Football Manager 26 (FM26), Explained
Release, platforms, what changed — and what to play free in your browser while you decide.
The short version
Football Manager 26 is Sports Interactive and SEGA's flagship club-management sim, released in November 2025. It's the biggest reset in the series' history: FM25 was cancelled outright, and FM26 arrived as the first game on a new Unity-based engine, with a rebuilt interface, a new match presentation, and — for the first time — playable women's football.
It's a paid, installed game with a serious time commitment. If that's what you're after, buy it on Steam or Epic. If what you actually want is to manage a club right now, for free, without installing anything — that's what Gaffa is for, and it runs in the tab you already have open.
What's actually new in FM26
New engine
The whole game moved to Unity after two decades on in-house tech. That's why FM25 was scrapped — the rebuild took longer than one release cycle.
Women's football
Fully playable women's leagues and clubs for the first time in the series, alongside the men's game in the same save.
Rebuilt UI and match engine
A redesigned tile-based interface and a new match presentation layer — the most visible change from FM24 for returning players.
Where it runs
PC (Steam, Epic), Xbox, FM26 Touch, and FM26 Mobile — the mobile edition is distributed through Netflix Games, so it needs a Netflix subscription rather than a separate purchase.
FM26 vs a free browser manager
These are honestly different products, and which one you want depends on the evening you're planning:
FM26 — depth first
Thousands of real leagues, a full scouting network, and saves that run for dozens of hours. Costs real money, needs a real install, rewards a real commitment.
Gaffa — speed first
Free, no download, no account. Pick a club across ten leagues with current-season squads, set tactics, work the transfer window, and simulate a full season in a sitting. Your career saves locally in the browser.
Plenty of people play both: FM26 for the long save, a browser manager for the twenty-minute itch. Our comparison of every worthwhile option is in the best free football manager games guide, with platform-specific picks for PC, Android and iPhone.
Quick answers
When did Football Manager 26 come out?
November 2025, developed by Sports Interactive and published by SEGA — the first release after FM25 was cancelled, and the first on the new Unity-based engine.
Is Football Manager 26 free?
No — it's a paid game on PC and consoles, though it appears in subscription catalogues in some regions and FM26 Mobile comes with Netflix. If you want genuinely free, browser managers like Gaffa cost nothing and need no account.
What platforms is FM26 on?
PC and Mac via Steam and Epic, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, FM26 Touch on Nintendo Switch and Apple Arcade, and FM26 Mobile through Netflix Games on iOS and Android. PC, console and Touch are different builds, not ports of one another.
Is FM26 on Game Pass?
Yes — it joined Xbox Game Pass on day one, on both PC and console. If your subscription covers the platform you play on, it's included at no extra cost.
Is FM26 cross-platform?
Partly. FM26 added cross-play between Xbox and PlayStation for online careers, which is new for the series. Saves don't transfer between the PC game and the console versions — they're separate builds.
Is FM26 on PS5?
Yes, released alongside PC and Xbox in November 2025. The console edition is its own streamlined build rather than a port of the PC game.
How do I get the FM26 beta?
You can't — FM26 is fully released. The beta was an early-access build for people who pre-ordered from participating digital retailers, and it closed at launch.
Has FM26 been fixed?
Largely, yes. It had a rough launch, and Sports Interactive has patched steadily since — one update alone carried over 300 fixes covering match freezes, Mac crashes, contract logic and in-game editor bugs, with later patches reworking international management. If you bounced off it at launch, it's not the same game.
What's a good free alternative to FM26?
Gaffa (free, browser, no account), or free-to-start online managers like OFM and Top Eleven if you want persistent leagues against real people. Full comparison in our free football manager guide.
Manage a club in the next 30 seconds
No install, no account, no cost — pick a club and see how your first season goes.
What does a football manager actually do? → · PA & CA explained → · FM26 review: is it worth buying? →