortunes documented in a TV series and achieving three promotions in four seasons.

Although replicating an upset of the magnitude of their win over Crystal Palace might be challenging in your first season, joining the 6,000 other managers who’ve continued their momentum and got them promoted from the Enterprise National League North (and more besides) is well within your reach.



Briton Ferry Llansawel FC

Close and competitive, the Adran Premier is a great way for you to familiarise yourself with the arrival of Women’s Football in FM26 and develop your skills. 

After 14 games, the league splits in two, with the top four teams contesting the Championship Conference and the bottom four competing in the Plate Conference to avoid relegation.

We’ve picked out Briton Ferry Llansawel because taking over the South-West Wales side will be a challenge. Battling established clubs like Cardiff City, Swansea City, Wrexham and TNS won’t be easy but achieving success against them will be the product of your tactical and recruitment abilities. 



FM26 brings more playable nations, leagues and clubs than ever before. 

These clubs offer you a range of possibilities but the choice is yours. Wherever you start, share your journey with us on our socials @FootballManager.

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Football Manager 26 is now available with a 40% discount across platforms.

FM26 (PC/Mac), FM26 Console (Xbox/PS5)* and FM26 Touch (Nintendo Switch)** are on sale until 18:00 BST on April 23rd. Sale end dates and times vary by platform.

Over the last six weeks, Football Manager 26 has received two data updates containing transfers from the January and February Transfer Windows alongside Current Ability, Potential Ability and Attribute changes for thousands of players and staff.

Several game additions and upgrades have also been introduced. Fixtures & Results and Youth Setup Overview cards can now be viewed full-screen, player roles can be adjusted directly within the Tactics Visualiser, and a range of quality-of-life improvements have been made across the UI.

You can continue previous careers from FM23 and FM24 into FM26 across platforms, allowing to further explore your save world while experiencing this season’s new features.

*FM26 Console (Xbox) is on sale until 23:59 BST on April 26th. FM26 Console (PS5) is on sale in the Europe and Middle East regions until 23:59 BST on April 22nd, with the promotional periods ending at 07:59 BST on April 23rd in the Americas and 15:59 BST on April 21st in Southeast Asia and Japan.

**FM26 Touch (Nintendo Switch) is on sale until 23:59 BST on April 22nd in the Europe and Middle East regions. The sale period ends at 07:59 BST on April 23rd in the Americas.

FM26 Update (26.3) is now available on Steam, Epic, and Microsoft Store. 

This update introduces a new full-screen Youth Setup Overview, quality of life improvements to the User Interface, and Database changes from transfer windows including China, Türkiye, and the USA. * 

This update should take effect automatically but if you have any issues, please visit our dedicated FAQ. 

An update for FM26 Console on PlayStation and Xbox is also available, with the respective changelist available here.

FM26 Touch on Apple Arcade and FM26 Mobile will follow later this week. 

Today’s full changelist is available below. 

*To experience the data and competition changes in this update, you will need to start a new career. While the game version is being updated to 26.3, the database version will remain named as 26.2. 

Rosters for certain licensed leagues whose seasons run to the calendar year will only be reflective up until the end of the 2025 season and will not include incoming and outgoing transfers made for 2026.  

FM26 (26.3) Changelist (Non-Exhaustive) 

Database 

•
More than 1 million Database changes 

•
Updated Transfers for China, Türkiye, the USA, and other select leagues 

•
Boca Juniors are now a licensed team 

Technical Issues 

•
Crash fixes & stability improvements 

•
Fixed an issue causing keyboard shortcuts to activate when using the global search function 

•
Fixed an issue that would cause Navigation focus boxes to appear after using the global search function 

User Interface (UI) 

•
Redesigned the Youth Setup Overview to be full screen 

•
Sort functionality has been restored for transfer value, ability and potential columns in Recruitment > Shortlist 

•
Attributes being trained now highlight in Orange within the Individual Training screen 

•
The Fixtures and Result Report will remember your filters should you leave and return 

•
The Competition > Transfers card will remember your filters should you leave and return 

•
The Recruitment > Transfer History Card will remember your filters should you leave and return 

•
If the player attribute polygon graph is selected, it will remain visible while cycling through other players 

•
Match Stats bars are now correctly equal when values are zero for both teams 

•
Added Transfer Fees to the Career Stats tile 

•
Fixed an issue preventing the user to view past seasons in Stages card for select competitions 

•
Set Piece/Penalty taker lists will now properly reflect the real-time current squad  

•
Removed empty space appearing in Scout World Knowledge card 

•
Viewing the Tactical Analysis no longer omits certain players incorrectly

•
Fixed an issue causing form indicators to sometimes appear inaccurately on the Competitions page 

•
League tables which feature a ‘split’ now better display the split in teams 

•
Tactics within the save folder now correctly display if attempting to overwrite them 

•
Team form will now display oldest to newest (left to right) in all game areas 

•
Fixed an issue that could sometimes cause Partnership lines to appear misaligned on the Tactics screen when first opened 

•
Fixed an issue causing the Passing Completed, Crosses Completed, and Clear-Cut Chances stats to display incorrectly during the match day 

