Football Manager is a staple part of any games collection for those who live and breathe football.
Last years edition was a huge hit last year, and many are looking forward to a worthy sequel that expanded on its incredible formula.
Here's everything you need to know about Football Manager 2021.
Latest news - New features teased
In a minute-long, rapid-fire trailer Sports Interactive has teased players with new features.
NOW WATCH BELOW - FM21 NEW FEATURES TRAILER
From better press conferences to more nuanced player interaction and a fresh way of recruiting players, FM21 looks like it will be a big step forward.
Release Date
COVID-19 caused a delay to the production of FM 21, but we now have a confirmed release date for your diaries.
24 November is the release date for the latest offering from Sports Interactive, one that promises to be the best yet!
WINNER: FM20 is a great game, will FM21 be even better?
Pre-order
As always, if you want to guarantee your copy of FM 21, then you'll want to pre-order.
Platforms
Sports Interactive has officially announced that Football Manager will be returning to Xbox for the first time since 2007.
That also means you'll be able to play it on Xbox Series S / X!
Football Manager Touch and Mobile are also coming.
FM21 Touch on Nintendo Switch will be released in December!
FM21 Announcement Trailer
Pick out your team gear and get your welcoming statements ready!
Football Manager 2021 Beta/Early Access
FM fans usual expect the beta to arrive a few weeks before the game is released.
This year it's a little different.
The ability to play before official release date is now called Early Access.
SI has given a date of "roughly two weeks prior to release", that would be 10 November. However, the "roughly" part means this date could change.
Licences
There were official Arsenal and Valencia versions of FM20 that fans could buy, but as ever licences were an issue for a lot of leagues.
There is no getting around Juventus' three-year deal with PES, so be ready for Zebre to make a return to Serie A in FM21.
However, it would be nice for Sports Interactive to continue building up their official team versions. Or just go all-out and get proper licences for the Premier League and other leagues. Some players currently download face and logo packs to avoid playing with odd badges and silhouette players.
Best players
Football Managers CA - PA rating system makes things a little trickier than most games straight OVR system.
Still, we can look at FIFA 21's ratings and get a good idea of who the best players in FM21 might be.
New features
FM20 saw the introduction of the Club Vision, Code Of Conduct, and Tactical Insights.
A lot of these were small tweaks to help accessibility for new players or streamline some processes that had been frustrating the experienced managers.
WARN THEM: The clear new system avoided angering players
FM20 was a well-polished game, and received strong reviews. There doesn't feel like there is much that needs to be added to make your managerial life more realistic.
However, SI has promised new features this year.
Players have had a glimpse of these already. The trailer featured a rapid-fire look at new recruiting systems, a fresh option for bidding on players, tactical innovations and more detailed match analysis than ever before.
We'd like to see more financial control for managers, as well as a whole area of world football make its debut. Check out our new features wishlist!
Transfer market
The transfer market is always a tricky one in Football Manager games. Big teams quickly accrue All-Star squads and suck up elite talent at a rapid rate. Money flies back and forth between Man City, PSG, Barcelona, and Liverpool, but even if you take over one of the clubs the cash never seems to come to you.
It can still be incredibly tricky to get a fair market price for your players. While you are continuously quoted ludicrous sums for a young goalie or rotational full-back.
Giving managers a more level playing field in the transfer market would be welcome.
Stats changes
The Football Manager player stats have been static for a while, but it would be good to see additions made.
VITAL STATISTICS: Could FM21 shake-up the stats model?
Finishing could be expanded to one-on-ones, first-touch shooting, and poaching for example.
It would be good to see if a striker with 15 finishing was stronger in certain situations so you could better tailor your tactics to each player.
The same goes for fast wingers. Are they quick at getting to the ball, but dramatically slower with the ball at their feet?
Will FM21 be on console?
Sports Interactive has confirmed the game for Xbox, and we know that the game will once again come to Nintendo Switch, but what about PlayStation?
It looks like PS4 and PS5 players will be out of luck this year. Sony did not respond to SI's request for a dev kit, so they couldn't get the game onto the PS4!
Top pick for FM 21 gear
One piece of kit you may want to invest in for the game is a decent gaming monitor, and the good news is that you can get one for cheap, without loosing the quality that's needed to make the game look great.
Check out this gaming monitor, which is under £190 on Amazon. It's got some amazing reviews, and makes gameplay look super smooth!
AMAZING REVIEWS: Ultra smooth gameplay and affordable!
Don’t Miss Out: Get the BenQ Zowie 24 inch 144 Hz e-sports monitor right here!