Football Manager 2026

[Beliall]

21 minutes ago, Dan said:

I never do as well with Leicester as I do with anyone else and I can only conclude it is because I do act with some sort of preconceived bias about our current players. I always found Schmeichel absolutely useless on the game as well and getting form out of a goalkeeper is definitely harder than other positions, yet I couldn't really get rid of him. Think the one time I actually did well was when I did sell him and bought Livakovic.

 

I've noticed some of the bugs already including a corker in my first ever game on FM26. Some of the bugs off the top of my head are subbed players numbers being the same as the sub coming on (this seems minor but it's quite annoying when you don't know the players), certain situations where the 'down' button doesn't work, match details not loading etc... however.....

 

So usually when I play FM I will just delegate my friendlies to my assistant. I will generally get them to pick the team as I can't be arsed to do the rotation unless the season is fairly imminent and for some reason the rotation has missed out X player who has no match sharpness. For some reason the game always wants you to build your tactic before you get going and I got half way through doing my team before deciding I'll just let the assistant do it actually. So it got to the first friendly. We're playing a team called Aigaleo who are in our league, so a decent test of where we're at. I click on the team selection advice and just use that team, dive into the game.

 

Turns out this button is now bugged and when I've gotten half way through naming my team, they have literally only named five players in the team. We lose the game 16-0. It's funny but it's just a joke how they haven't fixed things like this in two years.

 

Played another friendly and won 2-1 against a 3rd tier side having 27 shots so a good sign for my tactic. I've basically retained the whole idea of just playing a bit aggressively because I never thought FM24 really punished you enough for this. Well I soon found out in a cup game against Iraklis who were 4-0 up against us after 25 minutes and ended up beating us 5-1. What I realised is I really was way too lax with the out of possession instructions. Didn't even bother with screening, tracking etc... and it showed. Fixed this and went and beat APOEL 3-0 (somehow), thrashed another two third tier sides and then won my first two league games 0-3 and 2-0 so we actually look decent. I'm finding a target man useful, that Paixao I showed above actually looks really effective doing this.

 

I've been a 2D classic player for years on this but I've finally switched this year, didn't like the 2D classic as the directional arrows on the players just constantly hide the ball and the ongoing 2D graphic in non-highlights is actually really useful. I really like the ME so far but I'm sure I'll find the irritants and things that are unrealistic / repetitive in time. I'm not a lover of the UI but I'm giving it a bit of a benefit of the doubt until I've played it for a while as I often don't like them early doors. It's definitely missing some things I like - missing having the director of football recommended signings etc.. but I think I'll get used to it and actually playing games rather than pissing around searching players all day is getting me hooked into it again.

 

Sorry, this became a bit of a review when it wasn't meant to be but yeah on the whole I actually quite like this. Rare that I defend Jacobson but I think he's got a point about giving it time before enjoying. I do think some of the bugs are unacceptable though - they really have no excuse this year, they've had two years! But yeah on the whole I'm enjoying it. Until Kalamata slap us obviously.

long post yeah but appreciated, i was just coming on here to rant about how much i have played this and yet still cant get to grips with it. havent found a strat that works but reading your thoughts, i think the key might be in OOP instructions. its tough because i feel like i only recently started to understand FM tactics and now its all changed again i have to make 2 tactics that work one for attack and one for defence. im finding the game incredibly difficult and usually by now i have found a team and tactic that gets me promoted and on my way in the " career" but not so far. i either get bored drawing all the time or sacked. also one last thing, either the game is fifa'ing me and pulling goals back for the other team at will, or the other team is changing tactics 2 or 3 times a match because i cannot dominate. they almost always play better in the second half if i took the lead against them, so i haveot make a tweak in order to stop it. i like it but its impossible to know what they changed so its a gamble on what you change

[Dan]

27 minutes ago, Beliall said:

long post yeah but appreciated, i was just coming on here to rant about how much i have played this and yet still cant get to grips with it. havent found a strat that works but reading your thoughts, i think the key might be in OOP instructions. its tough because i feel like i only recently started to understand FM tactics and now its all changed again i have to make 2 tactics that work one for attack and one for defence. im finding the game incredibly difficult and usually by now i have found a team and tactic that gets me promoted and on my way in the " career" but not so far. i either get bored drawing all the time or sacked. also one last thing, either the game is fifa'ing me and pulling goals back for the other team at will, or the other team is changing tactics 2 or 3 times a match because i cannot dominate. they almost always play better in the second half if i took the lead against them, so i haveot make a tweak in order to stop it. i like it but its impossible to know what they changed so its a gamble on what you change

I think the key thing was adding more defensive roles in midfield. There was an instance in the Iraklis cup game as well where I had the ball and I had no joke four players within five yards of each other which was completely laughable and an instant tactic overhaul for me. I think just tweak it somewhat. I'm not saying I've broken the game by any means but I think even in friendlies against dross you can often tell if it's effective or not - you'll always beat them but it's about how resounding it is and even though the APOEL win was a touch fortunate we took the other two apart where we wouldn't have done before. 2/2 wins in the league backs it up but the third game is very tricky.

