FM26 finally did it. Women’s football is in the game, with over 36,000 players across 14 leagues in 11 countries. First time ever. And if you’re staring at the club selection screen not knowing where to click, that’s completely fair because the choice actually matters here more than it does in a standard men’s save.
For players who like tracking their FM bets on the side, 1xbet download is the way to do it. But first, pick your club wisely.
What Makes This Different From a Men’s Save
Before anything else: this isn’t just men’s FM with women’s names swapped in. Transfer fees rarely crack £1 million, free transfers dominate the market, contracts are shorter, and keeping your best players can honestly be harder than signing new ones. Your squad will be smaller and your budget tighter than you’re used to. Get comfortable with that.
ACL injuries hit more often, which makes rotation and workload management actual decisions rather than an afterthought. A few things to burn into your brain before your first pre-season:
- Free agents cycle through constantly, so always check contracts expiring in 12 months
- Loans are underrated because small squads need cover and cash is short
- Technical midfielders punch well above their weight here, build around them
- Anything around £1 million in this market is a massive fee, not pocket change
Chelsea: Eight Titles and Nowhere to Hide
Chelsea are the dominant force in English women’s football, eight WSL titles, six of them consecutive. You walk in with Sam Kerr, Lauren James, and a squad built to win. The board expects the title. Every season.
The 2024-25 season was passed undefeated in the league, a feat that will be almost impossible to replicate. So you’re not being handed a fun challenge. You’re being handed an impossible standard and told to maintain it. If that sounds like fun, Chelsea is your club.
Man City: Good Team, Wrong End of the Trophy Photos
City finished fourth in 2024-25 after a tense race for Champions League spots. They’ve had a good team but have always just missed out on the top honor.
Their striker situation alone is worth the save. Kirsty Shaw scored 21 goals in just 18 WSL appearances in 2024, winning the Golden Boot, and has 63 goals in 63 games for City overall. That’s absurd. A striker who scores goals at that rate and still doesn’t have a league title to her name. Your job is to fix that.
Brighton: Five Clubs Have Never Won the WSL. Be the Sixth.
Only four clubs have been WSL champions since the league launched in 2011: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea. Brighton have never won it.
They do have Fran Kirby, now 32 but still a genuine quality player, and Michelle Agyemang on loan from Arsenal. It’s not the biggest squad. But the target is clear, and pulling it off would mean something. The kind of achievement you’d actually remember.
London City Lionesses: The Most Interesting Project in the WSL
Founded in 2019 as a breakaway from Millwall Lionesses, London City became the first fully independent club to earn promotion to the WSL. They came up last season and immediately brought in 16 new players, including Grace Geyoro, Nikita Parris and Danielle van de Donk.
Owner Michele Kang also owns Lyon. Ambition is not the problem here. If you want a newly promoted club with genuine backing and a real identity, this is the pick.
Beyond England: Barcelona, Lyon, and the NWSL
Internationally, a few clubs stand out as serious options:
- Barcelona have Bonmatí, Putellas, Walsh and Hansen. It’s basically a cheat code. Pick it if you want to dominate Europe from day one
- Lyon are the record UEFA Women’s Champions League winners. In women’s football, Lyon’s dominance is so complete that their men’s side struggles mid-table while the women rule the continent. Taking on any club other than Lyon in France is one of the toughest challenges in the game
- Orlando Pride are the current NWSL champions, and they have Marta. The Brazilian forward is widely regarded as the best female footballer of all time. Managing her final years is a save worth doing just for that alone
The Underdog Saves Worth Doing
Not every FM save needs to start with a trophy cabinet. Some of the best ones start with a leaky roof and a squad of 14.
Newcastle United Women recently moved to a larger stadium with a wealthy owner willing to invest, making it a genuine build-from-scratch project aimed at eventually competing in the WSL. Charlton Athletic sit just outside the WSL2 promotion spots with a squad that should be better than their results. Les Havraises in France only returned to their top tier last season, which makes them one of the hardest saves on the continent.
Here’s a rough way to decide:
- Want to win everything immediately? Chelsea or Barcelona. Accept the pressure.
- Want a strong squad but still have something to prove? Man City or Real Madrid Women.
- Want a proper project with money behind it? London City Lionesses or Newcastle United Women.
- Want a legendary player’s last chapter? Orlando Pride for Marta, or Man City to finish what Kirsty Shaw started.
The women’s save in FM26 is worth doing. Not because it’s different enough to feel alien, but because it’s different in the right ways. Smaller squads mean individual players matter more. Tighter budgets mean every decision counts. Pick the club that matches what you actually want from a save, then go from there.