Gameplay 

•
Staff not at the user’s club no longer display ‘unknown’ personalities 

•
Added a ‘Automatically open a must respond message’ preference option 

•
Added Cash/Claused Transfers, Free Transfers, Part Exchange Transfers and Player Trials filters when on the Transfer History card 

•
Fixed an issue causing ‘Grey’ players that have been offered contracts to display attributes over 20 

•
Goalkeepers are now only compared to other goalkeepers on the player comparison screen 

•
Club vision ambitions have been tweaked to prevent certain objectives being contradictory of one another 

•
Improved supporter reactions to some players performances within Squad Feedback 

•
Fixed an issue where the ‘approach to sign’ action was not generating when the users club exited a transfer embargo 

Match, Art & Animation 

•
Added a new Premier League match ball 

•
Fixed an issue where players would sometimes kick ball out of play straight from kick off 

•
Fixed an issue causing offsides lines to be missing during the replay for a goal disallowed by offside 

•
The Dugout and Live Scores/Table will remain expanded even after highlights occur  

•
Fixed a rare issue with substitutes flickering on the 2D pitch tile 

In-Game Editor (IGE) / Pre-Game Editor (PGE) 

•
Further crash fixes and stability improvements 

•
Fixed an issue where verified rule files with a database were not valid with that same database in a new game setup (PGE) 

•
Fixed an issue causing non-playing history to appear blank for non-players with edited history (PGE) 

Competition and Rule Groups 

Belgium  

•
Added the RWDM Brussels points deduction 

Brazil 

•
Updated a number of formats, schedules and rules of various Brazilian competitions 

•
Updated VAR rules for various Brazilian competitions 

China 

•
Updated schedules for the Chinese Super League, Chinese National First Division, and the Chinese FA Super Cup 

•
Updated Transfer Windows for the Chinese Super League and Chinese National First Division 

Colombia  

•
Updated the Colombian Cup Substitution Rules 

England 

•
Added the Leicester City points deduction 

Europe 

•
Updated the format for the UEFA Youth League  

•
Fixed an issue where some Last 16 UEFA Champions League matches were scheduled on Thursdays 

France 

•
French Overseas Nationalities no longer count as foreign players in the French Cup 

Germany 

•
Updated the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 Squad Numbers rules 

Greece 

•
Fixed an issue causing there to be no TV matches appearing in Super League 1 after league split 

Ireland 

•
Updated the Irish Leinster Cup schedule 

Indonesia  

•
Updated the Substitution Rules for various Indonesian competitions 

Latvia  

•
B Teams no longer participate in the Latvian Cup 

Lithuania  

•
Updated the Lithuanian U18s Sorting Rules 

North America  

•
Updated the North American W Champions Cup Squad Registration dates 

Portugal 

•
Updated the Substitution Rules for the Portuguese Second League and Third Division 

Russia 

•
Updated the Russian First Division Loan Rules 

Scotland  

•
Updated the KDM Evolution Trophy Substitution Rules 

Spain 

•
Trialists are no longer allowed to participate in the Spanish Women's Super Cup 

Switzerland 

•
Fixed an issue causing youth players to be denied work permits after turning professional 

Sweden  

•
Updated schedules for various Swedish leagues/competitions  

Uruguay  

•
Updated the Uruguayan Transfer Window dates 

•
Updated the Uruguayan First Division schedule  

U.S.A 

•
Fixed an issue causing players to incorrectly gain Green Cards/American nationality (NWSL) 

•
Expansion teams no longer play matches prior to being formed (NWSL) 

Wales  

•
Updated the Nathaniel MG Cup Substitution Rules 

FM26 Update (26.2) for Football Manager 26 is now live, including all the big transfers from the January transfer windows. 

This update also includes thousands of player Current Ability, Potential Ability and Attribute changes based on performances since we locked the launch database for FM26. 

We’ve picked out some of the players with the biggest upgrades in this update, ready for you to manage, scout or sign. Let’s dive in…

Mateus Mane, Wolverhampton Wanderers

In what has mostly been a challenging campaign for Wolves, the emergence of Mateus Mane has been a real bright spark. 

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder has established himself in the first team under Rob Edwards, becoming the club’s youngest-ever Premier League goalscorer and winning the club’s Player of the Month award for both December and January. 

That breakthrough, and the huge interest he’s attracting from other clubs, warranted a big Current Ability increase in this update – and makes him someone to watch from the off in your latest saves. 



Yan Diomande, RB Leipzig

After making a big money move from Spain last summer, Ivorian winger Yan Diomande has been the talk of the Bundesliga this season. 

The 19-year-old has already more than doubled his value, recording 11 goals and seven assists in all competitions for RB Leipzig. 

His Finishing Attribute has been upgraded accordingly in this update, with a wider improvement to his Current Ability recognising his emergence as a new star. 

Eli Junior Kroupi, AFC Bournemouth

Bournemouth’s recruitment team appear to have struck gold once again with their addition of Eli Junior Kroupi. 

Hugely prolific in France last season, the 19-year-old has quickly established himself in the Premier League with eight goals already to his credit. 

