Football Manager 25 cancellation announced

In a surprising announcement, Sega and Sports Interactive have decided to cancel the highly anticipated Football Manager 25 (FM25). This marks the first time the long-running sports simulation series has skipped a year since its inception in 2004.

The decision comes after repeated delays and challenges faced during the development process. Initially billed as the biggest technical and visual advancement for the series in a generation, FM25 was set to bring significant improvements to the player experience and interface.

However, moving to the Unity game engine proved to be more challenging than anticipated, leading to multiple setbacks.

Sports Interactive had previously delayed the release of FM25 twice, with the latest postponement pushing the release date to March 2025. This delay would have meant releasing two entries in the series within the same calendar year, which was deemed unfeasible1. As a result, the decision was made to cancel FM25 and refocus efforts on the upcoming Football Manager 26 (FM26).

In a heartfelt statement, Sports Interactive apologized to fans for the disappointment and assured that anyone who had pre-ordered FM25 would receive automatic refunds. The developer emphasized that the cancellation was necessary to ensure that the next release meets the high standards expected by the community.

We know this will come as a huge disappointment, especially given that the release date has already moved twice, and you have been eagerly anticipating the first gameplay reveal. We can only apologise for the time it has taken to communicate this decision. Due to stakeholder compliance, including legal and financial regulations, today was the earliest date that we could issue this statement. 

We have always prided ourselves on delivering the best value for money games that bring you countless hours of enjoyment, that feel worth every moment and every penny you spend. With the launch of FM25 we set out to create the biggest technical and visual advancement in the series for a generation, laying the building blocks for a new era. 

Due to a variety of challenges that we’ve been open about to date, and many more unforeseen, we currently haven’t achieved what we set out to do in enough areas of the game, despite the phenomenal efforts of our team. Each decision to delay the release was made with the aim of getting the game closer to the desired level but, as we approached critical milestones at the turn of the year, it became unmistakably clear that we would not achieve the standard required, even with the adjusted timeline. 

Whilst many areas of the game have hit our targets, the overarching player experience and interface is not where we need it to be. As extensive evaluation has demonstrated, including consumer playtesting, we have clear validation for the new direction of the game and are getting close – however, we’re too far away from the standards you deserve. 

We could have pressed on, released FM25 in its current state, and fixed things down the line – but that’s not the right thing to do. We were also unwilling to go beyond a March release as it would be too late in the football season to expect players to then buy another game later in the year.

Through the cancellation, every effort is now focused on ensuring that our next release achieves our goal and hits the quality level we all expect. We will update you on how we are progressing with that as soon as we are able to do so.  

Thank you for reading, your patience and your continued support. Our full focus now returns to creating a new era for Football Manager.

Sports Interactive

Despite the setback, Sports Interactive remains committed to delivering a quality product with FM26, which is expected to release in the usual November slot. The developer is currently in discussions with platform holders and licensors to extend FM24 agreements on subscription services such as Game Pass.

While the cancellation of FM25 is undoubtedly a disappointment for fans eagerly awaiting the game, it highlights the dedication of Sports Interactive to maintaining the quality and integrity of the Football Manager series. The focus now shifts to creating a new era for the beloved franchise, with FM26 promising to be a significant leap forward.