Football Manager 26 first look shows off the beautiful game

After the dramatic, cancelled development of Football Manager 25, Sports Interactive has finally pulled back the curtain on Football Manager 26. For arguably the first time, the game actually looks like football, with more detail and accuracy in the match engine than ever before.

The big news, and the focus of a tantalising one-minute, twelve-second trailer, is the new match engine, now powered by Unity. For years, Football Manager has been the ultimate spreadsheet simulator, a game where the beauty was in the numbers, the tactical tweaks, and the sheer joy of watching your meticulously crafted 3-4-3 take 30 shots, score none and lose 1-0. Despite the detail and accuracy the game had to offer, the matches themselves were often lacking when it comes to spectacle.

Football Manager 26 | First Look Reveal - YouTube

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The move to Unity isn't just about pretty pictures, either. Sports Interactive promises smoother 3D animations, lifelike ball physics and more natural player movements – maybe bicycle kicks won’t look quite as mad anymore. It means your virtual players might finally stop looking like Bambi on ice.

Beyond the graphical glow-up, FM26 is also getting a modernised, tile-and-card interface for smoother navigation across PC, console, and mobile. The AI has been given a stern talking-to and is now expected to offer smarter tactical behaviour and deeper decision-making. No longer will your opponents blindly commit to a high press against your speedy wingers, at least in theory.

For the purists, there’s even bigger news: the game will finally feature the official Premier League license, meaning real kits, badges, and logos. This is a game-changer for those who've spent years downloading their favourite club's crest onto a generic red shirt. Plus, women's football is finally making its debut, with leagues, clubs, and competitions added to the database. There are a few notable omissions, such as touchline shouts and international football, but even without those, this appears to be a significant overhaul of the games of yesteryear.

While a precise release date remains elusive, currently we're expecting the game to release at some point in late 2025, likely in early to mid-November. So, start clearing your calendars, preparing your excuses for neglecting loved ones, and perhaps invest in a new graphics card. Because Football Manager 26 is coming, and it might just be the prettiest excuse for losing sleep you've ever seen. Or at least, the prettiest Football Manager you've ever seen. Which, to be fair, isn't a high bar.

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