His Finishing has been upgraded, making him even better-equipped to lead the line for you whether you take the reins at the Vitality Stadium or elsewhere. 



Lennart Karl, FC Bayern München

A breakthrough star in FC Bayern’s UEFA Champions League campaign, 18-year-old Lennart Karl has been nothing short of a revelation. 

The diminutive playmaker has repaid the trust shown in him by Vincent Kompany and his contributions to the first team against some of Europe’s best has seen his Current Ability significantly increased.

In terms of individual Attribute changes, his First Touch is the most notable mover, reflecting the excellent close control he’s shown on the biggest stages. 

Antoine Semenyo, Manchester City

Already a quality operator, Antoine Semenyo has cemented himself as one of the Premier League’s elite attackers this campaign. 

The Ghana international had 10 goals for Bournemouth at the mid-point of the season, leading to a big money move to Manchester City. He’s already found the back of the net four times for his new club and that finishing, as well as the all-round quality of his play, has led to an improvement in his Current Ability. 

He’s not the only City to receive an upgrade, with fellow new arrival Marc Guehi, Rayan Cherki, Nico O’Reilly and Max Alleyne all recognised for their strong starts to the season. 

Claudio Braga, Hearts

The standout of Hearts’ William Hill Premiership title challenge this season, Claudio Braga has rewarded the faith the club put in his underlying data in Norway. 

The Portuguese attacker has scored 15 and assisted six in 35 appearances across all competitions for the Jambos.

Braga’s Heading is now up to 14, meaning he’ll be primed to nod home from the crosses put in by similarly upgraded teammates like Jordi Altena, Michael Steinwender and Alexandros Kyzridis.



Viktor Dadason, FC Kobenhavn

FC Kobenhavn’s young players have long proved popular with FM players and we think Viktor Dadason is set to be the latest to join that list. 

In October, the teenage striker scored for the Danish side in the UEFA Champions League. That made him the third youngest goalscorer in competition history, a milestone he then improved on in November when he became the youngest player to score twice in the tournament. 

That rapid emergence for the Icelander has seen him receive one of the biggest upgrades in this update, and makes him a significant one to watch in your latest saves. 

Reyes Cleary, Barnsley FC

Another young player to have really stepped up this season is Barnsley’s winger Reyes Cleary. 

Winner of the EFL Young Player of the Month award in November, Cleary has recorded a total of 21 goal involvements in 37 games in all competitions this season and currently sits as Sky Bet League One’s top assister.

In terms of his Attributes that have been improved, it’s really no surprise to see his Flair go up after that 60-yard worldie against Bradford City.

Yael Trepy, Cagliari Calcio

A newer name on this list, Yael Trepy is likely to be a very popular signing in FM26 moving forward.

The 19-year-old striker made his Serie A debut in January and scored just four minutes after coming off the bench – making him the first French under-20 player to score on their debut in a top four league this century.

Tall, athletic and physical, Trepy has all the makings of a modern forward and now he can contribute more to your teams from the off after a significant Current Ability upgrade.



Romeo Vermant, Club Brugge

Things keep getting better and better for up-and-coming Belgian striker Romeo Vermant. 

Having scored a match-winning brace in last year’s Belgian Cup final, Vermant is now a fully-fledged Belgian international and has cemented himself as Club Brugge’s leading man up front. 

He’s up to 11 goals this season in all competitions at the time of writing and it’s his all-round play that has impressed most, with his Anticipation Attribute receiving a significant upgrade in this update. 



Aaron Drinan, Swindon Town

Sometimes it all just comes together for a player and that’s very much been the case this time around for Irish forward Aaron Drinan.

The 27-year-old is enjoying the best season of his career for Swindon Town, finding the back of the net 25 times in 35 games for Ian Holloway’s men. 

He’s a key part of their Sky Bet League Two promotion push and with a three-point upgrade to his Finishing Attribute in this update, he can do the same for you.



Pia Vlok, Wellington Phoenix

One of the biggest upgrades in this update belongs to exciting young Pia Vlok. 

The 17-year-old signed with Wellington Phoenix at the start of the season and has looked right at home ever since. 

She scored her first goal in November, became the first Phoenix player to score a hat-trick in the Ninja A League Women in February and has now been called up internationally by New Zealand. She’s got a very bright future ahead. 



Danny Ormerod, AFC Fylde

We wrap up this list by heading to another prolific forward in the shape of AFC Fylde’s Danny Ormerod. 

The 19-year-old has been electric for the Enterprise National League North promotion-chasers, scoring 26 times and assisting six in 31 league appearances. 

His clinical finishing, ability to lead the line and ability to stand up to the rigours of a very physical league have led to a big Current Ability increase in this update – and the potential for much more in your saves. 

These are just a select few of our favourite players for you to keep an eye on after the latest FM26 update, with thousands of changes waiting for you to discover. Let us know who you scout, sign or manage on social @FootballManager. 

