After a year-long hiatus, Sports Interactive has officially announced Football Manager 26, confirming its return to the series with a major technical overhaul. The new title will be powered by the Unity engine, marking a significant departure from the game’s previous engine and aiming to deliver a more immersive and visually rich match-day experience. This comes after the studio cited the transition to a new engine as a key factor in the cancellation of Football Manager 25 earlier this year.
A teaser trailer for FM26 provides an initial glimpse of the game’s new visuals, which are a direct result of the move to the Unity engine. The footage showcases improved player animations, enhanced lighting, and more detailed stadium environments. The transition to Unity, a process that proved challenging for the development of the now-canceled FM25, is expected to bring a new level of graphical fidelity to the franchise.
The announcement of FM26 also reveals that the game will feature full Premier League licensing for the first time, including official team logos, kits, and branding. The game is slated for release in the fall of 2025 and will be available on multiple platforms, including PC, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile. The studio has promised to provide a more detailed look at the new match-day experience in the near future.
It is important to note that while some sources have previously speculated about the use of Unreal Engine, recent official announcements from Sports Interactive and its publisher, SEGA, have consistently confirmed the transition to the Unity engine for Football Manager 26.
