Football Manager 26 Touch is coming to Apple Arcade – with Premier League power, women’s football, and a full-on makeover

Clear your calendar, warn your friends, and kiss productivity goodbye. Football Manager 26 Touch lands on Apple Arcade on the 4th of November, and it might just be the most dramatic season yet. Transfers, tactics, trophies, and a total overhaul.

For the uninitiated (or the lucky few who’ve never lost a weekend to transfer deadline day anxiety), Football Manager isn’t just a game; it’s a lifestyle. A spreadsheet-powered soap opera where you’re the mastermind behind every formation change, locker room meltdown, and 93rd-minute winner. It’s also one of the most influential sports sims of all time, quietly shaping how we all understand the game off the pitch; real managers have even admitted to using it for scouting.

FM26 Touch isn’t just another entry in the long-running saga; it marks a new era for the franchise.

This year’s edition brings with it a major visual upgrade thanks to a new graphics engine, making your midfield maestros move more smoothly and those last-ditch tackles look extra crunchy.

For the first time, Touch players can manage in England’s top flight with all the real kits, logos, and clubs fully intact, thanks to the new Premier League license. No more modding or "London Reds" workarounds, this is the real deal.

Perhaps the most long-overdue (and most exciting) addition? The arrival of women’s football. After years of fans asking, FM26 Touch finally lets you take charge of the women’s game a step forward that’s as vital as it is thrilling. More teams, more tactics, more depth. A genuinely game-changing move.

“We’re delighted to be bringing FM26 Touch back to Apple Arcade for the start of this new era,” said Miles Jacobson, studio director at Sports Interactive. “The reimagined user interface will really enhance the experience across Apple devices. In addition, the arrival of the Premier League, fully licensed and the introduction of women’s football will further deepen exploration for Arcade players.”

That reimagined UI is no small thing, either. Touch has always been the slicker, more mobile-friendly sibling to the full-fat Football Manager PC version, perfect for playing on the go without sacrificing too much depth and can make even the beefiest of commutes race by.

With recent Apple Arcade sports hits like NBA 2K26 Arcade Edition and NFL Retro Bowl ‘26 leading the charge, Football Manager 26 Touch is the perfect addition to the squad, bringing serious tactical muscle to the line-up.

So, whether you’re building a dynasty from the dugout or just trying to survive a mid-table scrap with your reputation intact, one thing’s clear: the greatest football management sim on earth just got even better. And it fits in your pocket.

Football Manager 26 Touch launches exclusively on Apple Arcade on the 4th of November.

• EA Sports FC 26 review: Schrödinger’s football game