Football tactics have rarely stood still, and neither has Football Manager. With the release of FM26, Sports Interactive has introduced one of the series’ most significant tactical overhauls in years: the ability to set distinct formations for when your team is in possession and out of possession.
For years, managers in FM have relied on player roles and duties to dictate movement and behaviour across different phases of play. While effective, this system didn’t allow for a complete change of shape when the ball was lost or won. Now, FM26 bridges that gap, reflecting one of modern football’s biggest evolutions.
Dual Formations: A New Tactical Core
From the moment you create a tactic in FM26, you’ll see the change. Managers select not just a single setup but two: an In Possession shape and an Out of Possession counterpart.
The logic mirrors the real game: a side might expand into a 4-3-3 when building attacks, then contract into a 4-1-4-1 when defending. FM26 even suggests complementary shapes based on your chosen attacking setup, though players retain full control to experiment with bolder, less conventional transitions.
The Redesigned Tactics Menu
To manage this duality, the Tactics menu has been reworked with four new views: In Possession, Out of Possession, Both, and Combined.
- Both allows managers to directly compare attacking and defensive setups side by side.
- Combined gives an averaged view, making squad management and player selection more seamless across the two shapes.
This redesign doesn’t just streamline tactical planning, it sharpens the manager’s understanding of how their ideas play out on the pitch.
The Visualiser: Turning Theory Into Reality
FM26 also introduces the Visualiser, a powerful tool that previews tactical behaviour. The pitch is divided into thirds, and by clicking different zones, managers can see exactly how player roles interact as the ball progresses.
Whether it’s a wing-back tucking into midfield during build-up or a defensive midfielder stepping up in a press, the Visualiser translates abstract instructions into visible patterns, offering unprecedented clarity before match day
Player Roles, Reimagined
To support the new system, FM26 redefines player roles. Familiar duties have been stripped back, giving managers more flexibility to fine-tune instructions. Some roles have been renamed, others retired, and several new additions, such as Playmaking Wing-Backs and Wide Forwards, reflect modern football trends. These roles include:
- No-Nonsense Goalkeeper – A safety-first shot-stopper
- Ball-Playing Goalkeeper – Initiates attacks from the back
- Overlapping Centre-Back – Adds width from central defense
- Playmaking Wing-Back – Creates chances from wide areas
- Advanced Wing-Back – Aggressive, high-positioned full-back
- Midfield Playmaker – Dictates tempo centrally
- Wide Central Midfielder – Covers lateral zones from midfield
- Wide Forward – Exploits side channels in attack
- Channel Forward – Targets gaps between defenders
Out of possession roles make their debut too, giving clearer identity to players’ responsibilities when defending. A five-star suitability rating remains, ensuring that recruitment, training, and tactical cohesion stay central to long-term planning.
Smarter Match Intelligence
Beneath the surface, the match engine has been retooled to support these tactical freedoms. Passing risk assessment has been rewritten, leading to more incisive and creative distribution. Dribbling mechanics feel sharper, with wingers varying tempo and body movement more convincingly.
Defensive logic has also taken a leap forward. From refined pressing shapes to improved interception animations and goalkeeper handling, FM26 promises a more authentic and reactive on-pitch experience.
Team Instructions, Simplified and Integrated
FM26’s Team Instructions interface has been redesigned for clarity and control. Instructions are now grouped by phase build-up, progression, final third, high press, mid block, low block and visualized in real time via the Visualiser. This helps managers understand the tactical consequences of each decision, from adjusting width to enforcing goalkeeper distribution prevention.
The integration with the Data Hub means tactical decisions are no longer made in isolation. Managers can now correlate instruction changes with performance data, closing the loop between strategy and execution.
A New Era for FM Tactics
FM26 marks the most ambitious tactical shift in Football Manager for over a decade. With dual formations, a new role ecosystem, and visual tools that bring strategies to life, players now have greater control than ever over how their teams express themselves on the pitch.
In real football, top coaches obsess over how their teams look both with and without the ball. In FM26, that obsession finally belongs to the players, too. The tactical revolution is here and it’s now over to us to master it.
Watch the full video update from Football Manager here: