As Football Manager 26 hits the shelves later in 2025, the thrill of starting a new managerial journey is palpable. Leaving behind us a hectic summer transfer window that has given us updated squads, fresh new challenges, and an array of clubs to choose from, the question on every one’s mind is: which team should I manage on Football Manager 26?
Whether you’re seeking the glory of managing a top-tier giant, the challenge of a lower-league underdog, or the excitement of reviving a fallen giant on Football Manager 26, the new game offers endless possibilities to travel around the globe to hunt for trophies.
In this comprehensive guide to Football Manager 2026 teams to manage, we’ll explore some of the most intriguing and rewarding clubs to manage on Football Manager 26, helping you to find the perfect club to lead to glory in the latest edition of what could be the greatest edition of Football Manager to date.
To help you identify the perfect save ideas for Football Manager 2026 release, we have hand-picked a huge variety of clubs to manage on Football Manager 26 – all with different types of difficulty level, challenges and scenarios.
To help you find the ideal club for your next adventure, we have broken up our comprehensive list of Football Manager 2026 teams to manage into several different types of challenges to give you a range of interesting FM26 save ideas.
From top clubs to manage on Football Manager 26 to fallen giants that needs a revival in order to restore the glory of historic clubs, we cater all fans of the Football Manager series with one of the greatest all-in-one Football Manager 2026 teams to manage guides we have ever written!
PS. Don’t forget to check out our other previous written guides on clubs to manage on Football Manager for further great save ideas that will be as valid for FM26 as for previous editions of the game.
Table of Contents
P.S. We will update our website with more team recommendations prior to FM26 release. Also, check out our associated content creators, who will publish their recommendations of who to manage on Football Manager 26. Some, will be featured in this guide too!
Top Clubs to Manage on Football Manager 26
Paris FC – Ligue 1
Stadium: Stade Jean-Bouin (20,000)
Transfer Budget: NOT YET KNOWN
As one of the newest clubs in the French Ligue 1, Paris FC might be one of the most immersive saves to do on Football Manager 26. After their promotion to Ligue 1 for 25/26 season, the club returns to the topflight after a 46 years absent, where they will once again play against their arch rivals Paris SG.
What’s special is that they will play their home matches at Stade Jean Bouin, which is across the street from Parc des Princes. This must be one of the closest stadiums in the world as they are literally under 50 metres apart.
The link between Paris FC and Paris SG goes way back to the end of the ‘60s when Paris FC was founded and soon after merged with Stade Saint-Germain, who was located 15km west of Paris.
The story of Paris FC and Paris Saint-Germain is a long and twisted history. One could draw comparisons to the Dassler brothers. One founded Adidas, the other eventually Puma after falling out between eachother.
For Paris FC and PSG, their links would only last 2 years. For one it was the start of a journey to become one of the world’s super powers. The other, it was the start of a decline that saw the club bounce between second and third tier for decades – Although it was Paris Saint-Germain who had to start over in the fourth division in 1972 and Paris FC kept their position in Division 1.
What truly makes Paris FC an interesting club to manage for FM26 is their new ownership status. In December 2024, Billionaire
Bernard Arnault & family bought a huge stake in Paris FC together with Red Bull. Entering the club as one of the richest people in Europe, the destiny of Paris FC is truly changing.
“We want to build a team where we will have five, six, seven or even eight players who have come through the youth academy,” said Antoine Arnault, whose brothers and elder sister, Delphine, are also involved”
Ready to invest money and increase their stakes in the club over the next few years, this partnership can quickly see Paris FC turn into one of the giants in football Europe.
The immediate challenge is to keep their place in the French topflight and chase an European qualification place.
This summer, the newly- promoted club has heavily invested in players who can help the club to take the next step. Brazilian centre-back Otavio has been acquired for €17mill. Then, Moses Simon, Nhoa Sangui and Thibault de Smet were signed for a grand total of €35mill.
Managing Paris FC in Football Manager 26 can be a great build a club challenge with more financial freedom than if you should take control of a club in a lower division.
Are you able to claim the club’s first major trophy? Hunt for glory and try to de-throne their ‘evil’ brother Paris SG on FM26.
Borussia Mönchengladbach – Bundesliga
Stadium: BORUSSIA-PARK (54,057)
Transfer Budget: NOT YET KNOWN
«When darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water»
Nothing describes the situation at Borussia Mönchengladbach better than this part within the lyrics of ‘Bridge over trouble water’. Released in 1970 by Simon and Garfunkel, this melancholic tune became a hit at a time where Gladbach embarked on their most glorious era.
Take me back to the 70s and the good old-times, you might say!
Between 1969 and 1979, Gladbach won five Bundesliga titles, one out of 3 DFB-Pokals, as well as dominating not only on home-soil but also in European competitions.
