The Best Niche Saves from Around the World in FM26

If you are looking for some classic and popular FM26 saves then look no further than our best big saves list.

However, Football Manager saves can sometimes feels a bit… samey. Everyone does very similar saves, people buy the same wonderkids and it can all get a bit predictable and a bit boring.

Sometimes the best way to fall back in love with FM is to go niche. Really niche. Clubs with strange backstories, awkward rules, geographical disadvantages, or circumstances so specific they force you to play the game differently.

Here are some genuinely interesting, off-the-beaten-path saves from around the world that offer something you won’t get managing another European giant. This list is thanks to my friends at the Sweeper Pod (include link to their Twitter) who are the kings of finding the best niche stories from around the world of football – make sure you give them a follow.

 

Victoria Hotspurs (Malta)

Victoria Hotspurs are a brand-new club from Gozo, Malta’s smaller neighbouring island, and only entered the Maltese football pyramid in the 2024/25 season. Their rise started explosively, winning promotion from the fourth tier with a perfect record, but reality has since caught up with them.

That makes them ideal FM material. Limited infrastructure, a small talent pool, and the added challenge of being geographically separated from the mainland. Turning a brand-new island club into a domestic force feels far more satisfying than inheriting one.

 

Paks (Hungary)

Paks operate under a domestic-only policy, fielding squads made up exclusively of Hungarian players. Think Athletic Bilbao, but without the Basque talent conveyor belt or European pedigree.
They’re competitive already, but the real challenge is knocking Ferencváros off their perch after years of dominance. Squad building is brutally constrained, which makes every transfer window matter and every youth intake exciting in a way most saves stop being after year two.

 

South Melbourne (Australia)

South Melbourne sit at the centre of a fascinating moment in Australian football. Fresh from winning the inaugural Australian Championship, they’re heading into the first ever OFC Professional League.
There’s a catch, though. Despite competing in an OFC competition, they remain an AFC-affiliated club, meaning Club World Cup qualification isn’t an option even if you win everything. It’s a save that forces you to define success differently and embrace the journey rather than the ultimate prize.

 

 

Ninh Binh (Vietnam)

Few clubs rise faster than Ninh Binh have. They weren’t even in Vietnam’s top division last season, and now they’re leading the league. Their sudden success already makes them interesting, but they also come with one of the more amusing quirks in world football. From badge to kit design, they appear heavily inspired by Bayer Leverkusen.

 

Mushuc Runa (Ecuador)

Mushuc Runa are unlike most clubs you’ll manage. Founded by an indigenous community, their identity goes far beyond results on the pitch.
They’ve shown they can punch above their weight in continental competitions, yet domestic consistency has been harder to find. The squad has potential, the narrative is strong, and balancing league form with South American competition creates a genuinely engaging long-term challenge.

 

San Giovanni (San Marino)

If you want absurd difficulty, this is it. San Giovanni Sotto le Penne is a parish with a population of around 30 people, yet it hosts a top-flight club in San Marino.
Winning the Campionato Sammarinese is only the beginning. The real aim is dragging a microscopic club into European qualification rounds and seeing just how far you can stretch FM’s mechanics before reality taps you on the shoulder.

 

Thimphu City (Bhutan)

Thimphu City are one of those clubs you can’t help but like. Every goal they score contributes to conservation efforts for the endangered white-bellied heron, and they have a surprisingly engaged international fanbase.
On the pitch, though, they live in the shadow of domestic powerhouse Paro. Closing that gap without the resources or reputation of your rivals makes this a slow-burn save with plenty of character.

 

Cerro Largo (Uruguay)

Most Uruguayan clubs are clustered around Montevideo. Cerro Largo are not. Based near the Brazilian border, they’re geographically isolated and operating without the built-in advantages enjoyed by capital clubs.
They recently made headlines for taking just two supporters to an away game in continental competition. Turning a regional outsider into a national powerhouse is a classic FM story, and one that feels earned every step of the way.

 

Austria Salzburg (Austria)

This is a save fuelled almost entirely by spite. After their original club was bought, rebranded and hollowed out, supporters re-founded Austria Salzburg and started again from the seventh tier.
They’ve already climbed back into the second division. Getting them promoted and eventually toppling Red Bull Salzburg in the Bundesliga is one of those FM objectives that feels personal, even if it really shouldn’t.

 

Lugano (Switzerland)

Italian-speaking Switzerland hasn’t produced a league champion since 1949. Lugano have come close in recent years, but never quite finished the job.
They sit within an intriguing multi-club ownership setup linked to Chicago Fire, which adds another layer of strategy when it comes to recruitment and development. It’s a save that blends tradition, frustration and modern football structures nicely.

 

Hound Dogs (Gibraltar)

Until recently, Hound Dogs were the only amateur side in Gibraltar’s top division. They’re now propping up the table after a promising early spell, and resources are minimal even by Gibraltar standards.
If you’re looking for a save where every point feels monumental and qualifying for Europe borders on miraculous, this is about as unforgiving as it gets.

 

Hillerød (Denmark)

Hillerød are pushing for promotion despite having one of the smallest budgets in Denmark’s second tier and not even being able to use their own stadium due to licensing issues.
It’s a save built on compromise, adaptability and squeezing value out of every decision. Getting them into the Superligaen would feel like beating the game on hard mode.

 

Budućnost Podgorica (Montenegro)

Montenegro remains one of the few UEFA nations never to have a club reach the group or league phase of a European competition. Budućnost are the most realistic candidate to change that.
They’re not dominating domestically right now, sitting mid-table at the winter break, which only makes the challenge more compelling.

 

Supra du Québec (Canada)

As the newest club in the Canadian Premier League, Supra du Québec also carry the responsibility of representing French-speaking Canada.
Their focus on developing local talent gives the save a clear identity from day one, especially when compared to MLS neighbour CF Montréal. It’s a rare opportunity to build a club culture almost from scratch.

 

Al Hilal (Sudan)

Al Hilal’s recent history reads like something FM would generate and you’d dismiss as unrealistic. Forced to play outside Sudan due to conflict, they won Mauritania’s top division last season as honorary champions and are now competing in Rwanda.

Winning league titles in three different countries in three years is an outrageous target, but FM is exactly the place for it.

 

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