Football Manager 26 Console (Xbox/PS5) — what’s new and how to play

Football Manager 26 Console moves the series to the Unity engine on Xbox and PS5, bringing a redesigned interface, overhauled match presentation, and the first in‑game integration of women’s football on console. It also adds advanced transfer tools, refined tactical control, and cross‑play between Xbox and PlayStation for online careers. If you’re coming from FM23 or FM24 Console, you can continue your save in this year’s release.

FM26 Console release date, platforms, price

Football Manager 26 Console launched on November 4, 2025 for PS5 and Xbox consoles. It’s sold as a standalone console edition and is available with Xbox Game Pass. On Xbox, the title supports Play Anywhere across Xbox consoles and Windows, and offers cloud play. Standard pricing is $59.99.

What’s new in FM26 Console

• New engine (Unity) and matchday presentation: more natural on‑ball movement through volumetric animations and fresh motion capture, upgraded lighting, cutscenes, and stadium details.
• Premier League fully licensed: domestic broadcasts and branding arrive officially for the first time in the series.
• Revamped UI built for controllers: a streamlined navigation bar and a new Portal surface key information with fewer panels per screen for faster pad control.
• Deeper tactics with phase‑of‑play control: set in‑possession and out‑of‑possession formations, use redefined roles, and preview how your shape morphs across phases with the new visualiser.
• Women’s football integrated: manage across 14 leagues in 11 nations, including top tiers such as the WSL and NWSL, within a single unified football world.
• TransferRoom‑powered recruitment: new Requirements and Opportunities tools let you signal needs and surface potential deals more directly during windows.
• Manager Creator overhaul: expanded character options and a career backstory system that influences your attributes and squad dynamics from day one.
• Cross‑play online careers: Xbox and PS5 players can compete together.
• Save continuation: carry your FM23 and FM24 Console careers forward into FM26 Console.

lollujo • youtube.com

Football Manager 26 Console - First Look & Hands-On

Starts at: 00:14

Match day: what changes you’ll see

Match highlights have more personality thanks to new animation data combined with updated blending tech, reducing robotic transitions and smoothing player movement. Presentation leans on improved lighting, broadcast‑style cutscenes, and more detailed stadiums to sell big moments. On controllers, new shortcuts between highlights make it quicker to tweak instructions without digging through menus.

Tactics and the new visualiser

FM26 Console keeps familiar tactical setup flows but adds control by phase. You can define distinct in‑possession and out‑of‑possession shapes, apply reworked player roles, and preview how the team shifts with a visualiser that maps transitions across phases. The aim is clarity: you get a quick picture of width, staggering, and role coverage before committing changes.

Controller‑first UI and navigation

A trimmed interface reduces on‑screen tiles and puts the Tactics menu in the top navigation bar. The Portal aggregates fixtures, news, and key tasks, while Bookmarks, FMPedia, Search, and Tutorials are accessible from the same layout. On console, triggers cycle between the six primary sections, cutting down on nested navigation and speeding up routine tasks.

Recruitment with Requirements and Opportunities

Recruitment consolidates contract views and scout reports, then layers on two new tools:

• Requirements: define the profile you need (for example, a left‑sided CB with ball‑progression metrics), so scouts and data queries target a tighter pool.
• Opportunities: surface players realistically available for transfer or loan, reflecting market behavior and timing.

The result is a more actionable shortlist and fewer dead ends in late‑window negotiations.

Women’s football in FM26 Console

Women’s competitions arrive as a native part of the database and career structure rather than a separate mode. You can run women’s and men’s careers within the same world, tapping into a broad player pool across 14 leagues in 11 countries, including the WSL and NWSL. Recruitment and tactical systems work consistently across both.

Online play, cross‑play, and saves

• Cross‑play: Online Careers support play between PS5 and Xbox users.
• PS5 online: PS Plus is required for online multiplayer; sessions support up to 16 players.
• Xbox online: supports 2–32 players with cross‑platform multiplayer, cloud saves, and achievements.
• Save continuity: you can continue FM23 and FM24 Console careers directly in FM26 Console.

lollujo • youtube.com

Starts at: 15:48

How to get FM26 Console (Xbox and PS5)

• PS5: Buy or wishlist on the PlayStation Store listing for Football Manager 26 Console at store.playstation.com.
• Xbox: Buy, install with Game Pass, or use Play Anywhere via the Microsoft Store listing at xbox.com.

Key specs and capabilities (console edition)

FM26 Console’s shift to Unity sets the groundwork for future entries while delivering immediate improvements to match feel, recruitment flow, and controller usability. If you’re on Xbox, Game Pass provides the simplest way to jump in; on both platforms, cross‑play keeps online leagues flexible regardless of where friends play.