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Football Manager 26 isn’t just the next game in the series, but a complete makeover of the game. You probably remember the big surprise last year, when Sports Interactive cancelled the much-awaited Football Manager 25. The developers decided to move to Unity for their next game. Since it was a new playground for them, they didn’t try to rush a half-ready game out the door. Instead, they took an extra full year to learn the Unity engine and build a version that would offer a satisfying experience.As someone who has played the last few editions of Football Manager, I’ll be honest that Sports Interactive’s decision to develop a brand-new engine and take a year off made me excited, but also nervous about it not working out. This franchise has always lived in a comfort zone, just improved on what they already have.FM26 breaks that safe and steady rhythm completely. The moment you start the game, you can tell it’s different. This isn’t a light upgrade or a UI reskin. It feels like a different game, but it still has the soul of Football Manager. It is more modern, more visual, more flexible, and a bit rough at the edges in some places. But after some hours with it, I can say it genuinely the series took a massive step forward.FM26 match engine finally offers a real football experienceThe switch to Unity has changed how football looks and plays. Movements have weight, directional changes feel natural, players check their surroundings before making a move, and even things like rain and shadows add to the atmosphere. Instead of players sliding like they’re on ice, they now accelerate, pivot, and adjust the ball direction realistically.I won’t pretend the player animations suddenly reminded me of old FIFA games. However, Football Manager is about tactical football and not flashy graphics. What matters is whether the ball physics and movement reflect real decisions on a pitch. FM26 does that better than any previous instalment.New 3D-animation in Football Manager 2026 (Image via SEGA/Sportskeeda Gaming)The game has several official leagues, like the Premier League, so you would love to see the official club logos and match banners. However, there are many generic leagues and clubs too due to licensing issues. If you are a Barcelona or a Real Madrid fan, then you won’t get the official logo for either club or match banners for LaLiga due to their partnership with EA Sports.Another major change to Football Manager 26 is the addition of women’s football. For the past few years, women’s football has grown significantly. Even EA FC 26 features women players and clubs, and you can even manage them in Career Mode. Now, FM players can also enjoy managing some of the big names like Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati alongside the men’s team.Football Manager 26 introduces new tactical and matchday mechanicsFM26 gives you formation control in possession and out of possession. This makes the tactical aspect of the game more realistic. Now your team behaves differently when pressing, defending, breaking, or building the play.This change alone adds more realism and depth than I expected. And it doesn’t punish newcomers, as you can copy real-world tactics easily, even simple ones, and see your ideas come alive in matches. For example, you can play 4-3-3 when in possession, that changes to a 4-4-2 when out of possession, similar to Xavi’s Barcelona.New formation mechanics in Football Manager 26 (Image via SEGA / Sportskeeda Gaming)The matchday camera angles and pacing also feel more broadcast-like now. Close games feel tense, big leads feel smooth. That small touch matters when you play long careers. The game has also introduced more player roles and also renamed a few. Although it could be a little annoying, you would have to learn about these new player roles.Only disappointment that I had with the new tactical mechanics was the absence og touchline shouts. It wasn’t a game-changing feature, but I did miss motivating players during intense games like a real coach does at half-time.A UI revolution for Football Manager that I actually lovedIf you are one of the longtime fans, then the completely revamped UI might not be to your taste. This new instalment ditches the classic FM UI and introduces a new tile-based one, which is cleaner, simpler, and I can say it’s designed with console players in mind.Some players will hate this new interface at first, especially if you’ve been using the old interface for years. But personally, I like the new UI. It feels like using a modern management tool, where you can have a quick glance at all crucial information on the home screen. I think it is an improvement over the old spreadsheet style, where you have to navigate through various menus to gather all the crucial information.New console-friendly Football Manager 26 UI (Image via SEGA / Sportskeeda Gaming)Two features that grabbed my attention the most were the Search Bar and the Bookmark System. Whenever I forgot where something was, I just typed it in the search bar. Bookmarking the tabs created a shortcut to constantly access the needed screens, as I no longer needed to navigate through various menus to access them.Both of these tools help bridge the gap between old muscle memory and the new design. And honestly, after a few hours, I stopped thinking about the old UI at all.Performance issues and early-day bugs in Football Manager 26Since I played early, I did hit some issues. Football Manager 26 froze once and crashed twice, but this only happened during the first hour of installing the game. Later on, I never encountered these issues again.However, one weird glitch that irritated me a bit was the inability to read some points of the coach’s report. The long messages didn’t completely appear on the screen, and even hovering on them didn’t reveal the full line in a separate dialogue box. It didn’t ruin the experience, but I couldn’t read which attributes of a player I need to focus on.Dialogue box revealing the entire message not appearing in FM26 (Image via SEGA / Sportskeeda Gaming)These clearly felt like beta issues, since I played a beta version of the game that could get fixed upon release. Moreover, considering this is the first FM title developed on Unity, I’m not surprised there are some bugs. Sports Interactive will likely resolve these issues by the official release or in a post-release patch.If you prefer a perfectly smooth experience from the first time running the game, waiting a couple of weeks would be the best option. But nothing I faced felt like a major issue that would ruin the overall playing experience.Final thoughtsIf you’re coming from FM24 expecting the same game with a new skin, this will surprise you. If change annoys you, Football Manager 26 will challenge your patience for the first few hours. But once things click, this might be the most refreshing Football Manager in years.Harry Maguire’s player report in Football Manager 26 (Image via SEGA / Sportskeeda Gaming)It improves on tactical freedom, player movement, and matchday feel. A revamped UI system, which might annoy longtime fans, but console players and new players would definitely find it much easier to navigate. Moreover, the game adds women’s football.Some familiar features like touchline shouts and customization options are missing right now, but the studio might bring them back in future updates.To me, FM26 feels like the first step in a bigger journey. It might be the much-needed reset with a strong foundation. If you want the series to evolve, this is the right direction. I enjoyed it more the longer I played, and you probably will too once you adjust.Football Manager 26Football Manager 26 Scorecard (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming)Platforms: Windows, macOS, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Mobile (via Netflix and Apple Arcade), Nintendo SwitchReviewed on: Windows (Code provided by Sports Interactive)Developer: Sports InteractivePublisher: SegaRelease Date: November 4, 2025 / December 4, 2025 (For Nintendo Switch)