​

FM26 Update (26.2) is now live across platforms.
This update contains transfers from the January Transfer Window, Current Ability, Potential Ability and Attribute changes for thousands of players and staff, as well as several game additions and upgrades.
For PC players, this update sees a change to make the Fixtures and Results card full-screen and introduces the ability to change player roles from the Tactics Visualiser.
These changes will apply to all existing save games. To experience the data and competition changes in this update, you will need to start a new career*.
The full changelist is available below, alongside platform-specific updates.
This update should take effect automatically but if you have any issues, please visit our dedicated FAQ.
The update is scheduled for release on March 10th for FM26 Mobile (Netflix). A larger update for FM26 Touch (Nintendo Switch) will follow later in the month, subject to the submissions process.
* Rosters for certain licensed leagues whose seasons run to the calendar year will only be reflective up until the end of the 2025 season and will not include incoming and outgoing transfers made for 2026.

FM26 - 26.2 Changelist (non-exhaustive) 

Database  

•
Five million+ database changes since the initial release of FM26

•
Updated licenced headshots 

 

Technical Issues 

•
Various Crash and Stability fixes 

•
Game no longer soft locks when attempting to progress to a penalty shootout in certain competitions 

•
Improved the User Interface (UI) responsiveness in Online Lobbies with large number of users 

 

User Interface (UI) 

•
Redesigned fixtures & results page to be full screen 

 

•
Added a preference for the Fixtures and Results screens to be automatically shown before and after matches in competitions the user is participating in 

 

•
User is now able to change Player Instructions & Roles from the Tactics Visualiser 

 

•
User is now able to view the Tactics Visualiser from the Team Shape tab from within the In and Out of Possession tabs 

•
Fixed an issue causing the opposition formation visuals to inaccurately reflect the actual formations on the pitch after the AI makes a formation change during a match 

•
Added Club Profile and Best XI tabs on the club Welcome Pack 

•
Tactics - Quick Pick will no longer include players who aren’t in First Team unless you have a filter selected 

•
Tactics – Fixed an issue causing injury indicators to remain after clearing the position 

•
Tactics – "Hide players" option no longer filters out empty slots 

•
Tactics - Tactic name no longer overlaps with the overall Familiarity if the name of the tactic was too long 

•
Opposition Instructions screen will now default to Predicted Lineup instead of All Positions 

•
Player listed in the Squad Registration screen are now sorted by position by default 

•
User can now sort the personality column on the Squad page 

•
You are now able to sort players by Squad Number on the Squad Numbers screen 

•
Resolved an issue where the user could duplicate the spoken languages selected during the Manager Creation process 

•
Fixed an issue causing the hierarchy induction pyramid graphic to display in low resolution 

•
The text displayed in the ‘last club’ column is no longer too large when on the Squad screen 

Gameplay 

•
Increased the prominence of AI manager sackings being shown on the News screen 

•
Players should no longer illogically get upset with manager when a transfer was cancelled due to work permit issues 

•
Fixed an issue preventing the Director of Football to sign players that were recently on trial with the club 

•
Fixed an issue causing some News items to incorrectly display a capital “S” after the player's name 

•
Fixed a rare issue where some players would illogically be considering options at the end of their contract when playing at the lower levels in England 

•
Resolved a very rare issue where playing highlights from a past match would sometimes show the wrong match 

 

Art & Animation 

•
Implemented Dynamic Aging for Newgen Portraits 

•
Fixed an issue causing distorted models to appear at the start of a match 

•
Resolved a rare issue causing the weather to snow during matches played in Saudi Arabia 

•
Players under armour should now always match the colour of their kit shorts 

•
Under pitch heating should now work when on Low and Very Low graphics settings 

•
Lowered the brightness of the pitch when playing matches at Night 

•
Changes and improvements to manager hairstyles

 

In-Game Editor (IGE) / Pre-Game Editor (PGE) 

•
Various Crash and Stability fixes 

•
Added Kit Editor tile to the Club Edit card (IGE) 

•
Flamboyancy and Goalkeeping non-player attributes can now be edited (PGE) 

•
Non-Playing History staff roles no longer appear in the Staff History and Biography as a Player role (PGE) 

•
Functionality of the duplicate button has been fixed (PGE) 

•
Resolved an issue causing data edits from edit files not affecting the database information during manager creation (PGE) 

 

Competition and Rule Groups 

Africa  

•
Updated rules & format for the African World Cup Qualifying 

•
Women’s Africa Cup of Nations expanded to 16 teams 

Argentina

•
Updated the participants of the Copa Argentina

Australia 

•
Updated format rules for the Australian Cup 

Austria 

•
Updated the schedules for the Austrian Premier Division 

Asia 

•
AFC Champions League – Resolved an issue where the Winter Registration window would never open 

•
AFC Women's Champions League – Updated the Schedule for 2026/27 season 

•
China will now host the Under 20 Asian Nations Cup in 2027 

Belgium 

•
The Belgian First National Amateur Division no longer appears in game 

•
Adjustments made to the starting times of matches on Saturday and Sunday in the Jupiler Pro League Season 25/26 

Brazil 

•
Updated a high number of formats, schedules and rules of various Brazilian State Championships 

