Women’s football gets the spotlight in FM26’s biggest update ever

Football Manager 26 (FM26) isn’t just another annual instalment; it’s the boldest reinvention in the series’ history. For the first time in over three decades, the team at Sports Interactive took a full year off from the usual release cycle to rebuild the game from the ground up. The result is a complete overhaul that touches nearly every system, every screen, and every match experience, promising a depth and polish that veteran managers have never seen before.

But FM26 isn’t only about redesigns and graphics. For the first time, women’s football has been fully integrated into the game, with a painstakingly researched and extensive global database that mirrors the attention to detail usually reserved for the men’s game. From top-flight European leagues to emerging markets in Asia, North America, and Australia, FM26’s women’s football database is both a statement and a milestone: it reflects how far the sport has come and how seriously it is now taken in the world of football simulation.

The stakes are high. Fans expect not only a more immersive, intelligent, and visually upgraded matchday experience but also a seamless integration of the men’s and women’s game, smarter transfers, and enhanced in-game systems that reflect the real-world football ecosystem.

FM26 promises all this, and more, as Sports Interactive balances technical ambition with a genuine cultural impact. For managers old and new, November 4th marks the day to step into a football universe rebuilt from scratch, a universe where every decision, every player, and every match carries weight like never before.

Tina Keech: Building women’s football from the ground up

Four years ago, Tina Keech was hired with a very clear mission: bring women’s football to FM. When she arrived, she quickly realised the scale of the challenge.

“I came in, and it was Emma Hayes in the database. That was literally it,” Tina recalls. “I spent the first eight months just creating players, trying to understand how the system worked. It was overwhelming, but I approached it one step at a time. And even then, I didn’t realise just how big it would become.”

Today, Tina has built the largest women’s football database in the world, covering top leagues with plans to expand further. “It’s crazy to see now,” she says. “I did a LinkedIn post recently, and people were genuinely blown away. It’s one thing to work on it every day and see the results internally, but the reaction from outside makes you realise the impact it’s going to have.”

The database is about more than just stats. Tina hopes FM26 will educate new fans, spark interest in women’s football globally, and uncover hidden talent. “There are players in lower leagues or from countries people don’t traditionally associate with football,” she explains. “Suddenly, you see Thailand performing well, or South Korea producing talented players. It opens eyes, gives fans knowledge, and adds richness to the experience.”

She also highlights the cultural impact. “I have two daughters, and I’d much rather take them to a women’s game than a men’s. The atmosphere is fun, safe, and family-friendly. You still get passionate supporters singing along, but it’s a healthier environment for kids.”

Tina is proud of how far the women’s game has come, both in FM and in reality. “The game has exploded in the last few years. When I started, I wasn’t even sure people outside the niche would care. Now, it feels like we’re contributing to a real shift in how people perceive women’s football, and that’s incredible.”

Tina’s ambition doesn’t stop with current leagues. “My hope is to make it global. Right now, we’ve covered Europe, the US, Japan, and Australia. I want more. South America, Africa — women’s football is growing everywhere, and we want FM to reflect that. This isn’t just about stats. It’s about culture, visibility, and understanding the sport from top to bottom.”

Ant Farley: Redesigning FM from scratch

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If Tina was tasked with building a database, Ant Farley’s team was responsible for rebuilding the entire game. And they didn’t hold back.

“From a pure volume perspective, this year has been insane,” Ant says. “We reviewed over 500 screens, redesigning them, questioning how things work, and asking ourselves: would we do this differently if we were starting again? The scale of the work is unprecedented, and the team has done ten times the work of a normal cycle.”

Adding women’s football on top of a total rebuild created additional challenges. “It’s not just a new league,” he explains. “Injuries behave differently, transfers work differently, and finances are different. We had to ensure reputation, contracts, and even player development worked seamlessly across men’s and women’s football. It’s the same game, but with distinct dynamics.”

The guiding principle was clear: one sport, one world. “We didn’t want women’s football to feel like a separate mode or bolt-on. It had to be fully integrated into the same universe, so the experience feels natural and seamless.”

The design team also overhauled the user interface. “We introduced tiles,” Ant says. “They’re both information and navigation. You can see a snapshot of a player’s contract, then click through to manage offers or track performance. It’s intuitive, dynamic, and something FM has never had before.”

The matchday presentation also saw a huge upgrade. Ant points to the continuous information display during games. “Before, there were big gaps where nothing happened on screen. Now, you can see exactly where players are at every moment. It’s a nod to our heritage while also making the game feel more alive and immersive.”

One of Ant’s favourite features is the enhanced transfer system. “You can see what other teams are looking for in real-time. If you have a player you want to move, you can approach teams directly. It’s subtle on paper, but in practice, it’s a game-changer.”

None of this would have been possible without the bold decision to skip a release year. “It was nerve-wracking, because we’ve always released annually,” Ant admits. “But quality had to come first. One subpar release could set the series back years. Taking an extra year allowed us to rethink the game completely, integrate women’s football properly, and get the design right.”

The redesign also allowed the team to revisit previous FM features. “We questioned everything — messages, navigation, match visuals — and in many cases, we realised old methods weren’t optimal. Now, everything feels purposeful and intuitive, which enhances the experience without losing the core FM feel.”

Ant reflects on the excitement of the launch. “I’m proud of what the team has achieved. We’ve taken a risk, redesigned from the ground up, integrated a massive new database, and upgraded nearly every system. FM26 is bigger, better, and more immersive than anything before. I can’t wait for players to get their hands on it.”

Between Tina’s meticulous research and Ant’s total rebuild, FM26 represents a rare combination of depth and vision. It’s not just a game; it’s a cultural and technical milestone. For players, it promises more realistic football, a bigger global perspective, and the excitement of a complete overhaul. For women’s football, it’s validation and visibility, finally allowing the game to shine in the world’s most detailed football simulation.

As Tina puts it: “I hope people see that every player, every league, every match has been considered. We’ve built something that matters — not just to Football Manager, but to football itself.”

FM26 releases November 4th, and for fans of football and football culture, it might just be the biggest step forward in the series’ 30-year history.

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