A whole lot is riding on Football Manager 26 which, after the late cancellation of FM 25, has to deliver a major leap forward for the beloved management sim. The early signs are positive, with showcases of the new-look match engine, overhauled tactics, a reimagined UI and the debut of the women’s game all going down well with fans.
One other reason to get excited is Sports Interactive’s deal with the English Premier League, arguably the greatest club league in the world, and now it has announced another biggie: a multi-year deal with FIFA, football’s world governing body, that gives FM 26 and its successors the license to multiple international competitions, most notably FIFA World Cup 26.
The World Cup is obviously as big as sport gets, and next year’s competition will be held across Canada, Mexico, and the USA. Qualification for the tournament remains ongoing, but last week saw a rampant and swashbuckling Scotland guarantee themselves a play off spot at the minimum, with automatic qualification still a possibility. England apparently squeaked through too.
