To say that FM26 has not met with universal love would be an understatement. The way Sports Interactive decided was the way forward for the franchise with the new engine and a change of user interface, to make FM26 look more like a console game, did not go down well with a lot of FM fans.
It has certainly caused mixed opinions, and it was a massive risk for SI to make for our favourite football manager simulation.
Has the gamble paid off?
I have to admit, FM26 has grown on me more than I expected it would after playing it for the first few months. It hasn’t got me gripped like previous editions, but it is playable after many patches and updates.
For me, and many other FM players, it is not as good as FM24. However, I understand the reasons behind SI’s efforts to move Football Manager forward and modernise it. They have taken a gamble on the franchise’s history, which has arguably not paid off.
Most diehards didn’t ask for such a radical overhaul of the system. Many would have been happy if SI had implemented small changes to the game, as they have continually done in recent editions.
Most FM players prefer gameplay over graphics
Ironically, improving the in-play game graphics seems to have been one of SI’s biggest concerns with FM26. However, I would imagine for most Football Manager fans, the graphics are not top of their list when it comes to the game.
Many fans would have taken FM24, the most popular version of the franchise, as 19 million players had played the game by September 2025, featuring an updated database and the gameplay graphics of FM26.
Like any Football Manager player, I wouldn’t complain about the graphics being slightly better in-game. However, for me, the priority with FM, which has always been the priority, is the gameplay.
Has the gameplay improved in FM26 compared to FM24? For me, no, it hasn’t. However, that was always likely to be the case with a new engine, but is it the way forward for FM? Well, some fans will have their doubts, maybe even some at SI will have their doubts.
Was there not enough loyal Football Manager players buying the game because of the previous UI? Did SI feel they had to cater to the console crowd?
My console-loving 13-year-old son loved FM24, but doesn’t like FM26. So, if my son is anything to go by, they are not even reaching their new targeted audience if that was their aim.
The game saw a record 2.5 million players in its first week. However, those numbers declined sharply over time.
Will there be an FM27?
Many are worried that there may not even be an FM27, as SI has made no announcement about this year’s game. SI usually starts talking about the latest FM in March or April, releasing bits of information and sometimes visuals. However, we are now in late May, and have heard nothing about this year’s version of the game.
The worry is understandable after the whole FM25, non-realise fiasco. SI wasn’t ready to realise FM25, and arguably wasn’t even ready to renew FM26, but after a series of updates and patches, FM26 is now far more playable than on its release.
We have to be honest with ourselves, though, the previous editions of FM were always pretty buggy on release. They needed quite a few patches before it felt like the complete release. However, after those releases, players generally enjoyed the game.
So #FM27 will be basically another #FM26 update so to speak because these words don’t exactly inspire me with confidence.
I think they’ve got more than there work cut out to get a franchise rescuing game to put together. https://t.co/0o5MbXnaKM— TifoFM (@OdinWhiteHair) May 11, 2026
Surely, there has to be an FM27? Shouldn’t there? This is a different situation from when SI failed to release FM25. They now have a working game, even if it is not as popular as the previous editions.
They have a foundation from which to work upon for the next release, even if it’s a foundation that some fans do not like. As with anything new, there will always be teething problems at the beginning.
SI will now know what they feel worked well in FM26, and what didn’t, and can build on the platform they have created. It seems doubtful, after years of delays and the work put in, that there won’t be an FM27.
It will no doubt add new features and improve upon FM26. SI literally cannot afford not to make FM26, as I imagine it would be massively damaging not only to the company’s profit margin but also to the trust of the FM players.
As a player, I realise that FM26 wasn’t perfect, but no FM is at first release, especially with so many changes. However, I also realise that, as Football Manager players, we have no choice but to put our faith in SI to keep improving the franchise.
There is no viable competition from elsewhere in football manager simulations, and we are loyal to Football Manager because it has brought us so much joy over the years.
Will there be an FM27, and will it be a big improvement on FM26?