 

It seems to be a bit less forgiving tactically which, again, I see as a good thing. Did a save with Telstar in Holland on 24 at the end and I played a high line in pretty much every game for about 8 seasons. I should be going to Ajax and PSV and getting slaughtered and we ended up beating both with the worst team in the division. I didn't get beaten by 4 goals once on the whole save I don't think and it's already happened here.

 

My advice on tactics would be go as basic as possible if you're unsure and then just tweak it from there where you see flaws. I didn't use a preset so I'm quite happy with the outcomes so far.

[Beliall]

28 minutes ago, Dan said:

I think the key thing was adding more defensive roles in midfield. There was an instance in the Iraklis cup game as well where I had the ball and I had no joke four players within five yards of each other which was completely laughable and an instant tactic overhaul for me. I think just tweak it somewhat. I'm not saying I've broken the game by any means but I think even in friendlies against dross you can often tell if it's effective or not - you'll always beat them but it's about how resounding it is and even though the APOEL win was a touch fortunate we took the other two apart where we wouldn't have done before. 2/2 wins in the league backs it up but the third game is very tricky.

 

It seems to be a bit less forgiving tactically which, again, I see as a good thing. Did a save with Telstar in Holland on 24 at the end and I played a high line in pretty much every game for about 8 seasons. I should be going to Ajax and PSV and getting slaughtered and we ended up beating both with the worst team in the division. I didn't get beaten by 4 goals once on the whole save I don't think and it's already happened here.

 

My advice on tactics would be go as basic as possible if you're unsure and then just tweak it from there where you see flaws. I didn't use a preset so I'm quite happy with the outcomes so far.

i will try that, i think at this point im going to do a leicester save. playing on gamepass i didnt do my usual beta period **** about where i learn the game, i have been doing challenges, starting from the bottom and havent managed a team of decent players at all. when i see what tactics work it might be easier. even my WSL save was more like a lower league  save with how the team worked and played. maybe if i play leicester, try and win everything before i move on to my usual journeyman /pentagon attempt which is my preferred way to play

[Dan]

10 minutes ago, Beliall said:

i will try that, i think at this point im going to do a leicester save. playing on gamepass i didnt do my usual beta period **** about where i learn the game, i have been doing challenges, starting from the bottom and havent managed a team of decent players at all. when i see what tactics work it might be easier. even my WSL save was more like a lower league  save with how the team worked and played. maybe if i play leicester, try and win everything before i move on to my usual journeyman /pentagon attempt which is my preferred way to play

Honestly think I prefer just jumping into crap sides as there's less pressure and it's never quite as easy as people think taking over someone good, but within reason I guess. These are bad but they're probably about League One level if anything and there isn't huge pressure, I'm not likely to be sacked (providing I never name 5 players in a game again).

[Beliall]

2 minutes ago, Dan said:

Honestly think I prefer just jumping into crap sides as there's less pressure and it's never quite as easy as people think taking over someone good, but within reason I guess. These are bad but they're probably about League One level if anything and there isn't huge pressure, I'm not likely to be sacked (providing I never name 5 players in a game again).

i cant keep starting again but its so dejecting being average all the time  ill give it a few more games at Alfreton town and rebuild my entire tactic. whats confusing is i have players that prefer CDM IP and CM OOP that might be ****ing it up, and the tactic preview always makes it look like theres a massive hole in the middle of the park no matter what i do

[Aleksz]

3 hours ago, Dan said:

It's definitely missing some things I like - missing having the director of football recommended signings etc.

I've found the new transfer room recommendations are better than the DOF ones ever were personally

[Beliall]

My DOF just found this guy and brought him in for nothing a month on loan. happy with that

[Beliall]

First match with my new tactic, only against witton albion in the fa cup but it looks promising. 4-1 win

[Dan]

2 hours ago, Aleksz said:

I've found the new transfer room recommendations are better than the DOF ones ever were personally

Hadn't even noticed this. Just created one for a young CB so lets see what they get for me.

 

This?

 

[Dan]

Right they've got me two 5 star free agents wanting about £100 a week in a day. Fair play I'm moved.

[Beliall]

see, i can never stick to a leicester save, but then i take a look at them out of curiousity and see this shit and think, wtf is going on 


thats monga on the list "to ease FFP issues" for just 22m, and directly below, we have timo werner on 53k-78k per week in the championship

[moore_94]

Promoted as Champions in my first season with Shepshed Dynamo

 

[shen]

Won the champo first season with Leicester, but the game is a slog, imo.