They won the UEFA Cup both in 1974-75 and 1978-79, finsihed runner-ups in the same competition both in 1972-73 and 1979-80, as well as losing in the finals of the European Cup 1976-77 to Liverpool. Now, we must not forget that this was in the heights of Johan Cruyff and Ajax’s Total Football, and Gladbach at the time competed against the greatest ever player, Gerd Müller who scored 398 goals in 453 apps between 1964 and 1979.
Read more | Gladbach’s heroes of ‘79
Now, Die Fohlen has not won the Bundesliga for 16 years! Last season, the club finished one point above relegation despite conceding 7 more goals than 1.FC Köln who had to take the hard way down to 2. Bundesliga for 24/25 season.
Celebrating their 125th anniversary in 2025, Borussia Mönchengladbach could be a great challenge for the FM25 beta. Great foundations to rebuild the squad into your liking as the club includes a number of great players which you can sell for a sizeable amount. Or, you can set yourself up for the goal to replicate the history and try to win more than 5 German Champions in 10 years. Hopefully, you can avoid the signing of foreign players but use the club’s Academy to develop the next Jupp Heynckes, Lothar Matthäus, Berti Vogts, Marco Reus or Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Regardless of your transfer policy, it would be a mistake to look beyond the club’s recognized youth Academy.
Like Hennes Weisweiler and Udo Lattek’s golden team, you could set yourself the ambitions to play fast, aggressive football that would touch Jürgen Klopp’s football heart as you chase for trophies in the next five years, according to the club’s ambitious 5-year plan.
Managing Borussia Mönchengladbach on Football Manager 26 could be a fun youth to gold save to try before heading for a lower league save.
Sevilla – La Liga
Stadium: Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán (42,714)
Transfer Budget: NOT YET KNOWN
With 7 UEFA Cup or Europa League trophies, Sevilla are the most successful clubs in that European competition. Winning the competition three times in a row between 2013 and 2016, it’s a time for transition and rebuild for the Andalucian side.
This year, they aren’t even qualified to participate in one of the European tournaments as they finished on a disappointed 17th place last season – only one point ahead of relegation!
It’s a downward trend for Sevilla, who not only finished on the 11th place in La Liga 22/23 but finished in the 13th place for the 23/24 season. Then, their squad’s average age is also increasing every season – standing now at 26.6 – up from 25.9 ahead of 2024/25 season.
After finishing on a 4th place for three consecutive seasons between 2019 and 2022, Los Nervionenses might be in for another difficult season under Matías Almeyda‘s guidance.
Labelled as the World’s Best club in 2006 and 2007 by IFFHS, Sevilla is far away from earning a similar recognition these days, and their golden era might be over…
Founded in 1890 by Scottish-born Edward Farquharson Johnston, it’s one of the oldest football clubs in Spain, and the most successful clubs from Andalucia. This year they will be celebrating their 135th anniversary and with their long and pride history, it’s sad to see them struggling in the wrong end of the table.
They could be a wonderful five-year save where you aim to rebuild the club into a title contender. Can you win the club’s first La Liga title since 1945-46 – marking their 80th anniversary for their one and only Spanish Championship?!
Time is definitely not ticking on your side to complete ‘the impossible’ feat of becoming Spanish champions with Sevilla over the next 5 seasons. With the gab to Barcelona and Real Madrid rising every season, changing the faith of Sevilla could end up into a long process.
Are you in for one of the toughest challenges in Football Manager 26 by rebuilding Sevilla into a top-5 team in Spain?
Lazio – Serie A enilive
Stadium: Olimpico (70,634)
Transfer Budget: NOT YET KNOWN
Despite finishing among the top 10 clubs in the Italian Serie A, Lazio will ‘always’ be recognized as the best of the rest. It’s now reaching 25 years since they won the Scudetto for the last time. With only two Scudettos in their trophy cabinet (1973-74 and 1999/2000) and seven Coppa Italia trophies, they are only ranked as the 10th most successful club in Italy.
They even won the last UEFA Cup Winner’s Cup competition ever to be held (1998-99), before it was abolished and integrated into the UEFA Europa League, as we now knows it.
In FM25, Lazio could be a great FM25 save idea, as you can continue your hunt for glory after the official release. The challenge would be to rebuild the squad and split up the big three in Italy by hopefully winning the club’s third Scudetto in a five-year project revolving signing only Italian Under-23 players and go wonderkids hunting across the world to find the next Alessandro Nesta, Sinisa Mihajlovic, Juan Sebastian Verón, Hernan Crespo or Pavel Nedved.
In fact, they have been the household for a number of iconic players.
Now, it’s your quest to build a team of the next legends plying their trade in Italy before getting worldwide recognition.
Brighton & Hove Albion – Premier League
Stadium: AMEX Stadium (31,800)
Transfer Budget: NOT YET KNOWN
From battling in the relegation zone in the first four years after promoting from the Championship in 2016/17 season, Brighton & Hove Albion has established themselves as a Premier League mid-table club. Finishing on a 6th place two seasons ago under the guidance of Roberto de Zerbi, the club is showing financial muscles to qualify for a European competition spot for 2025-26 season.
