Huge FM26 Update 26.1.0 is Out Now – All Hotfixes, Details & Reactions

1. Introduction: What was promised, and the build-up

“This major update brings the most substantial number of changes, bug fixes, and feature introductions so far this cycle, with an emphasis on enhancing immersion and player experience.”

Following the mixed reviews of FM26 Update 3, Sports Interactive has rolled out Update 26.1.0 for Football Manager 26. The first major patch following launch and the earlier beta phase. In their most recent announcement, the team described it as the most substantial wave of fixes and additions so far this cycle, with a strong focus on improving immersion, matchday feel and general stability.

They highlighted several headline additions before release: the long-awaited return of matchday “shouts,” enhancements to the Match Engine, customisable attribute colouring, cleaner and more consistent UI elements, and the ability to schedule youth-team friendlies. They also noted a milestone for the series: full Arabic language support for the first time.

Given SI had previously cancelled FM25 and re-aligned development schedules, the community was expecting this update to be the one that brought FM26 up to the standard fans had been hoping for.

---

2. What were the main issues that needed addressing

Before the patch, players had run into a range of problems that affected both stability and playability. These included:

• Crashes and save-related issues, translation problems, and keyboard shortcuts misbehaving.

• Match experience frustrations, such as slow defender reactions, awkward animations, odd substitution behaviour, and visual glitches around match lighting or camera angles.

• UI and accessibility issues, with screens misplacing data, search filters not functioning properly, and navigation feeling cluttered or inconsistent.

• Transfer and wage logic flaws, particularly for AI clubs and within women’s football, where behaviour felt unrealistic.

• Competition rule inconsistencies, from squad registration quirks to foreign-player rules and playoff structures that didn’t work as intended.

In short, players wanted a smoother-day-to-day experience — one where the match engine felt natural, the UI responded cleanly, and the core systems behaved predictably.

---

3. The community’s reaction / Reddit’s reaction

The reaction after the update landed was mixed, though generally more positive than the weeks before.

Many players praised the improved match engine, noting better animation quality, more variety in passing and movement, and a more engaging tactical flow. Some highlighted how the improved 2D view and the clearer tactical transitions made the game more immersive.

However, there was still a vocal group pointing out lingering frustrations. The UI remained a sticking point for many, who felt it was still clunky or unintuitive even after the fixes. Others argued that the game still felt incomplete in areas they cared about, even if the patch made clear progress.

Overall, the mood was cautiously optimistic: fans appreciated the size of the update and the direction it signalled, but many were holding out for further refinement before declaring FM26 fully “back on track.”

---

4. Full list of changes and fixes

Below is a condensed overview of the major fixes and improvements included in Update 26.1.0:

