Football Manager 26 Unveils Major Redesign for Modern Players
- tech360.tv
- Oct 17
- 2 min read
Football Manager 26 has undergone its most significant redesign in 33 years, according to Miles Jacobson, studio director. The revamp features a completely new user interface and a re-engineered match engine, presenting information in a cleaner, dashboard-like style.
Jacobson clarified that the redesign was not primarily for console players, but rather to adapt to declining attention spans influenced by the social media era. He noted that concentration levels have changed with the prevalence of new social media platforms.
The inspiration for the new user interface design was rooted in how people concentrate now, aiming to set up the game for the next 20 years. The company also drew inspiration from evolving operating systems and productivity tools.
Jacobson acknowledged the challenge of finding a look that suits all players in 2025 due to diverse player preferences. The objective was to allow players to quickly find core information, while still offering deeper details for those who wish to explore further.
The game's player base has expanded significantly with its arrival on subscription platforms, including Netflix, Apple Arcade, and Microsoft’s Game Pass. Football Manager 2023 reached 7 million players, growing to 20 million for the 2024 version.
Jacobson stated the redesign does not necessarily aim for an even wider audience, questioning how much more it can expand. Instead, it seeks to cater to the current, vastly increased player base.
The player demographic has also shifted markedly; older players often gained football knowledge from sources like *The Athletic*, while new players may gather information from Twitter and TikTok. This diversity creates a challenge in game design.
The player base now includes "journey people" who pursue long careers from random clubs, as well as those who play to win the league with their favourite Premier League club. Accommodating these varied play styles is a "difficult tightrope," Jacobson explained.
The decision to postpone and ultimately cancel last year’s Football Manager 25 was made because it "just wasn’t fun" to play, Jacobson previously told *Eurogamer*. A primary focus for Football Manager 26 was refining the navigation system.
The game previously offered only one navigation method, which resulted in too many button clicks and hidden information. The new version features a secondary navigation bar, single-click bookmarks, keyboard shortcuts, and an enhanced search engine.
This search engine can locate almost anything within the game, not just teams and players. Some players will prefer smaller, bite-sized bits of information, while others, like the "Roxette" analogy suggests, want to go "straight to the chorus" and discover things themselves.
Football Manager 26 is set to launch in early Nov., with a beta version released prior to the full launch.
Football Manager 26* has received its largest redesign in 33 years, featuring a new user interface and match engine.
The redesign primarily addresses changing player concentration levels influenced by social media, rather than solely console compatibility.
The game’s audience has grown substantially, reaching 20 million players for the 2024 version, with a more diverse demographic.
Source: FORBES