This summer, Brighton has spent a record-high €170.2mill on a summer spending spree that has seen the club signing 7 players under the age of 24 with Georginio Rutter and Yakuba Minteh becoming marquee signings.
Social medias have made a mockery of Chelsea’s squad size. However, Brighton is not far behind. For the 2024-25 season, Brighton’s squad size total 40 players and is only beaten by Chelsea to have the youngest squad in the Premier League 2024/25 with their average age of just 23.7.
After Roberto de Zerbi and Brighton parted ways, 31-year-old Fabian Hürzeler has taken over the managerial role – becoming the youngest ever permanent manager in the Premier League history.
Attracting our attention with their innovative tactics, The Seagulls might be a great challenge for anyone having the desire to manage a young squad with lots of potential. You can mould the squad into your preferred tactical style, or use the club to scout for wonderkids across the world and limit yourself to signing only under-23 players whilst trying to become English Champions for the first time in the club’s history.
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The Fallen Giants Set for a Revival on FM26
Hertha Berlin – 2. Bundesliga
Hertha Berlin is one of the most iconic football clubs in Germany. Playing their matches on the legendary Olympiastadion, the now 132-year-old German football club relegated to the 2. Bundesliga after a miserable 2022/23 season where they finished rock bottom together with Schalke 04. Last season, they finished 9th in the 2. Bundesliga – five points more than Schalke 04.
As one of the founding members of the German Football Association, the club has never become Bundesliga Champions, at least in the modern era. In fact, it’s now 93 years since they won their second German Championship. At the beginning of the great depression, 1930 and 1931 respectively, Hertha Berlin had their first of two golden eras. The second coming in the late 1970s by finishing as runners-up in the 1974-75 Bundesliga and coming to the DFB-Pokal finals 1976-77 and 1978-79.
So far, the club has never won the DFB-Pokal despite of their long history but finished as runners-up on three occasions – the last time in 1992/93!
Hertha’s best performance in the last decade is a 6th place in the Bundesliga 2016/17 which saw them qualify for the Europa League 2017/18 but never made it out of the group stage.
Over the last few years, the club has gone through a period of instability in their performance and coaching staff. By often conceding more goals than they have scored, and 10 manager transfers since 2019, paints the picture of a club in mess and in dire need of a revival!
However, over the last 20 years, Hertha Berlin has gained a lot of recognition for their wonderful work in youth development. On several occasions, bigger clubs in Germany, such as Bayern Munich has looked to Hertha’s Football Academy for poaching their greatest under-16 talents. Noel Aseko Nkili is just one example of Bayern looking to Berlin for poaching promising young players for the future.
With a clear youth training philosophy, the club has won the U19 Bundesliga in 2018, the U19 DFP-Pokal in 2015 as well as winning a number of other youth tournaments in Germany.
German Internationals such as Jerome Boateng, Maximilian Mittelstädt, Lazar Samardzic, Robert Andrich and Luca Netz are just some of the players coming through the Hertha Berlin Football Academy. Their incredible records of producing players capable of performing in the top-flight makes Hertha Berlin into a wonderful youth development challenge.
With excellent training facilities, good Academy coaching and great youth facilities, the foundation is there to turn the faith of a German iconic club in decline. Could you rebuild Hertha Berlin into one of the best clubs in Germany and replicate the feat of Bayern Munich’s eleven consecutive Champions?
Blackburn Rovers – SkyBet Championship
2025 will be a year to look back at some iconic football moments for all Blackburn fans. Not only will the club celebrate their 150th anniversary but this season also marks 30 years since the won the Premier League for the last time. With club legends like Tim Sherwood, Chris Sutton, Colin Hendry and Tim Flowers, becoming English Champions of 1994-95 stands today as their greatest achievements to date. At least in the club’s modern history.
Founded in 1875, Blackburn Rovers, who are based in the historical county of Lancashire, had their most successful era before WWII. Between their foundation to the great depression started, Blackburn happen to win the FA Cup on five occasions in the 1900th century before winning their last FA Cup trophy in 1927-28. They also won the First Division in 1911-12 and 1913-14 until they had to wait 81 years.
It can’t go another 80 years before their next triumph.
Your challenge for Football Manager 26 is to go for a glory hunter save with Blackburn.
But it won’t be the easiest challenge. Coming back from finishing on a 19th place in the Championship 2023/24 after conceding the third most goals to finishing on decent 7th place last season, Rovers has started the 2025/26 season with 3 losses in 5 games.
In fact, Blackburn has not finished better than a 7th place in the Championship since earning promotion from League One in 2018. Now it’s already gone 13 years since they last played in the Premier League.
Quite a job is ahead to make Blackburn Rovers a Premier League candidate with fierce competition from Southampton, Middlesbrough, Stoke and Leicester.
