What Has Actually Been Improved in Football Manager 26?

A lot of the focus so far has been on what’s bad in Football Manager 2026. The unintuitive UI, the glitches, the overall confusion. And honestly, for good reason. It’s no surprise that Sports Interactive have already come out and admitted to the big mistakes. But it’s a Friday, and I want to bring some positive vibes for a change. So I’m going to write about the good bits instead. What’s actually been improved in Football Manager 2026? What genuinely feels better than Football Manager 2024? They must have got something right… right?

In and out of possession tactics

I don’t care that these might be easier to exploit with the match engine. I don’t care that it might make the game a bit too easy once you understand how it all works. The new tactics system is still a welcome refresh. It’s closer to how real world tactics function, and most importantly, it’s fun to use. I’m loving the tinkering and the absolute abominations you can create with it. At the end of the day, we all secretly want to be a bit more like Pep Guardiola with our tactical experiments, and this system actually lets you do that. It brings more realism and more freedom, which is a big improvement.

The graphics

The game looks better than it ever has. There’s a reason all the teaser trailers showing off the new graphics went viral. Is it suddenly on the same level as the biggest titles out there? No. But it’s a clear step up from what we had before. Everything is brighter and more detailed. The colours pop in a way they never did previously and it genuinely lifts your mood when you’re in a match. We won’t talk about how you feel outside the matches. Whether people like it or not, visuals matter. If the 3D match engine looks realistic, more people are going to be drawn in. If your players look more lifelike, you’re going to bond with them more easily. Although, regen faces still need a massive upgrade.

Match engine AI

The match engine itself feels more realistic, even if it still isn’t perfect. AI decision making and off the ball movement have both improved. It just looks more like a proper game of football than before. Strikers score at a more believable rate and finishing has a bigger impact on outcomes. Scorelines feel more authentic because of this. That said, there’s still definitely an issue with players smashing the ball over the bar from five yards out which needs sorting.

Better match day experience

With new licences and cut scenes, big matches feel more immersive than ever. Sports Interactive secured more official league licensing in FM26 such as the English Premier League’s authentic branding appearing in game. Match overlays and graphics now look closer to real life TV broadcasts. Combined with the new cut scenes and celebrations, match days feel more atmospheric and more like an actual event.

Transfer room

One of the best new additions to FM26 is the transfer room. It lets you find gems far more easily and makes scouting the next big wonderkid a much smoother process. Don’t just take my word for it. RDF Tactics loves it too and has already pointed out how useful it is for finding bargains.Final thoughtsAgree with any of these improvements? What do you think has genuinely improved from FM24 to FM26? Let me know in the comments.

 

Want to know what the best corner tactic is in FM26? Click here to find out!

Click here to find out what the best 3 tactics are for FM 26 on mobile!

Want the spacebar back on FM 26? Take a look at our guide on how to add it!