FM26 tips for tactics, UI, training, shouts and recruitment that actually make
a difference.
Football Manager 2026 Tips And Tricks You Actually Need
FM26 looks fantastic on the new engine, but it can also feel slower, more passive and a bit clunky compared to previous years. The new match experience, UI changes and early bugs have all been talking points in the community, with plenty of players saying they are fighting the interface as much as the AI.
The good news is that with a couple of smart tweaks, FM26 becomes a lot smoother to play. Hotfixes like 26.0.4 and the latest big 26.1.0 update have already added custom attribute colours, extra match speeds and even brought back back Matchday Shouts.
Below are ten straight talking tips and tricks to help you actually enjoy FM26 again - instead of just rage clicking through the portal and wondering why everything feels off.
Want the full breakdown of every FM26 patch so far? Check our constantly updated FM26 bug fixes and hotfix notes page.
1. Tame The FM26 UI With Bookmarks
FM26’s UI is powerful, but messy until you bend it to your will. The first thing you should do in a new save is set up bookmarks for the screens you use every single day.
At minimum, bookmark:
- Tactics
- Squad and Squad Planner
- Training
- Recruitment Focuses and Scouting
- Shortlist
- Youth squads
- Data Hub
Once those are one click away, the whole game feels less like a maze and more like an actual tool. If you refuse to do this, enjoy wasting half your life digging through cards and tiles.
2. Save Multiple Team Selections And Stop Rebuilding XIs
FM26 lets you save team selections again, which is criminally underused.
Create a few default XIs like:
- Best XI - league and big matches
- Rotation XI - cups and lower priority games
- High Press XI - fit, aggressive monsters
- Low Block XI - disciplined players with good concentration
Instead of dragging eleven players around before every match, you load a preset, tweak one or two roles and you are done. It is a small change that saves you a ridiculous amount of time over a full season.
3. Build Tactics Around In Possession And Out Of Possession
The biggest tactical mistake most players still make in FM26 is obsessing over one static shape.
FM26 makes it much clearer that your team can behave differently in and out of possession, backed up by the match engine and tactical interface improvements seen in the Advanced Access Beta and later patches.
So instead of thinking “I play 4-2-3-1”, think:
- Out of possession - maybe a 4-1-4-1, compact, slightly deeper line, narrower block
- In possession - the same players fan out into a 4-3-3, with one full back pushing high and an eight running beyond
Look at your squad first. If you have slow centre backs, do not try to play a suicidal high line. If your full backs cannot cross, do not pretend you are peak Liverpool. Build the system around what you have, not what your ego wants.
4. Fix Staff Responsibilities So The Game Stops Nagging You
FM26 quietly improved the visibility and usability of Staff Responsibilities, especially with update 26.0.4 making that area easier to access.
Sit down for five minutes and decide what kind of manager you are:
- If you love tactics and training - keep match prep, training and team selection under your control
- If you hate admin - delegate press conferences, tunnel interviews, friendly scheduling and maybe even contract negotiations
- If you are here for transfers - keep scouting, recruitment and contract control, hand training to your assistant
If you leave everything on yourself, FM26 will turn into a to do list simulator. Delegate heavily in long term saves so you can actually focus on the fun stuff.
5. Abuse Recruitment Focuses And Attribute Colours
Recruitment Focuses in FM26 are absurdly strong if you set them up early and leave them running in the background. Combine that with the new attribute colouring improvements and you have a very powerful scouting workflow.
Set up a few evergreen focuses:
- Wonderkids - age 15 to 21, high potential, appropriate positions for your tactic
- Contract expiring - players in your division or one level above, deals expiring within 6 to 12 months
- Stop gap bargains - transfer listed or unhappy players in similar leagues with decent current ability
Then customise attribute colours so the key attributes for each role stand out at a glance. When “Finishing 15” suddenly glows in a different colour on a cheap striker, you will notice it immediately.
6. Periodise Your Training Instead Of Hammering Everyone
FM26’s training feedback is more transparent than ever, and the big updates have included lots of fixes to schedules, tooltips and medical information.
Use that. Do not run the same “General Training” style schedule in August and in January and then cry when your squad breaks.
Simple structure:
- Pre season - high physical load, plenty of friendlies, lots of tactical work
- Normal weeks - balanced mix of match prep, unit work and physical work
- Fixture pile up - reduce intensity, focus on recovery, match prep and set pieces
If you keep getting orange and red hearts in the medical centre and ignore it, that is not FM26 punishing you. That is you refusing to manage fatigue.
7. Use Data Hub And Squad Planner To Solve Real Problems
FM26’s Data Hub and Squad Planner are not decoration. The match engine and data tools have been refined through multiple hotfixes to better reflect what is actually happening on the pitch.
Instead of rage changing your tactic every time you concede, try this:
- Check where your shots are coming from - if everything is from 20 metres, you probably need more runners into the box, not another playmaker
- Check how you concede - through balls, crosses, cut backs, set pieces
- Use the Squad Planner to see if you actually have the right profiles for the roles you are asking players to fill
React to patterns across ten matches, not one bad result when your keeper decides to cosplay as Karius.
8. Shouts Are Back - Use Them, Do Not Spam Them
One of the most controversial early design choices in FM26 was the removal of Matchday Shouts, which many players said made matches feel even more passive. Sports Interactive have since brought them back through the update 26.1.0, and that functionality is now part of the live game on the correct version.
Basic rule of thumb for shouts:
- Praise - use it after good spells or a goal when your team is playing well
- Demand More - use it when intensity drops, you are chasing a result or the body language looks flat
- Calm Down - perfect when everyone is aggressive, on yellows or you are protecting a narrow lead
Do not click a shout every two minutes and then complain that players are “confused by the feedback”. Talk less, manage smarter.
9. Choose A Clear Philosophy Before You Spend Anything
FM26 looks so good in motion that it is very easy to fall in love with random players and systems. The Unity based match engine, new animations and added broadcast details can make every pacey winger look like the next Mbappé if you are not careful.
Before you sign a single player, answer three questions:
- What is my primary game model - high press, compact counter, patient possession, something else
- Which roles are non negotiable for that idea - for example, do you need an elite ball playing defender or is a no nonsense stopper enough
- Where is my squad weakest for that idea - lack of pace, no ball winner, no creative hub
Then recruit specifically for your In Possession and Out Of Possession structure. If you keep randomly signing “good” players without a plan, FM26 will expose you fast.
10. Slow Matches Down When Testing, Speed Up Once It Works
FM26’s revamped match experience, extra speed options and 2D radar views were designed to make matches more immersive, but they also increased the time players spend in match by a huge margin compared to FM24.
The trick is to stop treating every single fixture the same.
When you are testing a new tactic:
- Watch on a slower speed
- Use extended or even comprehensive highlights
- Focus on player movement, spacing and passing options, not just the end result
Once your system is stable and you understand how it behaves, then you can crank things up to key highlights with 4x between highlights and blast through a season.
If you never actually watch what your tactic does, you will never understand why the match engine keeps punishing you. FM26 is brutal like that.
What Next?
If you are still feeling overwhelmed by FM26, you are not alone. Between the Advanced Access Beta, multiple hotfixes and a huge 26.1.0 update, this is one of the most actively patched Football Managers ever.
Use these ten tips as a checklist for your next save - fix your UI, delegate properly, structure your training, embrace Data Hub and actually watch your tactic work. Once those foundations are in place, every other “advanced” tip suddenly starts to make sense.
And if you want, we can spin this into a whole series - tactics specific FM26 tips, transfer tips, youth development tips, you name it.