Follow in the footsteps of Kenny Daglish to hunt for the club’s second Premier League trophy, or try to become a club legend by surpassing Robert Middleton as the longest-serving manager, who were in charge for 22 years and 3 months, as you manage Blackburn Rovers on Football Manager 2025!
Bursaspor – TFF 2 Lig
After years of struggling with debts and going through a period not allowed to sign players, Bursaspor was relegated down to the fourth level in the Turkish football league for the 2024/25 season. However, the downfall was short and the following season, Bursaspor promoted back into the TFF 2.Lig.
Bursaspor Kulübü Derneği, from Bursa in Türkiye, is one of few clubs outside Instanbul to ever win the Süper Lig. This happened in 2009-10 which saw them qualify for the UEFA Champions League the following season. In the same group as Manchester United, who would reach the finals, they lost all but one match which saw them going out in the group stage with 1 point.
Founded in 1963, the club participated in the UEFA Europa League as late as in 2014-15.
Now, the reality is completely different.
With €43million in debt, no money to sign players, pay the staff or upgrade, or maintain, the club’s training facilities it’s a question of how long the club will be able to keep their heads above water before filing for bankruptcy.
The downfall of Bursaspor might look as an enticing save for everyone who loves a lower league challenge. Turning the club up side down whilst establishing a foundation at the club which makes them sustainable for the future could be one of the greatest reviving a fallen giant challenges on Football Manager 2026.
Managing Bursaspor on FM26 could be a wonderful choice for a save where you revive a fallen giant, perhaps along with completing a FM26 building a nation save.
FM26 Fallen Giants to Revive to Glory
Looking for save ideas for Football Manager 2026? Restoring the glory of a fallen giant on FM26 could be a very rewarding challenge. Here we give you lots of clubs to revive across the world.
Deportivo de La Coruña – LaLiga Hypermotion
Stadium: Riazor (32,490)
Founded in December 1906, Os brancoazuis competed regularly in the Spanish top-flight in from the early 80s to their relegation to Segunda Division in 2018. A further relegation to the third tier two seasons later saw the historic club definitely fall from grace.
After four years in the third level of the Spanish football pyramid, Deportivo de La Coruña has started their rise back to glory. Since their relegation from LaLiga 2 in 2020, Deportivo has been one of the top clubs in the Primera Federación by never finishing below 4th place.
Between 1980s and 2011, Deportivo La Coruña was a household name in the Spanish top division. Their golden era came under the guidance of Javier Irureta who not only managed to make the club into a top 6 club, but also win the LaLiga in 1999/2000 – five points ahead of Louis van Gaal’s Barcelona and Hector Cuper’s Valencia.
Becoming Spanish Champions was nothing short of a fairy tale!
Not only had they just promoted from second division two years earlier but they clinched the title with a record-low 69 points. I’m not even sure anyone has become champions with so few points gathered.
The title was just the start.
Irureta managed to build a golden squad. With Roy Makaay and Diego Tristan on top, Deportivo managed to win the Copa del Rey 2001/02 beating the Galacticos from Madrid 2-1 on the day of their 100th anniversary.
In the same period they reached both the quarter finals of Champions League 2000-01 and 2001-02. In CL 2003-04 Super Depor would beat both Juventus and AC Milan to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League – making it the pinnacle of Irureta’s managerial career. Unluckily, they lost by a penalty goal to Jose Mourinho’s Porto over two very evenly competed fixtures.
The achievements of finishing first, second, second, third and third from 2000 to 2005 had its costs. Not only had the club spent money they didn’t really have by introducing us to Brazilian icons such as Bebeto, Mauro Silva, Djalminha and Flavio Conceicao but also aforeable mentioned Roy Makaay or Moroccan Noureddine Naybet but the club relied on smart recruitments to build a competitive golden team that could be regarded as one of the best clubs in Europe at the time.
Playing in their iconic shirts of Blue and White stripes, Os brancoazuis is one of the classic fallen giants any passionate fans of Football Manager must manage in their lifetime. Not only will replicating the feats of Don Balon award winner Javier Irureta be a nearly impossible challenge but creating the new Super Depor seems nearly impossible considering the huge difference between today’s superpowers financial strengths compared to Deportivo’s current resources.
RELATED | Super Depor is on their way back by The Guardian
Morecambe – Enterprise National
This season a number of historic football clubs has seized to exist. SPAL, Vitesse, Brescia, Niort or Lucchese has either folded, been administratively relegated or refounded but here’s the story of Morecambe FC, who was at the brink of administration but rescued their faith as late as 19. August 2025 – weeks after the National League had started.
When Morecambe appointed Ashvir Joval as the new manager, it went viral on social medias. Not only is he the first Sikh to manage a professional club in England but he also becomes the youngest manager in the top five tiers of the English league system.
The appointment came only a few days after Panjab Warriors announced they had completed a full takeover of Morecambe – ending the club’s financial crisis after being at the brink of extinction.
Now a subtle optimism is slowly returning. Promises of a new chapter in the Shrimps’ 105 year long history makes them an interesting club to manage for FM26 after they were related from League Two the previous season.
