Best teams to manage in 2026/27
For every one of Gaffa's 28 leagues: the club to pick if you want to win now, a good mid-table project, and the hardest job going, all on 2026/27 ratings.
Don't wait for FM27: Gaffa already has 2026/27 squads and updated player ratings. Free, no download, and it plays with no signal. Play Gaffa · FM27: what we know · Free football draft games
On 2026/27 ratings the strongest squad in the game is Paris Saint-Germain (87.8), followed by Real Madrid and Manchester City. For a challenge, pick a mid-table side in a strong league, or the bottom club anywhere.
The 15 strongest squads in 2026/27
| Rank | Club | League | Strength | Avg age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 87.8 | 25.2 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | La Liga | 86.6 | 26.9 |
| 3 | Manchester City | Premier League | 86.5 | 25.9 |
| 4 | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 86.5 | 27.7 |
| 5 | Arsenal | Premier League | 86.4 | 26.8 |
| 6 | FC Barcelona | La Liga | 86.2 | 25.7 |
| 7 | Liverpool | Premier League | 85.2 | 26.2 |
| 8 | Inter | Serie A | 84.3 | 28.3 |
| 9 | Atlético Madrid | La Liga | 84.0 | 27.9 |
| 10 | Manchester United | Premier League | 83.2 | 26.3 |
| 11 | Borussia Dortmund | Bundesliga | 83.1 | 26.6 |
| 12 | Chelsea | Premier League | 82.7 | 25.6 |
| 13 | AC Milan | Serie A | 82.2 | 27.8 |
| 14 | Napoli | Serie A | 82.2 | 29.1 |
| 15 | Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League | 81.9 | 26.3 |
Best pick in every league
Strength in brackets: the average rating of the best eleven. The "project" column is a club around 40% of the way down its league, good enough to push up the table with a few smart signings.
| League | Win now | The project | The hardest job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League (England) | Manchester City (86.5) | Nottingham Forest (80.5) | Coventry City (75.2) |
| La Liga (Spain) | Real Madrid (86.6) | RC Celta (78.0) | Elche CF (73.4) |
| Serie A (Italy) | Inter (84.3) | Fiorentina (77.8) | Frosinone (72.5) |
| Bundesliga (Germany) | FC Bayern München (86.5) | Eintracht Frankfurt (77.6) | SC Paderborn 07 (70.2) |
| Ligue 1 (France) | Paris Saint-Germain (87.8) | Paris FC (75.9) | ESTAC Troyes (70.9) |
| Saudi Pro League (Saudi Arabia) | Al Hilal (79.5) | Al Khaleej (72.7) | Al Hazem FC (66.8) |
| Süper Lig (Turkey) | Fenerbahçe SK (81.4) | Amed Sportif Faaliyetler (70.0) | Eyüpspor (67.5) |
| Championship (England) | West Ham United (76.9) | Millwall FC (71.6) | Bolton Wanderers (68.1) |
| Primeira Liga (Portugal) | FC Porto (80.2) | Vitória SC (70.5) | Académico de Viseu FC (66.5) |
| Liga Profesional (Argentina) | River Plate (77.1) | Platense (71.6) | Asociación Atlética Estudiantes (67.6) |
| MLS (United States) | Inter Miami (76.3) | Toronto FC (71.7) | Sporting Kansas City (67.7) |
| Eredivisie (Netherlands) | PSV (78.5) | Go Ahead Eagles (69.8) | SC Cambuur (66.0) |
| Pro League (Belgium) | Club Brugge KV (76.2) | Standard de Liège (71.0) | Lommel SK (67.5) |
| Superliga (Denmark) | FC Midtjylland (73.5) | Randers FC (70.0) | AC Horsens (64.1) |
| Ekstraklasa (Poland) | Lech Poznań (72.5) | Pogoń Szczecin (69.2) | Śląsk Wrocław (64.7) |
| Swiss Super League (Switzerland) | BSC Young Boys (72.4) | FC St.Gallen 1879 (69.6) | FC Vaduz (63.5) |
| K League 1 (South Korea) | FC Seoul (70.9) | Daejeon Citizen (68.6) | Gwangju FC (64.3) |
| Scottish Premiership (Scotland) | Celtic (75.5) | Aberdeen (68.2) | St. Johnstone (62.9) |
| Austrian Bundesliga (Austria) | FC Red Bull Salzburg (71.5) | FK Austria Wien (68.6) | WSG Tirol (64.6) |
| Eliteserien (Norway) | FK Bodø/Glimt (73.5) | Tromsø IL (66.9) | Aalesunds FK (64.0) |
| Allsvenskan (Sweden) | Hammarby Fotboll (70.5) | BK Häcken (68.2) | Kalmar FF (64.0) |
| Superliga (Romania) | Universitatea Craiova (70.8) | CFR Cluj (67.5) | Csíkszereda Miercurea Ciuc (64.3) |
| League One (England) | Leicester City (70.5) | Stockport County (66.5) | Burton Albion (64.2) |
| Chinese Super League (China) | Shandong Taishan (68.5) | Zhejiang FC (66.3) | Qingdao Hainiu FC (61.2) |
| A-League Men (Australia) | Melbourne Victory (65.8) | Newcastle Jets (65.1) | Wellington Phoenix (61.5) |
| League Two (England) | Salford City (65.0) | Crewe Alexandra (63.3) | Newport County (60.7) |
| Premier Division (Ireland) | Shamrock Rovers (65.7) | Shelbourne FC (62.2) | Galway United (59.4) |
| Indian Super League (India) | Mohun Bagan Super Giant (67.5) | Chennaiyin FC (60.2) | Hyderabad FC (56.0) |
How to choose
- Want to win straight away? Take the strongest squad in any league and chase the double.
- Want a story? Take a lower-league club in England and try to climb from League Two to the Premier League.
- Want to build something? Pick the youngest squad in a league. See the best young players for 2026/27.
Full rankings: Premier League · Championship · League One · League Two · La Liga · Serie A · Bundesliga · Ligue 1 · Scottish Premiership · MLS · Saudi Pro League.
Common questions
What is the best team to manage in 2026/27?
To win straight away, Paris Saint-Germain: they have the strongest squad in the game on 2026/27 ratings. For a challenge, try a club from League One or League Two and aim for promotion.
How many leagues can you manage in Gaffa?
28 leagues and 492 real clubs, all with 2026/27 squads and updated player ratings.
Is it free?
Yes. Gaffa is completely free, runs in the browser, and needs no download or account.
Play the 2026/27 season free
Gaffa has this season's squads and updated player ratings across 28 leagues. Free, no download, no account, and it keeps working with no signal.
Football Manager 2026/27 hub → · Hardest teams to manage 2026/27 → · Best young players 2026/27 →