Football Manager 26 Secures Official FIFA License for the First Time

For the first time in its long-running history, Football Manager 26 will feature official FIFA licensing, marking a major milestone for Sports Interactive’s iconic series.

The news comes as part of a new multi-year partnership between Sports Interactive and FIFA.

Starting with next year’s FIFA World Cup 2026 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, players will finally see authentic tournament kits, branding, and broadcast graphics integrated into the experience.

The deal doesn’t just cover the men’s World Cup. It also includes the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, with more competitions expected to follow in future updates.

The timing couldn’t be better. Sports Interactive has already announced that FM26 will feature a revamped International Management module, set to roll out in a content update ahead of the World Cup’s June kickoff. This update will be available across all versions of the game, including Console and Touch, ensuring no one misses out.

Sports Interactive studio director Miles Jacobson called the deal “an incredibly historic moment for the studio.” He explained that heading into a World Cup year, the team wanted to make international management more feature-rich, and doing so with FIFA’s official support was “a real honour.” Jacobson also teased that this is just the beginning of the partnership, with more to come in 2026 and beyond.

The FIFA license announcement follows another big step for the franchise: the inclusion of the women’s game in Football Manager 26, another first for the series.

Football Manager 26 is also notable for being the first entry built on the Unity Engine, which reshapes the entire managerial experience.

The game is set to release worldwide on November 4, 2025, across all platforms.