After the transfer embargo was lifted once unpaid wages and debt was cleared, Morecambe has had a busy transfer window for the last week, and a few recognizable names have entered Mazuma Mobile Stadium, such as Miguel Azeez (former Arsenal Academy product), Archie Mair, Daniel Ogwuru (both Norwich) and Jack Stretton.
Entering Morecambe could become a non-league to legend fairytale. In their lifetime, Morecambe has never reached higher than the third level of the English league system and they have never reached further than the third round of the FA Cup, which they have managed four seasons in row.
Can you make Morecambe into an English powerhouse and see the club becoming a conveyer belt of English international players. Here’s a tough lower league challenge for you which starts by avoiding relegation in the first season.
Girondins de Bordeaux – Championnat National 2
Stadium: Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux (42,115)
When we should write a guide on the best clubs to manage on Football Manager 2026, Girondins de Bordeaux would be on everyone’s lips. After being demoted to the fourth level of the French league system due to financial mismanagement and a failured takeover, Les Girondins will be the ultimate revive a fallen giant save on FM26.
At the brink of bankruptcy, Bordeaux was ultimately forced to give up their professional status, terminate the contracts of all players and staff, except youth, and close their training ground.
Now they will have to start from scratch with everything quite up in air.
To manage Bordeaux on Football Manager 2026 it requires a French league extension pack. When you get it, the quest begins to revive the club from the ashes with the ambitious long-term plan to promote back to Ligue 1 over the next few years. However, by downloading our FM24 Transfers update you can embark on the challenge of restoring the glory of Bordeaux in Football Manager 2024.
Like many others, the pandemic became devastating to the club’s faith, with loss in income and relegation from Ligue 1 at the end of 21/22 season. Now they are struggling for the second season in the Championnat National 2 and the prospect of promoting to the National in 3 tier seems like a long process.
Bordeaux has become French Champions six times, won Coupe de France four times, won the Coupe de la Ligue on three occasions, as well as three Trophee des Champions titles. They even made it to the finals of the UEFA Cup 1996 and had their first and second golden era in the 80s and in the beginning of the 2000s.
They last won Ligue 1 in 2008-09 under the management of Laurent Blanc.
Managing Bordeaux on FM26 will force you to build a squad from scratch as you might be likely to start off your journey with a young and highly inexperienced squad – making relegation to the rrgional division below far more likely than a promotion.
Are you up for such a massive restore a glory challenge by managing Bordeaux on Football Manager 26?
AFC Totton – Enterprise National League South
Originally named Amalgamated Football Club Totton, the Hampshire based club will participate in the National League South for the first time in their 60 year long history, when Totton FC and Totton Athletic merged in 1974/75.
Rising through the regional amateur leagues of the English football league system, AFC Totton has earned great success over the past 10 years – winning several promotions and regional cups, such as the Southern League Division One Champion of Champions 2022/23, or the SDFA Southampton Saturday Senior Cup 2023/24.
In 2006/07 the finished runner-up in the FA Vase, and last season they reached the third round of the FA Trophy. They have never reached further than the second round of the FA Cup (2011/12) but that was an impressive performance considering the level they played at the time.
Based only 14 minutes by travel to the west of Southampton, AFC Totton could prosper from the Academy rejects of the renown English wonderkid factory. Then, you have Bournemouth and Portsmouth nearby – meaning you can do some smart recruitment by poaching youth departures from them.
The opportunity to take on one of the minnows in the English league system will test your abilities in Football Manager Both in terms of recruitment, tactics building and Squad management.
Currently playing at the highest level the club have ever played at after winning their promotion play-off final against Gloucester 1-0, the coming season in the National League South might become a tough battle of avoiding delegation – a challenge that’s perfect for anyone loving a true lower league management save on Football Manager.
The objective is to keep them up and stabilize the club at that level before altering your ambitions to climb the ladders towards Premier League football.
FM26 Clubs To Manage: Youth Development Challenges
Sunderland – Premier League
We kick off our list of FM26 youth development saves with an unconvential recommendation. Sunderland might not be the first club on your mind when it comes to English clubs with a great youth Academy but rather than managing Southampton, Tottenham or Manchester United, why not choose a club with a rather decent foundation to develop wonderkids and homegrown talents.
Sunderland enters the 2025-2026 season with the second-youngest squad in the English Premier League. After the promotion to Premier League, their squad’s average age has increased from 22.8 to 24.5 – meaning they have tried to sign some experienced players to keep their place in the English topflight.
Prior to this season, Sunderland has really broken the bank and over €160m has been spend on new signings. In fact, both Habib Diarra and Simon Adingra has entered the gates of Stadium of Light – breaking the record as the most expensive signings ever for Sunderland… and according to rumours the club’s transfer record can be smashed once again as they are not yet finished.
