The Future of Football Manager: 9 Ways AI Might Shape The Way

Discover how AI could reshape Football Manager: adaptive tactics, lifelike regens, video scouting, press chaos and inboxes you'll actually want to rea

From smarter tactics to regen faces you’ll actually recognise – here’s how AI might make FM your real full-time job.

Let’s face it, Football Manager is already dangerously close to being a second job. You’ve spent more time poring over xG graphs than your actual work emails, you've considered getting your favourite regen striker’s name on the back of a shirt, and your partner no longer flinches when you scream “That’s complete BS!!!” when the opposition scores their only shot on target to win the game in the 93rd minute. But just when you thought it couldn’t get deeper… the future is coming. And it is powered by AI.

Here’s what the next generation of Football Manager could look like and let’s just say, it could be a full-time role.

 

1. Tactical Evolution

In the FM of the future, that dodgy 4-2-4 you keep hammering teams with? Yeah, AI managers will remember. They'll adapt, evolve, and even counter as time progresses. No longer can you rely on that one “broken” tactic you downloaded from Reddit. It’s chess now, buddy, and the AI is playing 5D.

So when you next get humbled 3-0 by Young Boys in a Champions League qualifier, just remember: it’s not a bug, it’s tactical karma.

2. Realistic Player Meetings

“Boss, I think I deserve more minutes.” Ah, the old faithful. But in Future FM™, that conversation won’t just be a pop-up with three options, it’ll come with crossed arms, shifty eye contact, and maybe a not-so-subtle unfollow on social media.

Thanks to AI chatbots, player interactions could finally feel personal. Your wonderkid left-back might hold a grudge because you forgot his birthday, while your veteran midfielder thrives after you tell him he’s “the glue of the dressing room” (even though he moves like he’s made of glue).

Player development won't just be about minutes and mentoring anymore. It'll be about trust, tone, and how well you can navigate professional and personal conversations without accidentally triggering a full-blown morale crisis.

 

3. Press Conferences 2.0

Gone are the days of whipping through the same three press answers with little to no intuitive response. In the AI-powered future, journalists will remember your tone, your jabs, and whether you called Pete from Football365 a “clueless fanny” two months ago.

Build genuine relationships, play mind games, or start a media war, but don’t expect to escape the fallout. Say something daft and it might go viral. Or worse, spawn a #SackTheGaffer hashtag that has the club owners paying attention.

 

4. Broadcast Presentation by Runway

Imagine this: It’s matchday. You’re presented with real-life level graphics, team intros, animated lineups, and even that dramatic slow zoom on your sulky starlet, brought to you by Runway. FM’s broadcast presentation could go full-on Sky/BT Sports/DAZN, with curated presentation tailored to the channel you choose to view the match via. All supported with authentic real time voice commentary that reflects every decision you have made and how you are perceived by the media.

 

5. Video Scouting

Say goodbye to wondering if that 14 Flair winger can actually dribble past a cone. Scouting in future FM could come with bite-sized video clips showing exactly how a player slots into your tactical DNA. Want a Segundo Volante who bombs forward? Watch him do it. Not just numbers, proof.

Your scouts will do more than whisper “5-star potential”, they’ll show you why. It’s like those YouTube compilations, but without the EDM music and flipped footage.

 

6. Volumetric Animations

As FM Blog discussed in this post, FM’s match engine could be getting a facelift so lifelike, you'll mistake your players for the real deal. The new volumetric animations mean no more delayed tackles or moonwalking fullbacks. Just buttery, dynamic movement that finally does justice to your play style.

The best part? Your carefully choreographed attacking move might actually look like real football, instead of a PS2-era training drill.

 

7. Bespoke Match Reports

Imagine post-match reviews that actually capture the drama. Not just ‘comfortable win’, we’re talking ‘heroic comeback after going down to 10 men, with a last-minute volley from a previously maligned striker who you defended in a spicy pre-match presser.’

Thanks to AI, match reports might read like they were penned by a cross between Jonathan Wilson and Roy Keane. Brutal, poetic, and occasionally shouting at clouds. You might even choose to tailor which outlets you receive reports from, with each of them feeling in keeping with their specific real world writing style.

 

8. Regen Faces by Midjourney

In future FM, when your youth intake drops, you won’t be met by 16 versions of god’s mistake. Instead, AI-generated regen faces (thanks, Midjourney!) could bring your new gems to life with unique visuals, expressions, aging and advanced evolving hair styles.

Now when you see your academy wonderkid lift the Champions League in 2038, he’ll look like an actual human not an NPC from Goldeneye on the N64.

READ ALSO: Create Your Own Regen Faces With Midjourney

 

9. The Inbox Paradox

Last but not least, the dream, an inbox where no two emails are ever the same.

That’s right. AI could finally destroy the tyranny of repetitive injury updates and those ‘Player X wants to discuss playing time’ déjà vu. Instead, every message might feel bespoke, relevant, timely, maybe even witty. You might even read your inbox, for once.

The future of Football Manager isn’t just bigger, it’s smarter, sassier, and sneakily emotional. With AI in the mix, we’re moving from spreadsheet simulator to immersive football sandbox where every decision, conversation, and tactical tweak feels alive.

Your Move, SI. We’re ready. (I think.)