•
Updated the Brazilian Cup and Super Cup for the 2026 season 

•
Updated the format, schedule, and rules for Brazilian U-20 Championship, and added the Brazilian U-20 Second Division 

Canada 

•
Updated salary cap information 

Chile 

•
Updated format rules for the Chilean Cup & Chilean Super Cup 

•
Updated the Chilean First Division & Chile Cup Revenue 

•
Updated the Chilean First Division and First Division B Match & Sorting Rules 

•
Updated the Chile Cup Substitution rules 

China 

•
Various teams given Points Deductions and Fines 

•
Removed the 100% transfer fee tax 

•
Updated the Chinese FA Cup Match Rules 

Colombia  

•
Updated format & match rules for the Colombian First & Second Division 

•
Updated the Colombian First Division Discipline Rules 

•
Updated Colombian Second Division Semi Final Draw Rules 

•
Updated Colombian First and Second Division TV Deals 

Czechia 

•
Updated the match rules for various Czech domestic competitions 

Denmark 

•
A-Liga squad numbers can now be assigned from 1-99 

•
Updated the format for A-Liga - 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons 

Europe 

•
Countries who play in different nations will now have the correct flag displayed alongside their name 

•
Updated the Hosts for Euro 2032 

•
Updated the Hosts for European U19 Championships (2027, 2028, 2029) 

•
Updated the Hosts for Women's European Football Championship 2029 

•
Updated the Nation and Club Coefficients for women’s football 

Egypt 

•
Updated the match rules for the Egyptian Premier League 

England 

•
Resolved an issue causing some Premier League Fixtures occurring at the start of an international break 

•
Updated Premier League Prize Money 

•
Updated the substitution rules for FA Cup qualifying rounds & FA Youth Cup 

•
Updated the format rules for U21/U18 Premier Division Cup & U18 Division 3 Cup 

•
Resolved non-cat 1 English U21 clubs incorrectly qualifying for the U21 International Cup 

•
U21 Premier Division International Cup - English teams will now correctly only play at home 

•
WSL & WSL2 - Trialists no longer allowed to play 

Finland 

•
Updated substitution rules for all league divisions, the Finnish Cup & the Finnish League Cup 

•
Updated format rules for the Finnish First Division Championship League Cup 

•
Updated the 2025/26 Transfer Windows dates 

France 

•
French Women's Cup - Reserve Teams will no longer participate 

Germany 

•
3. Liga - added rule where clubs get an automatic 9-point deduction if they enter administration 

•
Updated the substitution rules for German Women's Cup 

•
U21 Frauen Bundesliga players no longer need to be registered 

Hong Kong 

•
Updated format rules for the Premier U22 League 

Indonesia 

•
Added VAR to the Indonesian Super League & Indonesian Championship 

•
Updated the Indonesian League Two Schedule 

•
Removed the Piala President Cup 

Israel 

•
Updated VAR rules for various competitions across Israel 

Italy 

•
Resolved an issue where trophy celebration would wrongly trigger in Serie A if teams were tied on points for first place when instead a playoff game should decide the champions 

•
Removed Extra Time from the Italian Super Cup 

•
Removed Extra Time from the Italian Serie C Cup (except in the semifinals and final) 

•
Added VAR to the Serie BKT & Italian Serie C 

•
Updated VAR Rules to the Serie A Women Athora 

•
Italian Serie C - Various clubs given points deductions 

•
Updated the number of teams for Italian Serie C/B in 2025/26 due to Rimini being excluded from the league 

•
Updated the Squad Rules for Serie A Femminile eBay 

•
Updated the Schedule for the Italian U20 Primavera 3 

Japan 

•
Updated the J1/J2/J3 League Schedule 

•
Updated substitution rules for the J1/J2/J3 Special Tournament playoff stages 

Malaysia 

•
Updated the Malaysia Transfer Window dates 

•
Updated the Malaysian Super League Squad Registration Rules 

•
Updated the Malaysian Super League & Malaysian Cups Schedules 

•
Updated the format rules for Malaysian Super League & Malaysian FA Cup 

•
Updated the Malaysian A1 Semi-Professional League Transfer and Match Rules 

•
Removed the Malaysian Football League Cup 

North America 

•
Updated the format for the North American W Champions Cup 

•
Updated the schedule for the North American Champions Cup 

Northen Ireland 

•
Added the NIFL Charity Shield Competition 

•
Extra Time added to the North West Senior Cup 

•
BetMcLean League Cup correctly renamed to BetMcLean Cup 

•
Updated the Sports Direct Premiership & Bet McLean Cup Scheduling 

•
Updated substitution rules for various competitions & cups 

Peru  

•
Peruvian First Division Prize Money is now correctly distributed 

•
Updated the Peruvian First Division Squad Registration Rules 

•
Updated the Peruvian First Division Match Rules 

Portugal 

•
Updated the Loan Rules for all divisions 

•
Updated the format rules for the Portugal Championship & Portuguese U19 First Division 

•
Updated the Portuguese League Cup Match Rules 

•
Resolved an issue causing teams in Portuguese Third Division Championship Groups to incorrectly start with bonus points 