In the current squad you will have the chance to meet English wonderkid Chris Rigg (18) on Football Manager 26 – one of the greatest talents in the Championship since Jude Bellingham broke through at Birmingham, as well as Chemsdine Talbi, Eliezer Mayenda, Marc Guiu and Noah Sadiki.
Over the years, Sunderland have been a stepping stone club for English internationals. Both Jordan Pickford and Jordan Henderson have come through the Sunderland youth Academy and has represented for the English National team.
At Sunderland, you will have superb training facilities to develop your players into wonderkids, excellent youth facilities, good Academy coaching and above average youth recruitment to help you get an excellent youth intake stacked with English generational talents.
Are you ready for a youth to gold save with Sunderland on Football Manager 26, and turn the club into one of the best clubs in England in terms of youth development? Or, do you anticipate the prospect of embarking on a trophy hunt challenge with Sunderland on FM26?
Regardlessly, you’ll be in for an exciting journey by managing one of the best clubs in England prior to 1936 – ranking up six English championships between 1892 and 1936.
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube – Brasileirão Série A
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, commonly known as Cruzeiro, is one of the most successful and storied football clubs in Brazil. Founded in 1921 in Belo Horizonte, the capital of the state of Minas Gerais, Cruzeiro has built a rich history characterized by domestic and international success.
This year, it’s 10 years since Cruzeiro Esporte Clube won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A two times in a row.
Cruzeiro is renowned for its passionate fanbase and has enjoyed considerable success in Brazilian football throughout their history. Until now, they have won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A title four times, with particularly dominant performances in the 1960s, 1970s, and 2010s. The club is also a two-time winner of the prestigious Copa Libertadores, having secured the title in 1976 and 1997.
Despite its illustrious history, Cruzeiro has faced significant challenges in recent years, including relegation to Série B for the first time in its history in 2019. The club has been working to rebuild and regain its position among the elite of Brazilian football, making Cruzeiro a compelling story of resilience and ambition.
Over the last five years, the iconic club has been struggling with financial mismanagement and huge debts totaling at €183mill (according to the FM24 database).
Saved by Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazário who became a majority shareholder when the club was at the brink of going bankruptcy in 2021, Cruzeiro entered a new era. But the fairytale of Ronaldo owning his boyhood club wouldn’t last long.
In April 2024, Ronaldo sold his shares to a local businessmen, Pedro Lourenço, following criticism and protests over the lack of investments and the heightened expectations with the club legend as the primary owner.
With 7 different continental titles, 6 Copa do Brasil and being Brazilian champions four times, along with 38 state championships, Cruzeiro could be a wonderful rebuild save on Football Manager 2025!
At the same time, Cruzeiro has produced a long range of Brazilian internationals apart from Ronaldo. Through their academy, the club has given us Dida, Luisão, Maicon, Léo Bonatini and Vitor Roque. Even Estevão spent his childhood years at Cruzeiro before moving to Palmeiras and making a name for himself!
To rebuild Cruzeiro on Football Manager 2026, you could turn to the club’s Youth Academy to develop the next Brazilian stars. Compete against Palmeiras, São Paulo and Flamengo to become the nation’s best wonderkid factory and set yourself the ambition to prioritize your financial resources on improving the club’s youth facilities and around youth development to create the club’s next golden generation.
Stabæk Fotball – Norwegian OBOS-ligaen
Have you ever wanted to win trophies with only kids? Then, you might like the Club DNA of Stabæk Fotball. With values like Enjoyment amd Courage, the Norwegian first division club emphasize youth development as their founding principles for sporting success.
Probably best known as the club who gave us Antonio Nusa, Stabæk Fotball has developed talents from Oslo and nearby regions for decades. As a grassroot football club divided into the Professional OBOS-liga team and their renown Academy, the club based in Bærum are great at giving their best youth talents a pathway to first team football.
In FM26, you will be introduced to two up-and-coming Norwegian wonderkids. Sebastian Olderheim and Oskar Spiten-Nysæter are some of the clubs best performers in the first half of the season, and could easily become the next Norwegian wonderkids exports to one of European top leagues.
Then, within their Academy you’ll also find one of the club’s brightest talents, Abel Cedergren and Lucas Myklebust – both born in 2009 and are Norwegian U16 international players. Cedergren has 5 goals in 5 matches and could be the next Antonio Nusa!
As you enter Nadderud for a youth development save at Stabæk, you will be faced with a young but ambitious squad.
Last year, they finished on a respective 7th place but has struggled so far this season and find themselves on the 14th place out of 16 teams, despite having the highest squad total market value in the league.
Over the last year, their squad’s average age has increased to could make it difficult to promote back to the Eliteserien after a season in the first division. But, battling against Lyn, Skeid and Vålerenga to become the best club in Norway to produce players for the National team could be the long-term vision that makes a Stabæk save on FM26 into a wonderful challenge ahead of World Cup 2030.
Set it up as a Build a Nation save on Fotball Manager 26 and try to get the nation to qualify for their first World Cup participation since 1998!
