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Football Manager 26 Hits Steam and Runs Into “Mostly Negative” Reviews Over UI and Bugs
November 6, 2025Football Manager 26 is having a rough kick-off. The game launched on Steam yesterday, and the reception is icy: out of 5,224 user reviews already on the store page, 3,902 are negative. Players are calling out a clunky new UI, persistent bugs, and technical headaches, all of which sharply contrast with the ambitious promises that built buzz ahead of release.
One negative review is currently leading the pack in usefulness. User Spittfire, who’s already spent nearly 60 hours in the newest installment, sums up the core issues: “The UI overhaul certainly is visually impressive at first glance but really creates a clunky experience when playing the game and navigating through different menus and pages.” That damning verdict is echoed by piles of similar complaints.
What’s Working, and What’s Not, for Football Manager 26
Steam reviewers aren’t just griping about the menus. Over and over, the criticisms land on a familiar set of problems. Players report technical bugs, glitches, and gameplay that feels virtually unchanged from earlier entries, despite all the marketing around innovation. As a result, many veterans feel cheated, left with an experience that looks new on the surface but stumbles under the hood.
Still, it’s not all bleak. Even among the sharp critiques, there’s some cautious appreciation for what FM26 does right. The tactics overhaul, one of this year’s flagship improvements, actually receives praise. Spittfire highlights this as a bright spot: “I have always enjoyed the tactical side of the game, and FM 26 has introduced a new level of freedom to tactical-minded managers. While some of the player position terminology is a bit clunky (still better than the outdated terms used before), the overall tactical enhancements are clear.”
That split verdict is everywhere in the early feedback. Fans who live for the behind-the-scenes number crunching seem happy with the new tactical options. But for anyone spending most of their time on the interface, whether managing line-ups, scouting, or obsessing over stats, the “visual upgrade” just trips them up.
Early Access Hints and an Uphill Battle Ahead
FM26 technically rolled out first in Early Access late last month, which means die-hard fans have already had weeks to dig in and offer feedback. But the early hands-on time didn’t seem to blunt the negative reaction at launch.
Eurogamer editor Chris Tapsell offered an early preview that might have foretold the storm, writing that the game would “take a lot of getting used to.” That sentiment is now echoed by the masses. While Sports Interactive set out to evolve the franchise, it’s clear many players feel they’ve been handed a beautiful but bumpy ride.
For developers, the message is loud and clear. Fixing the UI, squashing bugs, and delivering on the gameplay innovations they promised will be the only route out of the “mostly negative” basement. Whether that turnaround happens is up to Sports Interactive in the coming weeks. Right now, fans are watching and waiting, hoping the patch notes and updates can deliver the experience they were sold.
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