In a landmark move for sports gaming, Sports Interactive has signed a multi-year agreement with FIFA, bringing the fully licensed FIFA World Cup 2026 to Football Manager 26. The deal marks a dramatic break from FIFA’s long-standing association with EA Sports and represents a major win for simulation purists seeking authenticity and depth.
Football Manager Steps Into the FIFA Era
With this partnership, Football Manager will, for the first time, feature official FIFA tournaments — including the Men’s and Women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup. This development follows EA Sports’ exit from the FIFA franchise and the recent shutdown of its FIFA 23 servers, formally closing a three-decade chapter between the governing body and EA.
Authentic World Cup Experience
Football Manager 26 will deliver a complete World Cup experience, with all 48 national teams, official kits, broadcast graphics, and tournament branding. The game’s tactical engine will evolve alongside these features, introducing advanced systems that mirror the precision and realism of top-tier international football.
Not every nation will be fully licensed — historically, Germany and Japan have been excluded from FM’s official database — but the inclusion of all 2026 World Cup participants gives the series a competitive edge over EA FC 26, which lacks the structure to replicate a full-scale tournament.
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This deal reshapes the football gaming landscape. By aligning with FIFA, Football Manager not only inherits the sport’s most prestigious tournament but also cements its position as the definitive management simulation for the next generation of fans. It’s more than a licensing win — it’s a cultural one, signalling the shift from fast-paced, arcade football to data-driven, strategic storytelling in sport.
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