It has been approximately 24 months since I last wrote a review for Football Manager. The question is, has it been worth the wait? I don’t think that’s an easy question to answer. A lot has changed; some of these changes greatly improve the game, but there are plenty of aspects that will impact your enjoyment.
What is Football Manager 2026?
The underlying game remains the same: a simulator for managing professional football.
However, the game looks completely different due to the move to the Unreal Engine. This transition is the reason Football Manager 2025 was cancelled and why the game appears so different, leading to a steep learning curve for all players.
What I Like About Football Manager 2026
I believe the best thing about Football Manager this year is the improved match engine. It’s a massive improvement over the match engine in Football Manager 2024. The gameplay motion is much better and looks more realistic. It isn’t at FC2025 levels, but it doesn’t need to be.
That isn’t to say it’s without issues; sometimes, play can look unrealistic, but this happens far less frequently than in previous Football Manager titles.
The changes to tactics are also excellent. You can now define two separate tactics: one for when your team is in possession of the ball and a second for when possession has been lost. This makes the game more realistic and opens up a wider range of tactical approaches.
I also appreciated the ability to import saves from previous years. Although I decided to start a new game in the end, I think it’s great that the option is available.
What I Don’t Like About Football Manager 2026
I’m unsure if I dislike the User Interface or if I’m simply struggling to get used to it. Football Manager has many menus, and it will always have a lot of them as you navigate the game’s data set. That’s simply the reality for a game aiming to simulate modern-day football.
Football Manager 2024 and previous releases had the menu on the left of the screen. In Football Manager 2026, the menu is at the top. However, English, like many languages, is read from left to right, meaning there is less space.
To overcome this limitation, they have introduced a limited series of sub-menus if your desired option doesn’t appear near the top. I don’t think I’ve explained it very well, so I’ve inserted a screenshot for clarity.
This decision has impacted my gameplay, as I’ve found it difficult to locate screens I want to use.
At launch, the ability to play International football was removed. I don’t typically manage international teams, so it isn’t a major concern for me, but the option should be present. It’s likely to be reintroduced in a future patch, especially given the developers’ sponsorship deal with FIFA and the upcoming World Cup next June/July.
Conclusion
For me, the aspects I enjoy about Football Manager, such as the improved tactics and the revolutionary game engine, outweigh the downsides of the redesigned user interface, which contributes to the game’s steep learning curve.