SEGA Announces Free Football Management Game to Fill Football Manager Gap

Sagar Mankar
2 days ago
3 min read

SEGA has officially unveiled SEGA Football Club Champions 2025, a new free-to-play football management simulation game coming to multiple platforms in 2025.

The announcement comes months after the cancellation of Football Manager 2025, leaving fans of the genre without their expected annual release.

The upcoming title will be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC through Steam, iOS, and Android devices.

Two Distinct Game Modes

SEGA Football Club Champions 2025 will feature two primary gameplay modes designed to cater to different player preferences.

Career Mode allows players to manage a football team from the ground up, making crucial decisions both on and off the pitch while working toward building "the greatest club of all time."

The second option, Dream Team Mode, focuses on competitive multiplayer experiences. This player-versus-player mode includes Event Matches, Arena competitions, and Room Matches, enabling football management enthusiasts to test their skills against opponents from around the globe.

Extensive Licensing Agreements

One of the game's most impressive features is its comprehensive licensing portfolio. As per SEGA, the title will include over 10,000 professional footballers from various leagues and organizations worldwide. The licensing agreements cover 1,500 players from Japan's J1, J2, and J3 leagues, providing extensive coverage of Japanese football.

International licensing extends to partnerships with FIFPRO, South Korea's K League, and Premier League giants Manchester City FC.

Connection to Football Manager Series

According to the official announcement, SEGA Football Club Champions 2025 is "powered by Football Manager," though the exact extent of this connection remains unclear. The game appears to leverage technology and expertise from the established Football Manager franchise while offering a distinct gaming experience.

This title actually represents the Western release of SEGA's long-running Japanese series "Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou," commonly known as SakaTsuku among fans. The series, which began in 1996 on the SEGA Saturn, has produced approximately 25 different games over the years, though only one previous entry (Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! Europe Championship in 2006 on PS2) received a Western release.

Testing Phase and Release Timeline

SEGA will conduct a Closed Beta Test from June 19 to June 30, 2025, aiming to polish gameplay ahead of the full release. Here are the key details:

Beta Sign-Up Deadline: June 13, 2025
Available Slots: Limited to 15,000 participants

Pre-registration for the game is currently available, with early registrants becoming eligible for Manchester City-themed in-game rewards.

A Revival After Football Manager 2025's Cancellation

SEGA’s announcement follows the unexpected cancellation of Football Manager 2025 in February after multiple delays, due to major internal shifts at Sports Interactive. This marked the first time the series had skipped a football season since its 2005 inception. That game was expected to introduce women’s football and move to the Unity engine, marking a turning point for the franchise.

In response, SEGA Football Club Champions 2025 appears poised to fill the void by borrowing elements from the Football Manager engine, while also drawing from the long-standing SakaTsuku series. It’s a strategic move by SEGA to keep its football sim audience engaged during this transitional phase.

The free-to-play model could potentially attract new players to the genre while retaining existing fans of Football Manager.

Watch the official trailer below: