Sports Interactive (SI), the studio behind the acclaimed Football Manager franchise, has announced a landmark partnership with FIFA that will, for the first time in the series’ history, bring officially licensed FIFA tournaments to the game with Football Manager 2026 (FM26).
The multi-year deal, struck in collaboration with publisher SEGA, grants Sports Interactive rights to FIFA’s flagship competitions, including the FIFA World Cup 2026, the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup. Players will see official tournament branding, kits, and broadcast elements integrated directly into the game, enhancing the franchise’s trademark realism.
The FIFA tournaments will be introduced through a free in-game update following FM26’s global launch in November 2025, timed ahead of the 2026 World Cup. This update will also coincide with the return of a fully revamped International Management Mode, enabling players to take control of national teams in an unprecedentedly authentic setting.
While the FIFA licence allows for tournament branding and presentation, player likenesses remain separate, managed primarily by EA Sports. Nonetheless, the deal represents a milestone in Football Manager’s expansion into international football.
FM26 will also continue to feature an extensive roster of club competitions, including the English Premier League, France’s Ligue 1, Germany’s Bundesliga, Netherlands’ Eredivisie, Scotland’s Premiership, and Belgium’s Pro League. In 2022, SI added UEFA club competitions—the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League, further cementing the franchise’s coverage of elite football.
The FIFA collaboration underscores Sports Interactive’s ambition to evolve Football Manager beyond club management, offering players a complete global football simulation and positioning FM26 at the forefront of the sport’s digital evolution.