Sparta Rotterdam – Eredivisie
In a nation with fierce competition from PSV, Feyenoord, Ajax and AZ Alkmaar, Sparta Rotterdam’s youth academy has established themselves among the best youth academies in the Netherlands.
Through their 4-star certified youth academy, the Sparta Jeugdopleiding, we have seen Dutch internationals like Danny Blind, Georginio Wijnaldum, Winston Bogarde, Memphis Depay and Ed de Goey, to name a few, coming through their renown academy.
With good training and youth facilities, Sparta Rotterdam provides a great foundation for a youth to gold save. Focusing on improving the clubs’ youth intake and generate the next golden generation which can battle against the big three in Netherlands for producing the best players to the National team, Sparta Rotterdam can be a great challenge for a youth development save.
Founded in 1888, De Kasteelheren hasn’t won the Eredivisie since 1959, which was their best achievement since their golden era in the 1910s where they won 5 Championships between 1908 and 1915. They have also won the KNVB Cup three times.
Their best performance in the last 20 years is a 6th place finish in the Eredivisie 22/23.
Managing Sparta Rotterdam on Football Manager 2026 could be a great challenge for everyone who wish to compete for European glory with a focus on youth development. It will be slightly harder challenge than just managing Ajax, Crvena Zvezda, Hadjuk Split or any of the clubs famed for their youth academy but still gives you an easier path into producing newgens that could become wonderkids into the future.
Ponte Preta – Campeonato Brasileiro Série C
After 7 years in the Brasileiro Serie B, Ponte Preta is continuing their fall from grace.
The Brazilian football club based in Campinas – the 14th biggest city in Brazil and found 84km northwest of São Paulo – earned great reputation when they competed in the Brasileiro Serie A. Now, it’s 9 years since they competed at that level, and 14 years since they finished on the 6th place in Serie A 2001 – their best placement to date, as far as I know.
Their greatest achievement is finishing as runner-up in the Copa Sudamericana 2013 – losing 3-1 to Lanus, which made them lift the trophy for the first time. Besides that, Ponte Preta has won several regional and state cups, such as winning the Campeonato Paulista 7 times, but we now need to head back 8 years since they last won it.
This season, Associação Atlética Ponte Preta will celebrate their 125th anniversary – making them the second-oldest club in Brazil. What better way to celebrate the club by embarking on a classic youth to gold save with Ponte Preta will on Football Manager.
Although they have not produced the greatest Brazilian internationals, they have regularly produced household names in the Brazilian topflight.
Why not turn to the club’s Academy to try to develop the next Abner, Luis Fabinho or Dica. Or even better, challenge for the enormous task of producing the best-ever Brazilian wonderkids in FM26, as you turn the club up-side-down to better their chance to win the CONMEBOL Libertadores in the future.
Phoenix Clubs To Manage on FM26
AFC Wimblefon – SkyBet League One
Stadium: Cherry Red Records Stadium (9,215)
When Wimbledon FC decided to relocate their ground to Milton Keynes in September 2003 it caused quite a stir among the fanbase, which resulted in the foundation of AFC Wimbledon as some fans were destined to keep Wimbledon at their historic ground, Plough Lane.
Creating a new club meant AFC Wimbledon having to start at the bottom, in the Combined Counties League. It would take them 9 years, and five promotions later, to reach the League Two – becoming the only club established in the 21th century to play in that division.
Between 2016 and 2022 they played in the English League One but got relegated to League Two for 22/23 season, where they stayed for three seasons.
As one of the club’s honours is their record of winning 78 consecutive matches, between 2003 and 2004 – making them set the record for longest unbeaten run in any level of men’s football throughout the United Kingdom.
Last season, they promoted to the Sky Bet League One by winning their play-off match after winning 1-0 against Walsall but the squad has seen a greater overhaul with 17 arrivals and 14 players departuring the historic club.
Sponsored by Football Manager, and owned by the supporters, managing AFC Wimbledon is a challenge any armchair manager should conduct in their lifetime. Here the potential of managing a well-run club with decent facilities brings a great foundation for a restore the glory save on FM26.
As a newly promoted League One club, the long-term project of returning into Premier League over the next 10 years.
Corvinul Hunedoara – Romanian Liga 2 Casa Pariurilor
When Corvinul Hunedoara won the Cupa Romãniei 2023/24 against Dorinel Munteanu’s Otelul Galati, it secured the Romanian second division club qualification for the first qualificying round of the Europa League 2024/25.
Founded in 1921, Corvinul Hunedoara had its most successful period in the 1970s and the 1980s when they regularly participated in the Divizia A and participated in the UEFA Cup 1982-83.
Famed and feared for their attacking football, the Hunedorenii led by Ion Ionescu scored goals on will and due to their records to score three goals a game, the phrase “norma hunedoareanã” (Hunedoara’s standard) was given to describe their fascinating and entertaining football.
