Football Manager 26 is just around the corner, with the game set to grace the football world on November 4. It's the return of one of the most historic gaming franchises, which had a long year's absence because of the cancellation of FM 25, which didn't meet Sports Interactive's standards.
The new installment promises a fresh experience with a brand-new graphics engine, an updated interface, and the long-awaited introduction of women's football.
However, some long-standing features won't make it into the new version. Whether due to redundancy, reworks in progress, or technical limitations, several fan-favorite mechanics are being removed.
In this article, we have compiled a list of all the confirmed features that FM 26 is missing, along with an explanation of their removal and how it affects gameplay.
All missing features in FM 26
Here’s a list of all the missing features in FM 26:
1. International Management
Using this feature, players were able to lead national teams via international management, which included choosing squads overseas to qualify and guide nations to victory in important competitions like the FIFA World Cup, European Championship, Copa América, or other continental championships.
Why it's gone:
Developers at the Tokyo Game Show announced that FM 26 doesn't support international management. The feature is being rebuilt from the ground up to deliver a more engaging and meaningful experience in FM 27.
Why it matters:
Removing this feature in a World Cup year is a baffling decision, as it's when the feature is the most used by fans. Many fans were also eager to combine the new women's football feature with national team management, especially ahead of real-world tournaments. Losing this option at launch will remove an entire layer of long-term gameplay that players loved to switch to mid-career.
2. Touchline Shouts
Touchline Shouts were the best way to interact with the players during the game, as just like in real life, users could encourage, motivate, or ask their players to calm down. It was a feature that added more immersion into the game and one that everyone loved, making it among the most iconic in the franchise.
Why it's gone:
According to Sports Interactive, the feature didn't significantly impact gameplay outcomes and often confused players with its effects. There are no immediate plans to bring back this feature, and it has been completely removed from the new iteration of the game.
Why it matters:
While it's not a game-breaking feature, it added emotional engagement and tactical immersion during matches. It was used by many players as a psychological tool to influence team spirit, so its removal makes matchday management feel a bit less personal.
3. Social Media Screen
A hub that simulated fan reactions, media chatter, and general sentiment about your team and decisions. It offered immersion and flavor text, connecting the in-game world to the public narrative around your club.
Why it's gone:
The developers merged the information from this feature into the Portal, which is a unified new dashboard. The outdated screen was considered redundant and bloated the interface.
Why it matters:
While casual players may not miss this feature, dedicated managers who enjoyed the world-building element will find the new menus less lively. There is a slight but symbolic loss of immersion and flavor.
4. Challenge Mode
Challenge Mode offered preset scenarios with specific objectives, such as preventing a team from being demoted or handling an injury crisis. It offered brief, structured campaigns perfect for casual sessions.
Why it's gone:
This mode is currently being reimagined for future versions after being completely removed from all the editions of FM 26. Developers claim that it needs a full redesign to fit with the updated engine.
Why it matters:
While this mode was a pleasant, short method for new players or for those with limited time to experience the game without committing to a 20-year career, it lacked accessibility and variety.
5. Versus Mode
Versus Mode allowed players to upload their offline saves and pit their teams against others online. It was the go-to feature for competitive bragging rights between friends.
Why it's gone:
As said by Sports Interactive, this mode was taken down for redevelopment. The studio plans to introduce it later in a "completely new form," with a potential integration with new online infrastructure.
Why it matters:
This is another major blow for community-driven play. Without this feature, players will lose one of the few ways to test tactics and squads competitively.
6. Fantasy Draft Mode
Fantasy Draft was Football Manager's own version of custom communication. It allowed players to build teams from scratch within a budget to face off against others online.
Why it's gone:
The new engine's balance and compatibility problems are the main reason this feature is absent from the launch. However, the developers have hinted that it could return with the Main Data Update after release.
Why it matters:
Fantasy Draft was extremely popular among streamers and competitive players. Its temporary absence removes one of the most social aspects of Football Manager, especially for those who enjoyed structured online leagues.
7. Create-A-Club
Using this feature, players were able to create their own club and replace an existing one in the database. They were also capable of selecting their own rosters, stadiums, and kits without needing external editors.
Why it's gone:
Despite being simple and creative, this feature frequently led to technical issues with the new database architecture and had no impact on gameplay. Sports Interactive has confirmed plans to rework it and bring it back in future editions.
Why it matters:
Create-A-Club gave role players and content creators a more personal touch. Losing it will limit player freedom, especially for those who enjoy building fictional teams or hometown clubs from scratch.
8. Player Weight
Player weight was a cosmetic stat on profiles, showing body type, but had no impact on gameplay.
Why it's gone:
This feature has been permanently removed, as it was only visual and confused players who thought it affected fitness or performance.
Why it matters:
This is one of the least significant removals. While it did add a bit of realism, it didn't impact player development or match outcomes.
9. Data Chalkboard Tab
A legacy menu within player profiles that displays performance analytics and stats in visual form.
Why it's gone:
All of the data is now centralized via the Data Hub, which was added later. The Chalkboard became redundant and was scrapped to simplify the interface.
Why it matters:
Most players won't notice this change, but data-heavy managers may miss the quick access visualization. It's a minor UI cleanup rather than a gameplay loss.
10. Custom Skins
Custom skins allowed players to modify the game's experience, like changing colors, layouts, and designs via community-made mods.
Why it's gone:
Studio director Miles Jacobson confirmed that custom skins won't be available at launch. This feature is temporarily disabled while the team stabilizes the new graphics engine.
Why it matters:
The removal of this feature affects modders and longtime fans who rely on community skins to improve aesthetics. While it's not permanent, it is a setback for customization at launch.
11. Screen Configuration Options
This setting allowed players to change the display resolution, frame rate, and window modes for better performance or multitasking.
Why it's gone:
While the reason is still unknown, it may have something to do with incomplete interface optimization. Reports suggest the feature may return in a post-launch update.
Why it matters:
This has nothing to do with gameplay, as the ability to tweak screen settings frustrated PC players who used to personalize their setups, especially for multitasking or recording.
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