When does the Football Manager 26 beta start? What time does it drop, is it on PlayStation and new leagues added
Wannabe football managers are gearing up to take Accrington Stanley back to Champions League glory.
After a one-year hiatus, Football Manager is making a comeback with its upcoming title, Football Manager 26 (FM26).
Scheduled for a full launch on November 4, developers Sports Interactive have confirmed that a last-minute beta will give fans the chance to trial the game early.
According to a post on the official Football Manager account on X, the FM26 beta will be launching later today (Thursday, October 23).
Early access is available only to those who pre-purchase the game on Steam or an approved third-party retailer - unfortunately for console players, it’s PC-only for the time being. Players on other platforms will have to wait for the full launch.
No exact release time has been given for the FM26 beta, but previous titles have been released at 5pm UK time.
You can’t preload the beta, meaning downloads start the whenever access opens. Thankfully, Football Manager games aren’t hard drive juggernauts like Grand Theft Auto or Call Of Duty, so the beta shouldn’t take too long to install.
The biggest addition in terms of leagues this time around is the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), allowing players to take the helm of clubs like Washington Spirit and Orlando Pride.