FM26 Features Wishlist – Confirmed & Desired Additions

Discover confirmed FM26 features and explore our community’s top wishlist for new additions in Football Manager 2026.

All confirmed FM26 features plus the most requested additions from our Football Manager community wishlist.

When Sports Interactive announced that Football Manager 25 would be scrapped, it left the community both shocked and impatient. But here’s the good news – FM26 is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious editions ever. With the Unity engine, a fresh Premier League licence, and women’s football finally integrated, there’s already plenty to look forward to.

But let’s be honest – what’s already confirmed is only half the story. The other half? What we as a Football Manager community truly want to see in FM26. Below, you’ll find a full breakdown: the confirmed new features already announced, followed by our ultimate FM26 Wishlist crafted from feedback in the FM Blog Facebook group.

Confirmed Features in FM26

1. Unity Engine and Visual Upgrade

For the first time, Football Manager will run on Unity. Expect smoother animations, more realistic match visuals, and an overall sleeker experience. It’s the single biggest graphical leap in FM history. (Trailer breakdown here)

2. Premier League Licence

No more fake names or logos – FM26 comes fully licensed with the Premier League. For players who love immersion, this is a game-changer.

3. Women’s Football

The long-promised integration of women’s football is here. Complete squads, leagues, transfers, and tactical depth will bring a whole new dimension to your saves.

4. New Player Roles

Sports Interactive have teased over 40 new or rebranded player roles, making tactical depth richer than ever. (See full breakdown here)

5. Matchday Cutscenes

Pre-match build-up is about to feel more alive, with new crowd animations, stadium detail, and cinematic cutscenes that make matchday more immersive than ever.

6. Release Window

While not fully confirmed, all signs point to FM26 landing in autumn 2025 – most likely between early and mid-November. (More details here)

FM26 Wishlist – What the Community Wants

Now onto the fun part – the wishlist. We asked our community what features they most want in FM26, and here are the most popular (and realistic) requests.

1. Smarter AI Interactions

Imagine being able to truly converse with players, owners, journalists, or even fans – with responses generated dynamically rather than the same canned lines we’ve seen for years. A GPT-style system could make every interaction unique, with your words carrying genuine consequences. Football Manager has always been about decisions; this would finally make communication as dynamic as tactics.

2. Realistic Transfer System and Negotiations

Transfers are the beating heart of Football Manager, but too often they feel clunky. The community wants:

• More convincing conversations with players – outlining your project, promises, and targets to persuade them to sign or stay.
  
• Loan-to-buy options when deadlines loom – if a transfer can’t be completed in time, secure the player on loan until the next window.
  
• Smarter AI offers – fewer insulting bids and more realistic market behaviour.
  
• Pre-contract discussions – the ability to negotiate terms with a player before a formal bid.
  

This would make the transfer market feel less robotic and more like the chaotic beast it is in real life.

3. A Fresh Approach to Press Conferences

Let’s be honest – press conferences are currently a chore. The same questions, the same repetitive answers, and the feeling of clicking through just to get back to the game. The wishlist here is clear: either overhaul them completely with more depth, or allow managers to remove them without penalty. Nobody wants to waste time repeating the same sentences every week.

4. Greater Control Over Stadiums and Finances

Fans love the long-term save, but stadiums feel like a missed opportunity. The community wants:

• The ability to design and edit stadiums during builds.
  
• Customisation options like gates, ticket pricing, food, and sponsors.
  
• Income control from stadium-related revenue.
  

On top of that, managers also want to actually do something with their wages – reinvest them, donate, or spend them in creative ways.

5. RPG-Style Career Progression

Football Manager is, at its core, a role-playing game – but your manager’s own story is underdeveloped. Two key ideas dominate the wishlist:

• Starting as a youth or reserve manager and working your way up.
  
• Your manager’s playing career mattering – imagine if where you played, who you played with, and your past reputation influenced your managerial career.
  

It would add depth, progression, and personalisation to long-term saves.

6. Legends Mode

This is one of the most exciting ideas: starting a save in, say, 1990, and having legends like Thierry Henry, Overmars, or the Galácticos emerge naturally as youngsters. Imagine signing a 17-year-old Henry, building Ajax’s mid-90s dynasty, or taking charge of Real Madrid’s Galácticos era. It would be Football Manager meets time travel.

7. Real-Time Mid-Season Saves

Why should every FM save begin in July? The community wants a mode that updates weekly with real-world standings, injuries, and form. That way, you can take over Manchester United mid-crisis, or jump into Juventus’s title chase mid-season. It mirrors real-life managerial jobs – inheriting situations rather than always starting fresh.

8. Referees and Affiliates – The Bonus Ideas

Two final wishlist items worth noting:

• Interacting with referees – including the option to shout, argue, or even risk a red card on the touchline.
  
• Choosing affiliate clubs yourself – rather than only being offered random options.
  

These might be minor compared to some other wishes, but they would still add colour to the FM experience.

Conclusion

FM26 already looks set to be the most ambitious Football Manager ever, with the Unity engine, women’s football, and the Premier League licence changing the landscape. But what excites us most is not just what Sports Interactive has confirmed – it’s what the community dreams of. From a smarter AI conversation system to Legends Mode and real-time mid-season saves, FM fans know exactly what could take this series to the next level.

What about you? What’s top of your FM26 wishlist? Join the conversation in our FM Blog Facebook group and let us know. Who knows – maybe Sports Interactive are listening.