Media Release:

 It’s finally time to step into the dugout, with Football Manager 26 Advanced Access Beta now live and playable across Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Anyone who has pre-purchased Football Manager 26 from a SEGA-approved digital retailer can now log in to Steam or Epic and launch the game directly from their library.

Please note that this is a Beta version and not yet the full game experience. As such, players may encounter bugs or issues during gameplay that the team will be working diligently to address in future updates. Any bugs encountered can be reported directly to the Sports Interactive team via the ‘Report Bug’ button on the in-game sidebar. Online play is enabled, but the Pre-Game Editor, In-Game Editor and Steam Workshop will not be accessible until 4th November.

Single-player careers started during Advanced Access can be carried across to full release from 4th November.

Made with the Unity engine for the first time, Football Manager 26 lays new foundations in Sports Interactive’s and SEGA©’s iconic series for players to define their football destiny.

Players will experience a game rebuilt for the future, where a revamped interface is tailored to streamline exploration for all players.  Smarter and more intuitive, the Football Manager 26 UI gives players more avenues for navigation than previous editions and provides more educational depth with a rebuilt Search function and FMPedia, a brand-new in-game glossary defining all key football and FM concepts.

Match days are richer, more atmospheric and immersive thanks to significantly improved graphical fidelity, new volumetric animations from real-life matches and extensive Match Engine AI changes.

Football Manager 26 also delivers unparalleled tactical control through the introduction of distinct In and Out of Possession formations. Inspired by evolving tactical conversations in the real world and requests from FM fans, these formations are supported by new and redefined player roles as well as a dynamic visualiser that shows how a tactic evolves in every phase of the pitch.

Women’s Football makes its debut in Football Manager 26, with 14 playable leagues across 11 global nations and a starting database of more than 40,000 players and staff – the most comprehensive of its kind in games. New teams to manage and new talents to discover means new possibilities for FM players in every career.

And that’s just the beginning. There are many other new additions to discover, from new TransferRoom-powered recruitment tools that elevate squad-building to a redesigned Manager Creation experience that allows players to express more of themselves, their style and personality.

There are also new licences in the men’s game too, from new multi-year partnerships with FIFA and the Premier League through to series debuts for the UAE ADNOC Pro League and the Lithuanian A-Lyga.

If people haven’t already pre-purchased, it’s not too late to get involved – anyone pre-purchasing Football Manager 26 on PC or Mac from a participating digital retailer between now and the game’s full release from 4th November will get a 10% discount and unlock the Advanced Access Beta.

For further details on FM26 head over to www.footballmanager.com.