I'll probably leave it for half a year until they get around to fix bugs etc. Disappointed overall - the game is just unfinished, which is inexcusable really.

 

If anyone cares I got the following players in summer: Pjanic (free), Awoniyi (loan, buy if promoted), Joel Ward (free).

 

Winter: Tomiyasu (free), Eliezer Mayenda (loan), Bruno Durdov (£12m), Reda Belahyane (loan).

[The Doctor]

On 21/11/2025 at 20:21, Beliall said:

see, i can never stick to a leicester save, but then i take a look at them out of curiousity and see this shit and think, wtf is going on 


thats monga on the list "to ease FFP issues" for just 22m, and directly below, we have timo werner on 53k-78k per week in the championship

had a look on my city women's save and currently tenth in the championship with Graham Potter as manager and Joel Piroe up front.

 

They've got Rudkins number tbf

[LcFc_Smiv]

I'm assuming the PC version of this is well beyond my laptops capability, is it as good on the console version?

[Beliall]

20 hours ago, LcFc_Smiv said:

I'm assuming the PC version of this is well beyond my laptops capability, is it as good on the console version?

whats your specs on the laptop, FM are commited to having their game run on potatoes so you might be ok

FM26 PC Rater - Can My PC Run Football Manager 2026? | FM Scout

 

Edited 25 November 2025 by Beliall
added link

[Tommy Fresh]

21 hours ago, LcFc_Smiv said:

I'm assuming the PC version of this is well beyond my laptops capability, is it as good on the console version?

Get the demo from Steam, it only let's you load up one league on quick start but should give you an indication, especially if it struggles with that 

[Stadt]

22 hours ago, The Doctor said:

had a look on my city women's save and currently tenth in the championship with Graham Potter as manager and Joel Piroe up front.

 

They've got Rudkins number tbf

That is absolutely ridiculous - must have cropped up when they were testing it and they just didn't  bother fixing it 

[Finnegan]

On 21/11/2025 at 20:21, Beliall said:

see, i can never stick to a leicester save, but then i take a look at them out of curiousity and see this shit and think, wtf is going on 


thats monga on the list "to ease FFP issues" for just 22m, and directly below, we have timo werner on 53k-78k per week in the championship

 

You can't fault that commitment to realism to be honest. 

 

Both in Leicester's horrific decision making and Timo Werner finding his level. 

 

[Dan]

Some of the bugs are just ridiculous aren't they. You expect maybe 1 or 2 but there are just loads.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

3 hours ago, Dan said:

Some of the bugs are just ridiculous aren't they. You expect maybe 1 or 2 but there are just loads.

 

Me heading into an insect enclosure at Twycross

[Md9]

If you just want play fm 24 can you update it to be this season and current teams? 

[Tommy Fresh]

Want to do my usual South American save, but I just can't be arsed to sort out all the license issues with Brazil

[Dan]

Finished my first season which is quite a short season. The second tier of Greece is regional and I'm in the southern section. 10 teams in each section, 1 go up and 4 go down from each one which is brutal. The league splits after 18 games into the top 4 and bottom 6. We ended up finishing basically level with our rivals Panionios at the top and finished the season very well but in the play-offs we really flunked it, lost twice to Olympiakos B despite having the better of both games, eventually lost again at Panionios and then an experimental side lost 0-1 creating next to nothing to Aigaleo (the 16-0 team) so we ended up finishing a quite comfortable 2nd.

 

We were predicted 3rd so I probably shouldn't whinge too much but I just can't really get anything I'm consistently happy with so far with these. Hard to judge how much of it is a poor squad and how much of it is poor tactics. We had a few games where we absolutely ran over the opposition and completely dominated but we seemed to be absolutely useless from behind (I'll double check this but I think in 24 games we scored one equaliser all season) and we quite often conceded late as well. I play a fairly high energy game so I wonder if this is just that playing out. I've spent a lot of the season tweaking the fairly basic 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 system but only seem to have any success with quite limited roles. Everything except for winger is frankly useless on the wing. Players seem incapable of playing on their weaker side and cutting in. Full backs just seem to be screwed no matter what I do with the roles.

 

But maybe I'm just being harsh - we came 2nd with a side expected 3rd and maybe the squad just wasn't that good. With 90% of them out of contract I am doing a huge overhaul this summer and there are already signs I'll fairly easily make upgrades. There were some positive shoots but nothing I'd be that confident in taking these to another level with.

[Dan]

Appears I've landed on Greece in the midst of their league reformatting so the second tier is just a flat 16 teams with the top 2 promoted from the second year. Prefer that I think.