Football Manager 26: When It Launches, Where to Play, How to Get Beta Access, and the Must-Know Gameplay Changes
The wait is nearly over: Football Manager 26 is kicking off soon. Sports Interactive’s flagship management sim returns after a hiatus—here’s the lowdown on release timing, platforms, and the biggest new features.
I know we mostly talk movies and TV here, but this one crosses over: Football Manager 26 finally has a date, and if you live for dramatic rebuild arcs and transfer-window twists, it might be the most bingeable thing you play this fall.
The short version
- Release date: November 4, 2025
- Switch release: December 4, 2025
- Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, macOS, Windows, and mobile via Netflix Games and Apple Arcade
- Day-one services: Xbox Game Pass; mobile via Netflix/Apple Arcade at launch
- Price: $59.99; no deluxe/special editions
- Pre-order perk: 10% off plus Advanced Access (the beta) before launch
- Advanced Access timing: starts October 23, likely between 3 PM and 6 PM BST; PC only
- Not supported: PS4 and Xbox One
Release plan, the non-confusing version
Sports Interactive is dropping Football Manager 26 on November 4, 2025, with day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass and mobile through Netflix Games and Apple Arcade. The Nintendo Switch version is coming a month later on December 4, 2025. No special editions to juggle, no premium bundles with a scarf and a stadium name — just the standard game at $59.99. If you pre-order, you get 10% off and early hands-on time via the studio's Advanced Access window.
About that Advanced Access
Advanced Access is essentially the pre-launch beta. It opens October 23 for anyone who pre-orders, and the studio says it should go live in the evening UK time — they are pointing to a window between 3 PM and 6 PM BST. One catch: it is PC-only. Console, Switch, and mobile players will have to wait for the full launch.
Where you can (and can not) play
FM26 is confirmed for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows, macOS, and mobile via Netflix Games and Apple Arcade. There is a Switch build, but it arrives a month after the main launch. What is missing are the last-gen consoles. No PS4 or Xbox One support, which is a curious call considering the game is still coming to mobile and Switch. If those can cope, you would think PS4 and Xbox One have the horsepower — but the team is clearly drawing a line under last-gen this year.
What is new under the hood
The big technical shift is the move to the Unity engine. That change is driving a bunch of upgrades the studio is talking up this cycle: smarter tactical tools, a cleaner interface, a more polished matchday presentation, better recruitment systems, and a refreshed manager creator. Early looks suggest the whole loop feels sharper and livelier without breaking what people play this series for.
If you are brand-new to FM
Think of it as a management drama where you run a professional club. You set tactics, handle transfers, build training plans, and try not to bankrupt the place. FM26 sticks to that core loop and layers in the Unity-driven improvements above. It is the same obsession machine, just with nicer knobs and dials.
Bottom line: clear date, no edition chaos, a meaningful engine upgrade, and an early access window if you are on PC. If you have been waiting to start a save and disappear for 200 hours, the schedule is set.