With Football Manager 25 being scrapped in February 2025, I’ve been left stunned alongside the rest of the fanbase. The game has already faced multiple delays — first pushed from its original release date of November 2024 to late November, and then again with a massive jump to March 2025 — due to the sheer scale of the upgrade from the previous games promised. Just when the frustration among players had hit its height, Sports Interactive and SEGA dropped the hugely disappointing bombshell: FM 25 was being canceled entirely.

Although the game was already available for pre-order, it ultimately just wasn’t ready for release. After months of anticipation, hype, and setbacks, FM 25 was gone before it could see the light of day. It’s a crushing blow for fans of football simulator games, as well as football fans in general. If you love Football Manager, you should be just as devastated. Unlike other video games that attempt something similar, like FC 25’s Career Mode, FM has stood the test of time. It’s a massive shame that we have to wait another year for the next installment.

Football Manager Was About Deep Strategy & Immersion

Unlike other football-related games, Football Manager was never about flashy graphics and quick-fire, brain-tingling gameplay. Instead, it’s about finding a deep level of immersion, placing you in the footballing world in its realist form. Ever since the early editions of the game, it has thrived on obsessive detail, which has hooked an entire cult-like following. The franchise is the pinnacle of simulation games as a whole, regardless of its competitors in the sports category. Through an extensive user interface and in-depth tactical freedom, you are quickly transformed into a virtual manager, tactician, and keen-eyed scout.

The franchise’s ability to replicate the complexities of real-life football management, from work permits to unhappy players, sets it apart from any other title. Yes, the game doesn’t have flashy graphics and fast-paced in-match gameplay, but that is not what the game is about. FM is about scouting the next big talent, handling intense press conferences, making risky tactical adjustments, and finding long-term success in a sport that is loved by millions. Few games have been able to replicate this level of immersion, blurring the lines between a simulation and the sport’s reality.

For years, Football Manager has been an annual ritual for many players. Since 1992, with the annual release of Championship Manager, which eventually rebranded to Football Manager in 2005, it has consistently delivered the best football simulation game available. There was a considerable amount of hype surrounding the release of FM 25, with Sports Interactive promising a huge upgrade to the previous game, making it a uniquely anticipated installment in the franchise’s history. The planned changes included a brand-new user interface, a fresh match engine, official Premier League licensing, and the addition of the women’s game.

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After 2 Delays, Football Manager 25 Is Officially Dead & Sports Interactive Is Issuing Pre-Order Refunds

The developers of the Football Manager series have revealed that Football Manager 25 will be cancelled, due to a very difficult development cycle.

The cancelation of FM 25 is more than just the cancelation of a game; it’s a disruption to the routine for many players. I, for one, am wondering how I am going to fill the gap. My motivation to continue playing FM 24 has dwindled, and other manager simulation games have become tiresome with bugs and a lack of realism. Managers in FM can spend hundreds of hours building the perfect tactic and taking on the competition. Losing FM 25 means that FM 24 will have to sustain players for another year, and I’m not sure that it will withstand the test.

The Absence Of Football Manager 25 Opens The Door For Other Football Simulation Games

The question of what will happen to the Football Manager franchise remains, but the cancelation of FM 25 does not necessarily spell the death of the franchise as a whole. In the cancelation announcement, Sports Interactive confirmed that the focus would be shifting to the next release and promised “every effort” would go into ensuring its quality. However, this does not take away from the high level of dissatisfaction and the sour taste left by the cancelation. If FM 26 does return, the developers will need to reassure players that the extra wait was worth it.

The most notable game that players may end up moving to is EA FC (formerly FIFA), which has a track record of releasing a game for each and every football season. The career mode in this game features detailed graphics and intense gameplay on the pitch. In addition, eFootball has emerged as another popular football game that features a career simulation called “My League.” My hope is that FM will retain its following, with the cancelation one day becoming a distant memory once a flashy new game comes out. However, it’s fair to say that doubt surrounds the franchise now.

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FC 25 might not be a radical change, but it’s typically glossy, and this year’s tune-ups are mostly positive. It’s built to last.

Football Manager has an enormous impact on the football fanbase, and the absence of FM 25 will be keenly felt. Whether fans end up sticking with FM 24, moving to another game, or waiting for FM 26, the cancelation has shifted the landscape of this genre of game. My disappointment will remain until future announcements are made, and hopefully, we will get to see proof of the promises that Football Manager 25 made.

Source: Sports Interactive/FootballManager.com

Football Manager 25

Simulation

Strategy

Sports

Systems

Released

March, 2025

ESRB

E For Everyone

Developer(s)

Sports Interactive