Name of Fix	Area / Genre	Exact Details of Fix
Crash & stability fixes	Technical	Multiple crashes and soft-locks resolved across various screens and processes.
Translation improvements	Technical	In-game text updated for accuracy and consistency across languages.
Attribute colouring customisation	Technical / UI	Users can now customise attribute and position colour schemes.
Renamed file loading fix	Technical	Custom files with renamed extensions now load correctly.
Custom training schedule loading	Technical	Saved training schedules now import/export successfully.
Keyboard shortcut fix	Technical / UI	Shortcut that incorrectly opened Fixture Tab now behaves as intended.
Squad Planner drag-and-drop	UI	Player movement within the planner now functions smoothly.
Imported FM24 save issues	Technical	Rare cases of save corruption or loading errors from FM24 resolved.
Job interview issues (custom DBs)	Technical	Interviews now trigger and display correctly when using modded databases.
Match shouts restored	Match Engine	Ability to issue shouts from the touchline re-added to the match experience.
Tight-angle shooting reduced	Match Engine	Players now shoot less frequently from unrealistic near-post angles.
Defender reaction improvements	Match Engine	Better awareness when facing dribblers and improved marking decisions.
Header decision logic	Match Engine	Defenders make more intelligent choices when heading without pressure.
Better counter-attacking movement	Match Engine	Players transition more naturally during breaks after turnovers.
Disallowed goal caption timing	Match Engine UI	Caption no longer appears prematurely before the referee decision.
Half-time substitution bug	Match Engine	Substitutions now apply even when tactics screen is open.
Youth coach rotation	Match Engine	Youth coaches now rotate squads more logically in youth fixtures.
Floodlight visual glitch	Graphics	Floating or misaligned stadium lights fixed during night matches.
Incorrect captain indicator	Match Engine UI	Competition overlays now show the correct captain.
Double red card bug	Match Engine	Red cards no longer incorrectly show for both teams in some competitions.
Weather ball logic	Match Engine	Winter balls no longer appear during simple rain conditions.
Kit clash resolution	Match Engine	Notable clashes (e.g., Everton vs Brighton) resolved.
Momentum graph accuracy	Match UI	Graph now updates and displays match swings correctly.
2D ball size & animations	Match UI	Correct ball proportions and goal-net animations restored in 2D view.
Staff colour accuracy in 2D	Match UI	Staff colours now display consistently in classic 2D.
Scout report comparison fix	UI	Squad comparison inside scouting reports now displays correctly.
Wage budget display	UI	Weekly, monthly, and yearly budget tiles now calculate properly.
Transfer window countdown	UI	Tile now correctly displays days until windows open or close.
Recently Viewed players	UI	New browsing option added to the comparison screen.
Player tooltip on awards	UI	Goal50/NXGN items now show detailed player tooltips.
Youth players in Planner	UI	Players in youth squads can now be added to Squad Planner.
Commercial summary shirt numbers	UI	Shirt-number data corrected in club commercial reports.
Past match low-res bug	UI	Past match report no longer opens in low resolution.
Calendar own-goal duplication	UI	Own goals no longer duplicated in fixture calendar view.
Clear all button fix	UI	“Clear all” on selection screens now functions reliably.
Formation tile fix	UI	In-possession/out-of-possession tiles no longer overlap or display incorrectly.
Recruitment focus count	UI	Tile now shows correct number of active recruitment focuses.
Formation picker mini-pitches	UI	Mini-pitch images now load properly for tactics.
Broken search filters	UI	Filters (scouting knowledge, caps, footedness, days since scouted) now work properly.
Player position map fix	UI	Youth candidates now show correct position map visualisation.
Transfer value recalibration	Transfers	Men’s transfer values updated across multiple leagues.
AI loan offer logic	Transfers	AI teams now make more sensible loan offers and fee structures.
Intermediary suggestion fixes	Transfers	Transfer intermediaries provide more realistic offers.
Saudi club logic improvements	Transfers	Saudi clubs now bid with more realistic aggression and wage structures.
Women’s football transfer budget tweak	Transfers (Women)	Budgets corrected to realistic levels for women’s leagues.
Women’s wage demand fix	Transfers (Women)	Player wage expectations adjusted for realism.
Buy-back fee logic	Transfers	AI clubs now assign and value buy-back clauses more appropriately.
Loan-back bug	Transfers	AI no longer asks to loan back players already out on loan.
Sign Replacement First option	Transfers	Option re-added to negotiation screen for outgoing transfers.
Work permit continuity fix	Transfers	Players no longer lose work permit when joining after a mandatory future fee.
Wage percentage update	Transfers	Wage contribution figures now update correctly when switching tabs.
Contract clause fixes	Transfers	International appearance wage rises and transfer-listed loan logic corrected.
Smarter For You news feed	UX	News cards now feel more tailored and relevant.
Coefficient calculation fix	Competitions	UEFA coefficients now account for playoff/bonus rounds properly.
Youth-team friendly scheduling	UX	Users can again arrange friendly fixtures for youth squads.
Champions League U21 rule bug	Competitions	U21 players meeting criteria now correctly eligible for registration.
Excess registration fix	Competitions	Assistant pick no longer registers too many players.
New press conference questions	UX	Additional tactical/performance questions introduced.
Newgen GK attribute spread	Gameplay	Goalkeepers’ generated attributes are now more balanced.
Cross-gender release prompt	Women’s Football	Wrong-gender release messages removed (women shown in men’s leagues, etc.).
B-team staff courses	Staff	Staff in secondary squads now receive coaching course options.
Board vision corrections	UI	Board expectations and club philosophy cards updated.
Club debt & loans cards	UI	Debt and loan information now displays accurately.
Attendance fixes	Women’s Football	Missing attendance data for women’s friendlies and cups corrected.
AI sackings in women’s game	Women’s Football	Dismissal logic for managers more realistic.
Fan reaction to transfers	UX	Supporters respond more logically to new signings.
Multiplayer soft-lock fix	Online	Idle-manager soft locks removed.
Human follow preference	Online	“Disable following other humans” option restored.
Team report request issue	Online	Only the requesting user now receives the report.
Password masking	Online	“Resume Control” field is now properly hidden.
Server search key fix	Online	Enter/Return now works when searching for servers.
Editor access revision	In-Game Editor	Editor now accessed exclusively through top-bar button.
Attribute template import/export	Editor	Users can save and reload attribute templates.
Staff role movement fix	Editor	Editor correctly assigns staff roles when moving players to staff.
Remove All Injuries fix	Editor	Injury removal now applies consistently.
Editable youth rating swap	Editor	Incorrect national youth rating categories swapped back.
Job role accuracy	Editor	Job role cards now reference the correct club.
Competition rule updates	Competitions	Many nations updated: squad rules, window dates, foreign limits, playoff formats.

---

5. How to install the newest update

The update is available automatically on PC platforms such as Steam, Epic and Microsoft Store. Simply open your launcher, check for updates, and allow the latest patch to download and apply.
Console and Touch versions received the update at the same time, while the Mobile edition is scheduled slightly later.

If you were on a beta branch, you may revert to the standard version through your platform’s settings if needed. It’s always wise to back up your saves before updating, especially if you use custom databases or mods.

---

6. Outro / Future plans

Update 26.1.0 is a significant step for Football Manager 26 — arguably the patch that brings the game much closer to what players expected at launch. It makes meaningful progress in the match engine, UI, competition rules and general stability, while reintroducing fan-favourite features like shouts.

Sports Interactive has indicated that this is only the beginning, hinting at more rounds of fixes and improvements to come throughout the FM26 cycle. If they continue at this pace, FM26 should evolve into a far more polished and complete experience. For now, this patch lays a much sturdier foundation, giving players good reason to dive back into their saves or start new ones with fresh optimism.

Make sure you check out our Feature Articles Section to stay up to date with every FM26 Update.