With FM25 Ending, Here Are 10 Manager Mode Features EA FC 26 Should Add

In 2024, Football Manager (FM) announced that FM25 would be its final release, leaving countless football sim fans stunned. Just as many were still digesting that news, EA launched a new wave of updates for FC 25. But Manager Mode remains largely underwhelming—flashy on the surface, shallow underneath.

Now, with FM stepping out of the game, EA has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take the crown—and truly bring the full « football manager » experience into FC26.

But to get there, flashy graphics alone won’t cut it. EA needs to get serious about Manager Mode’s depth and long-term gameplay.

Here are 10 features we believe EA FC 26 absolutely needs to add to deliver a true Manager Mode worthy of FM’s legacy.

 

1. Bring Back Budget Requests to Add Realism

Remember being able to request an additional transfer budget back in FIFA 15/16? If your team overachieved mid-season or hit an injury crisis, the board might approve more funds.

This system was simple but effective—and realistic. Budgets shift constantly in real football. Bringing this feature back would add a layer of dynamism and player agency that’s sorely missing right now.

 

2. Let Fan Expectations Impact Board Confidence

Right now, social media reactions in FC are just flavor text—background noise with no actual consequence.

FM24 took this further by making supporter confidence a real influence. Take a big club and play ultra-defensive tactics? You might get fired even if you’re winning.

FC26 should do the same. Fans shouldn’t just be spectators—they should be stakeholders.

 

3. Expand Club History and Stat Tracking

Have you ever managed a team for ten seasons, won every trophy—and found the game remembers none of it?

FC desperately needs a real “club memory.” Each season’s results, top scorers, big transfers, personal milestones—it should all be tracked and viewable in your save. Not just for immersion, but for that all-important sense of legacy.

 

4. Deepen the Scouting System

Currently, the scouting system is basically “click and wait.” It lacks any depth or sense of strategy.

Look at FM again: scouts have stats, preferences, and strengths. There’s competition over wonderkids. You might lose a hidden gem to a faster-moving club.

FC26 could benefit hugely from adding layers like scout ratings, regional specialties, report accuracy—and a real sense of transfer market drama.

 

5. Allow Managers to Change Clubs and Build Careers

In FC’s Manager Mode, you’re pretty much stuck with one team. Whether you’re grinding from League Two or coasting with PSG, your personal career feels static.

Let us switch clubs. Let us get job offers, fired, poached—or chase a dream job ourselves. FC26 needs to introduce full career paths, including international management options and realistic job openings.

 

6. Expand Player Morale and Interactions

Players aren’t just numbers. FC26 should treat them like human beings.

Maybe a backup striker knocks on your door after not playing for three games. Maybe your new signing struggles to settle due to a language barrier. Maybe a pre-match press conference lights a fire under your star midfielder. These should affect gameplay, not just appear as filler text.

 

7. Overhaul Youth Development with U21 Leagues

The current youth system is basically “lottery mode”: click a button, hope for a wonderkid.

FC26 needs a real development pipeline—U21 squads, reserve leagues, loan systems, training customization. Let us actively develop prospects over time. And be transparent about potential growth and training paths.

 

8. Expand Coaching Staff and Add Specialized Roles

Manager Mode only lets you hire a couple of assistant coaches and data analysts. But in real football, backroom staff is half the battle.

Introduce roles like: set-piece specialists, recovery coaches, psychologists, tactical analysts, even youth coordinators. Let us build our dream staff—or work with budget constraints to do the best we can.

 

9. Add a Custom Set-Piece Creator

Why can’t we design our own corner kick routines?

FC26 should let managers draw up set pieces—design player runs, decide delivery zones, assign blockers and shooters. This would add a whole new tactical layer to every match, especially for the tactically inclined.

 

10. Advanced Tactical Instructions and Auto-Adaptive Strategies

Removing the “free roam” instruction in FC24 was a step backward. FC26 should not only bring it back, but offer expanded control: pressing intensity, defensive line height, transition speed, etc.

Even better—let us build conditional tactics: if we’re losing, shift to a high press. If we’re ahead, slow it down. This would make matches far more dynamic and strategic.

Pro Tip: If you want to quickly boost your squad or sign that key player for your dream tactics, consider buying FC Coins on BuyMMOG. It’s fast, secure, and supports multiple platforms—so you can spend less time grinding and more time winning.

 

Final Thoughts

FM may be bowing out, but FC has a golden opportunity in front of it. If EA listens to what players really want and builds a Manager Mode with depth, challenge, and personality, FC26 could become not just “the best-looking football game,” but the best football simulation.

Football isn’t just about goals and dribbles—it’s about managing, building, planning for the long term. If FC26 gets this right, it won’t just fill FM’s shoes—it’ll build something new entirely.