Rival football fans don't agree on much, but one thing we can all agree on is that COVID-19 has played a huge part in the footballing world.
The virtual footballing world hasn't been affected quite as bad but in keeping with the real-world issues, Football Manager 21 is set to incorporate the virus into their title.
Here is everything you need to know.
COVID-19 in FM 2021
The team at Sports Interactive made the announcement earlier this week that they have opted to include COVID-19 within their new title, with the game attempting to strike "the best balance possible between realism and escapism."
Financial Impact
The Coronavirus has had a massive impact on the finances of football clubs over the world.
Those financial difficulties will be brought into FM 21.
Budget Slashed
In sticking with the real world financial issues, in FM 21 "your chosen clubs finances will inevitably be in a worse state than you would normally expect when you start a new save."
Now this sounds like bad news, and it is, but fear not, as the market has been adjusted accordingly.
Transfers
The transfer system has been rewritten in order to accommodate the financial issues that clubs will face.
Here are the key changes that have been made.
- More 'loan to buy' offers.
- A drop in the value of mid-range players
- Clubs in real financial trouble will try to move players on a more regular basis
This won't be the case throughout your full save though, as once the money comes back into the game over time, the market will be readjusted to match.
Fans
Empty stadiums are strange. Whilst it's become the norm now, there is nothing like a bustling away end.
Well thankfully, they will still feature in FM 21 after they opted to allow fans into their virtual games.
This is great news for a couple of reasons
For starters, nobody likes football without fans. Taking Woking from the Conference to the Champions League just wouldn't feel the same in an empty stadium.
But also, this means that your clubs revenue won't take the hit that comes with playing in an empty stadium.
Dates Adjusted
We'll give it to Football Manager, they've made this new title super realistic!
In sticking with the disruption caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, your season may have a different start date from what you have come to expect.
For instance, the EFL Championship will begin in September rather than the traditional August start date. You will still have 'five to six weeks' of pre season to get your squad in shape.