Poland 

•
The Polish FA Cup Final now has the correct date 

Romania  

•
VAR added to the Romanian Cup & Romanian Super Cup  

Russia 

•
Updated the Russian Premier League Match Rules 

•
Updated substitutions rules for the Russian Cup 

Scotland 

•
Hamilton Academical given 15-point deduction 

Serbia 

•
Updated scheduling for all leagues 

Spain 

•
Updated the Spanish Women's Divisions and Cups Match Rules 

•
Updated the Spanish Women's First/Second Division Squad Number rules 

Singapore  

•
Updated the Singapore Cup Schedule 

•
Added VAR to the Singaporean Premier League/Singapore Cup/Singaporean Community Shield 

Slovenia 

•
Updated the league formats due to a team going bankrupt 

Spain 

•
Updated the match and squad number rules for several Spanish women’s competitions 

Sweden 

•
Hammarby TFF are now correctly able to get promoted 

•
IFK Goteborg now play in the correct stadium 

•
Updated the Men's & Women’s Transfer Window Dates 

•
Updated Women's Football Contract Rules 

•
Updated the Swedish Second Division Norrland Format 

•
Updated the OBOS Damallsvenskan Match Rules & Schedule 

•
Updated the Elitettan Schedule 

South America 

•
Updated the Copa Sudamericana Knock Out Play Off Round seeding format 

•
Updated the Copa Libertadores Draw Dates 

•
Updated the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana finals host cities (2026 and 2027 seasons) 

•
Updated the U20s Copa Libertadores 2025 and 2026 schedules. 

•
Updated the U20s Championship Schedule 

South Korea 

•
Updated the Hana Bank K League 1 and 2 Match & Squad Registration Rules 

•
Updated the Korea Cup Match Rules 

Turkey 

•
Updated Match & Squad rules for all divisions 

•
Updated the Turkish Super Cup dates for future editions 

Uruguay  

•
Updated the Uruguayan Cup Format & Schedule 

•
Updated the teams featured in the Uruguay Reserve Division 2025 

Wales 

•
The New Saints no longer appear as an English club 

•
Updated the Cymru Premier Match Rules 

•
Updated Adran Premier Contract Rules 

•
Aberystwyth Development, Berriew Development & Barry Town Linnets are now correctly ineligible to participate in Welsh Women's Cup 

World 

•
Updated Substitution rules for the Club Intercontinental Championship 

•
Updated the men’s World Cup kickoff times  

•
Updated the format of ‘pairing’ 1-4 seeds for the men’s World Cup 

•
Updated the European/South American Super Cup date and venue for the 2026 edition 

•
World Cup Playoff-Tournament hosts have been updated 

Just as in real life, getting pre-season right is essential in Football Manager 26. As well as training hard and playing friendlies, buying and selling the right players is crucial to a flying start.

Here, we show how you can maximise FM26’s new recruitment tools in pre-season to set your club up for success in every career.

Making a Plan

One of the first things you should do in every save, wherever you manage in FM26, is review your squad.

Work out where you’re strong and where you’re weak, and what that means for your tactical tinkering. With those insights, you can develop a real plan of action for the transfer market.

In this example, we’ve taken over at Manchester City. Having reviewed the squad, we’ve created a simple tactic that lines the club up 4-2-3-1 in possession and 4-4-2 out of possession.

Pulling this together shows where we’re strong and where we can look to add more depth to the squad.

For example, Rico Lewis is a fantastic talent but at 20 years old it’s a lot to expect him to be first-choice for every game, particularly when we’ll be competing in four competitions throughout the season. Here, adding in an experienced player to rotate with him can only make the squad stronger.

Up front, we’ve got the world’s best striker in Erling Haaland. Very few players can match his all-round ability but to make sure we get the most from him, we’ll need to rotate him to try and avoid any costly injuries. Another striker here, a backup, would be a good depth addition.

We also have to consider potential departures here. For example, we have four goalkeepers in the first-team squad, so we should look to move one of them on.

Getting Started

With those three tasks in mind, head over to the Recruitment tab in the top navigation bar.

If you need to adjust your transfer budget, there are two initial steps you can take. The first is adjusting your wage budget/transfer budget split, and the second is selling off any existing transfer clauses. This isn’t always the best strategy long-term, but as a quick fix it can be invaluable. Towards the bottom of the recruitment overview there’s a summary of the clauses you have.

Having done some tinkering in this Manchester City save, we have £76m available to us to evolve our squad.

Making Moves

To start identifying transfer targets, head to the Player Recommendations tab from the sub-menu.

The Scouting department will have already done some work but to hone in on the needs we have, setting up Recruitment Focuses and TransferRoom Requirements will be priorities.

Recruitment Focuses

An existing feature from previous FMs, Recruitment Focuses are a useful tool to guide our scouts to a specific position, league or age group of interest.

In this example, we’ve created one to identify a starting quality right-back. You can keep the search parameters as simple as just the position, or you can add in additional elements like specific In and Out of Possession roles.