Laid down with a broken back since the fall of communism in Romania, Corvinul Hunedoara went through 17 years of financial struggles. At one point, they only had youth squads and it wasn’t until as late as in 2022, when the club merged with FC Corvinul and took over their legal history, the club managed to create a new beginning.
Now, it’s 42 years since the club achieved their best performance to date by finishing on 3rd place in the Liga 1. With their only Cupa Romãniei honour, managing Corvinul could be a fascinating story of creating history in the Europa League whilst chasing for promotion to the Liga 1.
Here you’ll be able to manage one of many underdogs across the world and participate in one of the biggest European competitions. Perhaps you can even try to better their performance of reaching the second round of the UEFA Europa League qualification…?
KFC Komárno – Slovakian Niké Liga
This year, KFC Komárno celebrates their 125th anniversary and could be one of the best challenges for Football Manager 26. After being promoted to the Slovakian Niké Liga for 2024/25 season, the club finished on an 8th place – two points ahead of AS Trenčín – a club who are two-time champions of the Slovakian first league (2014/15 and 2015/16).
In their second season in the Slovakian top flight, KFC Komarno could be regarded as the third smallest club in the Niké Liga 2025/26 – at least when it comes to their overall market value.
In 2012/13, Komárno played in the fourth division of the Slovak league system and have climbed the ladders to the Niké Liga in just 10 years. From being an amateur club to professional football, the club is currently building a new stadium with a capacity of 5000 spectators, which opens in September 2024.
In their plan to first division football, KFC Komárno has emphasized youth recruitment and the development of talents from the nearby local region. However, so far the club has the fifth highest average age in the league coming out at 26.6. That’s miles away from AS Trencin.
Based along the Danube river on the borders between Hungary and Slovakia, the club is near to Györ, Bratislava and Budapest – meaning you can hunt for talents coming through those academies.
In fact, quite unconventional, the club is based in the town of Komarom in Hungary but plays in the Slovakian football league system – being a proof of how past history and political decisions still affects the region and the people living on the border.
Managing KFC Komárno could be the start of a wonderful journeyman save in Eastern Europe on FM26. Perhaps you wish to use them in a build a nation save where you try to win the World Cup 2026 with Slovakia, or imagine hunting for the clubs first ever major trophy and become Slovakian Champions as an underdog fairy tale.
Regardless, you will be in for a huge challenge by entering the doors of KFC Komárno.
Associazione Calcio ChievoVerona – Serie D – Gr B
Refounded in May 2024, ChievoVerona is one of the newest Phoenix clubs in Football Manager 26 along with Union Brescia.
Continuing the legacy of Chievo which was expelled from Serie B after financial mismanagement in 2021, and later merged with FC Clivense, established by former Chievo player Sergio Pellissier, who acquired the logo and naming rights of ChievoVerona after a long legal battle, the Italian club has a long but broken history.
Originally established in 1929, Chievo has been refounded twice and is one of few clubs in football Europe to have progressed fro amateur level to Serie A. In the 2001/02 season they finished 5th – qualifying for the UEFA Cup.
Over the next 19 years, they played in the Serie A consecutively from 2001 to 2019, with only a brief stint in Serie B for 2007/08 season.
Since they have never won the Scudetto nor the Coppa Italia, or other major trophies to speak of, entering ChievoVerona enables you to become a manager legend and establishing a clear club DNA and a new identity for I Mussi Volanti.
Take on the definitive build a club challenge by managing ChievoVerona on FM26! Establish a new era in the Venetian city of Verona.
PS. Requires an additional database to unlock the fourth tier of the Italian football league structure.
Union Brescia – Serie C – Gr A
Stadium: Mario Rigamonti (23,072)
Founded July 17th, 2025, Union Brescia will definitely be the youngest club in Football Manager 26. The club was founded after Brescia was denied entry to Serie C due to financial issues and saw FeralpiSalo being relocated to Brescia after a desire from the city’s Mayor to keep a professional club in the city.
Playing their matches at Stadio Mario Rigamonti, Union Brescia has one of th biggest football stadiums in the third tier of the Italian league system. They are along Foggia, Campobasso, Perugia and Triestina play at a stadium with a maximum capacity of more than 20,000 spectators.
The 2025/26 squad features a few noticeable names from FeralpiSalo’s 2024/25 Squad, e.g Danish centre back Frederik Sørensen and Davide di Molfetta but they have also signed goal keeper Stefano Gori from Juventus, Luigi Silvestri and Davide Guglielmotti from Catania.
At I Biancazzurri you will have a nearly blank canvas to stamp your own vision at the club. Managing Union Brescia might be the definitive lower league challenge where the prospect of building the club can last for the next 10 to 15 years before challinging for any major trophy.
Imagine the excitement of guiding the young club to participate in an European competition and hopefully lift the Champions League and surpass AC Milan as the biggest club in Italy.
Who are you going to manage on Football Manager 2026? Let us know where you’ll be heading for your next FM26 save.
