Football Manager 26 plans women's football integration across 14 leagues

Football Manager 26 marks a significant milestone with the full integration of women's football into the series, featuring 14 leagues across 11 countries and a database of over 40,000 female players, the largest in any football game. Players can choose to manage men's teams, women's teams, or a combination, with the game modeling unique aspects of the women's game such as more free transfers and shorter contracts. Sports Interactive has employed motion capture of women footballers to enhance on-pitch realism and has collaborated closely with players, managers, and clubs to ensure authenticity. The game runs on the new Unity Engine, providing upgraded visuals and animations, and is set to release on November 4, 2025, for PC, consoles, and mobile through Netflix, with a later launch on Switch. This integration is part of a broader effort to reflect the growth and increasing professionalism of women's football, as well as to offer a seamless, one-world ecosystem where users can switch between men's and women's football management. The addition has been well received as a major advancement for the series amid rising interest and investment in women's football globally.