To give a broader range of candidates in the quickest time, we’ve kept ours simple and set it as a Top Priority within Europe. You can also at this stage assign specific staff to work on this but as City’s recruitment team is very strong, we’ve left it for them all to work on.

TransferRoom

One of the new features of Football Manager 26 is an enhanced relationship with TransferRoom. This includes the introduction to the game of Requirements and Pitch Opportunities, otherwise known as TransferRoom (In) and TransferRoom (Out).

While our recruitment focus finds us some potential new right-backs, we can use the TransferRoom tools available to do our other business.

Requirements allow you to announce to every club in the game the type of player you are looking to sign, in the hopes that they will have such a player available to offer to you.

This time, I have set a particular role. It’s not practical to think that we can find a forward as complete as Erling Haaland. So instead we want somebody specifically to come on and run the channels and stretch tired defences.

Pitch Opportunities

Pitch Opportunities are the inverse of Requirements. Rather than telling other clubs what we need, we can show them what we have to offer. This is a little more hands-on than setting a Requirement, but clubs will be listed with the profile of player they are looking for. This can be filtered if you have an idea of who you’d like to move on.

A member of staff, in this case our Director of Football, will also be on hand to point out squad members who could potentially suit each club’s requirements.

We don’t currently have any players that look like they might suit other club’s needs, but we can use the Loan tab to get some of our young players some senior experience. Specifically, we’re interested in offering Jahmai Simpson-Pusey to 1 FC. Köln.

This will open the Transfer Offer screen, where we can set the terms of the loan deal and see if an agreement can be made.

Offer via TransferRoom

There are two more options available to us – the first is offering players out via TransferRoom. This is helpful to try and generate interest in players who other clubs might not think are available, or to make sides think about upgrading an area of their side while the opportunity is there.

I’m going to offer Stefan Ortega out on loan via TransferRoom, in the hopes of getting him regular football.

Hire an Intermediary

The last proactive move we have is to try and move players on by hiring an intermediary to actively move a player on. This would generally be more of a last resort measure, as offering players out through intermediaries can upset them if they don’t wish to leave the club.

Whichever route you go down, remember that several recruitment screens can be accessed from the new Bookmarks feature. If there are some that you find yourself constantly going back to, why not set them as a Bookmark and have them to hand.

By assessing our squad, making a plan of action and using the tools available to us, we primed Manchester City for a successful season.

Getting recruitment right isn’t always easy, and plans may need to be adapted from time to time, but with the tools available in Football Manager there are more ways than ever to master your squad-building.

Football Manager 26 is now on sale across platforms.

FM26 (PC/Mac), FM26 Console (Xbox/PS5) and FM26 Touch (Nintendo Switch) are available with a 33% discount until 6pm GMT on 26 February. Sale end dates and times vary by platform – more info is provided in the table below.

Since launch on November 4, each title has been regularly updated to improve stability and performance.

These updates have included:

•
In-game navigation improvements

•
Redesigns for multiple game screens

•
Reintroduction of in-match Shouts

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Significant Match Engine enhancements to player decision-making, defensive positioning and Match AI

Past save games from FM23 and FM24 can be loaded into FM26 across platforms, allowing you to experience this season’s new additions while continuing your careers.

*This is the end time for the EMEA region. The sale ends at 14:59 GMT on 25/02/26 in South East Asia and Japan, and 07:59 GMT on 26/02/26 in The Americas.

**Visuals may vary depending on user hardware. 

An FM26 update (26.1.3) is now available via Steam, Epic and Microsoft Store. This includes the re-introduction of Pass Maps (both in-match and within the Data Hub), as well as various Match AI improvements and a fix to a Hotseat mode-related crash. 

For queries about how to update on these platforms, please review this FAQ.   

The update is also available for FM26 Console, which includes all applicable improvements from the PC and Mac changelist. You can find more details, here. 

For clarity, recent transfers from the January Transfer Window and other data changes will form part of the next game update in early March.

The changelist for today’s update is provided below. 

FM26 Mobile and FM26 Touch (Nintendo Switch) 

The next FM26 Mobile and FM26 Touch (Nintendo Switch) updates are scheduled for release in March. Further details will follow closer to the time. 

FM26 (26.1.3 Changelist (non-exhaustive) 

Technical Issues 

Various Crash and Stability fixes 

Fixed a Crash on Hotseat Mode after finishing the 1st match of the day 

Fixed Crash on Tactics screen when rapidly switching between In & Out Possession 

Fixed an issue causing a black screen appearing for several seconds when entering second match as hot seat manager 

 

Match Engine (Changes include but are not limited to) 

Lowered the frequency of rain in matches across all leagues 

Defensive improvements against strikerless formations 

Tweaks to the frequency that AI managers make substitutions during matches 

Improvements to how players react to shots that hit the post 

Improvements to short goal kick decisions from GK 

Improvements to wide player pressing logic 

Improvements to marking decisions from midfielders during pressing situations 

Improvements to marking of runs made from deep 

Improved dribbling logic to allow dribbler to perform 180-turns where appropriate instead of running into a dead end 

Improvements to how 'trap inside' instruction affects team shape when opposition has a goal kick 

Fixes to wide midfielders sitting too deep in 442 OOP formation in high press setups 

Channel Midfielder at CM now correctly rotates into AM strata after build-up phase 

Added ability for players to control the ball with their head in certain situations to bring the ball down 

Adjustments to OOP tactical positions of Wide AMs to now keep width better 

You are now able to select more than one player in a match to bring up the player’s name with Ctrl/Alt, Left Click 

Fixed an issue where VAR captions would sometimes display over a goal replay 

Fixed an issue where league trophy celebration wouldn’t trigger in certain leagues 

Assortment of animation fixes 

Increased the quality of the 2D Discs when on 2D Classic View 

 

User Interface (UI) 

Added Pass Maps to the Last Match section in the Data Hub  

Added Pass Maps to the Match UI in the Formation carousel and Half Time/Full Time Reports (Full Time shown below)

Added Pass Maps as Dugout advice 

Added icons next to the shout instructions on the Shouts dropdown menu 

Added latest scores and live league table to in-highlights tile that opens from pressing the ‘stats' button at the top right 

Improvements made to Club League History Graph 

Fixed an issue where Latest Scores/Dugout event would inform user about a goal before it happened 

Users team is now clearly labelled on both the Tile and Card in Data Hub visuals 

Striker's shirt is no longer cutoff in Tactics tile on Match Day screen 

Player name no longer appears at the top of the sub bench when subbed off 

Fixed an issue causing Subs to display out of order in a match 

Penalties scored during a match are now visible within Post Match News 

Fixed an issue causing the Past Winners card being empty for certain competitions 

Added a formations tile in the Past Match - Match Report card 

Added a scroll bar to Tactical Styles on the Training Schedules card 

Added a carousel on the medical centre tile so users can view U21 or U18 injuries 

Fixed an issue where the incorrect Out of Possession Role tile could appear on Player Instructions > Out of Possession 

Fixed an issue causing low-res images to be present on Set Pieces screen 

Choosing Clean Slate on Tactics creator will now correctly take you to the fully populated "All" tab 

B-Team ability and potential is now correctly displayed on Squad & Player Report screens 

Resolved an issue where ‘Grey’ players in subs list could cause player positions to display incorrectly in the squad bar menu 

Fixed a very rare issue making the user unable to enter matches after using Clear Squad or Quick Pick 

The hierarchy column within Squad > Dynamics > Happiness will now sort correctly 

No longer able to select a player as a vice captain if they’re out on loan 

 

Gameplay 

Fixed an issue where B-Team staff weren’t joining the club after they were recruited 

Fixed an issue where some transfers would not display within Transfer History tool 

Staff search now displays comparable ratings to Staff Report 

Fixed a rare issue where the Board would be delighted about an objective being completed that occurred before user took over at the club 

Agents no longer illogically suggest to ‘Make an Offer Now’ alongside ‘Wait for Contract Expiry.’ 

Young players with Training Targets won’t become unhappy after a loan offer is accepted for them 

Scouted players will now appear in the Squad Comparison section of the Shortlist tool 

Tweaks to Saudi clubs making repeated lowball offers for a star player 

Teams should no longer take excessively long to appoint a new manager 

Fixed an issue within Match Meetings that would state that the team could 'qualify for the Premier League' when it should be referencing the Champions League. 

UAE clubs now have a more realistic number of first team players 

Advice button no longer shows when users manager is unemployed 

Tweaked the AI logic to ensure when you use the Ask Assistant button to select an MLS squad it will no longer breach the salary cap 

Recruitment Transfer History > Appearance column will now specify if appearances were starts or substitutions 

User will now receive a message that a requested coaching course is confirmed/rejected by the board 

User is now able to manually select coach assignments for Reserve/Youth teams 

If a player is deemed ‘Not for Sale’, the fee cited in the Media Speculation News Item will no longer display as £226m 

News articles will now make reference to a player's previous stint at the same club if they’re a former player, rather than treating them like a brand-new signing. 

Player Biographies should no longer have any inaccurate information 

Set Transfer Status action is now correctly disabled for Non-Contract Players 

The agreed transfer fee now displays correctly on Transfer Activity screen if user has negotiated a deal with an intermediary 

User will now get a summary news item about recent press conferences if media responsibilities have been delegated 

Fixed an issue causing Women's Football news story to appear under Men's News classification 

Tweaked the number of injuries occurring at AI controlled clubs within Women’s Football 

NWSL Clubs are no longer given sponsorship deals with relegation clauses within Women’s Football 

Adjustments made to female player wage demands in the Australian League 

 

In-Game Editor (IGE) 

The Editor icon is now correctly enabled when on the First Team card 

In-game currency will no longer change if user edits financial information with the IGE tools 

Nation information now visible on lists when moving a player using the IGE 

Hidden columns on 1-20 scale are now correctly colour coded 

User can now add multiple Club Affiliations to a player 

“Move to my club” option now showing on all unemployed staff 

Added confirmation dialog when moving a person to a role that is taken or maxed out 

Fixed ‘Become Unsackable’ incorrectly appearing as right-click action when multiple players were selected