For the first time since the cancellation of Football Manager 2025, Sports Interactive studio director Miles Jacobson has opened up about what went wrong — and how the team is bouncing back with FM26.
While fans already knew FM26 was on the way thanks to a teaser trailer earlier this summer, Jacobson’s latest interviews mark the first real insight into the challenges behind last year’s cancellation and the changes that players can expect when the series returns later this year.
“It Just Wasn’t Fun”
Jacobson admits the ambitious FM25 project simply didn’t come together. Built on a new Unity engine and featuring a bold new interface, the game was supposed to be the most significant leap in the series for a generation. But despite years of work, it wasn’t clicking.
“The actual game itself was working – but it wasn’t fun,” Jacobson explained. “It felt clunky. The famous ‘one more game’ factor just wasn’t there.”
Delays pushed FM25 from its usual November slot to March 2025, but over the Christmas break Jacobson realised it still wouldn’t be ready. Within days of the studio returning in January, the decision was made to cancel the release altogether. “If we had released FM25 in the state it was in, it would have damaged us forever,” he said bluntly.
Resetting for FM26
The focus quickly shifted to FM26, and Jacobson is now far more positive about progress. The new interface has been overhauled after FM25’s unpopular “portal” design. Back/forward buttons return, along with sub-menus, bookmarks, and a search bar — features that testers say make the game far more intuitive.
Jacobson describes FM26 as “a warm hug” compared to the confusion of FM25’s menus, and insists that this year’s version finally feels like Football Manager again.
Women’s Football Finally Included
Another major revelation from the interviews is confirmation that women’s football will debut in FM26. Originally planned for FM25, the feature required the creation of a brand-new player database and fresh motion capture tailored to female players.
Jacobson admitted he once doubted whether it was commercially viable, but conversations with England’s Lionesses changed his perspective. “They told me it would never be commercially viable unless people like us got behind it,” he revealed.
For fans like streamer Gwen Archer, the addition is worth the wait: “It’ll open up a whole new experience for female gamers – and even male gamers will be able to connect on a deeper level.”
Communication and Trust
Jacobson also reflected on how the studio handled FM25’s cancellation, admitting some fans felt communication was lacking. The reality, he explained, was that as a Sega-owned company they were bound by stock market rules, meaning news had to be announced in a specific way and at a specific time.
Still, he accepts the frustration. “It was embarrassing,” he said. “But we did it for the right reasons. I wasn’t prepared for people to spend their hard-earned money on something that wasn’t good enough.”
Sports Interactive has not confirmed a release date for FM26, but Jacobson says players can expect a “broadly similar” window to the usual November slot, along with some form of early access.
The message from Jacobson is clear: last year’s setback was painful, but lessons have been learned. FM26 is shaping up to be the game FM25 never was — a modernised, more polished Football Manager that stays true to the series’ roots while breaking new ground.
As Jacobson puts it: “We’ve got a f***ing great game. We didn’t have that in December. Now we do.”
What FM26 Players Can Expect
With FM26 now firmly in focus, players can look forward to a more refined and immersive experience. The redesigned user interface brings back familiar navigation tools like back and forward buttons, sub-menus, and a powerful new search bar. Bookmarks and the new Portal layout aim to streamline club management, making it easier to stay on top of tactics, transfers, and squad dynamics. The long-awaited inclusion of women’s football adds a new layer of depth, offering fresh challenges and expanded career paths. As more features are revealed in the lead-up to launch, we’ll continue to track key updates and provide insights to help you prepare for your next managerial journey.