FM25 release date update: New features and latest news

The statement adds that "FM25 is the biggest technical and visual advancement in the series for a generation" and that the studio "cannot compromise the delivery of this crucial juncture in Football Manager's history by rushing to release it in November".

This echoes what was previously said in an exclusive interview, in which the game’s director told us that "it’s a really exciting time for the studio", and that adding women's leagues into the game has been "an enormous amount of work".

Here's the latest on the FM25 release date and what to expect from the game.

When is the FM25 release date?

FM25 is set to be released in March 2025, a delay of a few months.

The new release window means FM25 will launch just two months before the standard European football season ends.

In a statement released on the game's official website and on X (formerly known as Twitter), Sports Interactive and Sega explained that the latest and lengthy delay to the game was made because the previous "additional time" was not "sufficient to ensure the game quality and experience meets your expectations and our very high standards".

You can read through the entire statement below:

Originally, the game was scheduled to launch between early and mid-November 2024, which would have kept it in line with past Football Manager games.

If you have pre-ordered the game already and no longer want a copy following the delay, "should you wish to claim a refund, please contact your retailer".

Can I pre-order FM25?

Yes, FM25 can now be pre-ordered on Steam. The game will cost £44.99; however, if you pre-order the game before release on Steam or any other Sega-approved retailer, you will receive 10% off.

Which consoles and platforms can play FM25?

FM25 will launch on PC/Mac and Mobile via Netflix, while Football Manager 25 Console will release on Xbox One, Series X/S and PS5. Sports Interactive and Sega have confirmed this.

Football Manager 25 Touch and Football Manager 25 Mobile are set to be released, too, on Nintendo Switch.

FM25 gameplay: New features detailed

FM25 is set to be, "for the first time in decades, a true sequel". Those are the words of the development team Sports Interactive.

In an official blog post, the development team explained how: "The Unity engine will bring a new graphics engine, a fresh user interface and advanced animations, alongside the introduction of women's football (plus lots more, across platforms)."

Following another blog post, we know more about the gameplay and new features. "Put simply, it’s the biggest change we've embarked on since moving from our previous brand to Football Manager and the biggest tech change in more than 20 years."

Expect plenty of the features you know and love to be removed or changed in big ways.

In the latest delay statement (linked in the sections above), Sports Interactive adds that "the new gameplay reveal will... move to the end of January 2025". We can expect to learn more about the game then.

Women's football in FM25

Regarding women's football being added to the game, our exclusive interview with Ant Farley (design manager for Sports Interactive on Football Manager) is linked to in the intro! – details how the development team wants "to do it properly".

He continues: "The level of detail to which we simulate the men's game, we need to be doing the same for the women's game."

It has been confirmed that "you will be able to move between managing men's and women's teams seamlessly". "One game, one ecosystem."

Removed options/modes

If you planned on following in Gareth Southgate’s footsteps in FM 25, you will have to rethink, as international management will not be available in the game's PC, console or Touch iterations. However, it will be possible to play as nations in FM25 Mobile.

Touchline Shouts have been removed. According to the development team, "these won't be back for the foreseeable future".

The Social Media screen has also been removed, but "supporters are still an integral part of the game".

All FM25 player profiles have been altered so their weight will no longer be visible.

What's more, the Data Chalkboard has been removed, too.

You'll find that "most of the existing data metrics and visualisations will still be in FM25", however.

In another shocking update, Create-A-Club won't be included in FM25, either, with the mode due to make its return in FM26 "with lots of changes and improvements".

The redesign of Versus Mode is yet to be started, too, "but it may be superseded by something else or return in a completely different form".

Challenge Mode "is scheduled to return completely revamped in either FM26 or FM27".

Finally, Fantasy Draft mode "will not be playable day one of FM25 but will return much-improved later in the cycle alongside the Main Data Update".

The team added: "Mid-cycle feature releases are something that will become more regular for the series moving forward."

New UI and Unity Engine

Football Manager 25 is moving to the Unity Engine, and sports a new User Interface (UI). This means it looks different from before "with enhanced graphical fidelity".

"FM25's new UI/UX is driven by what we have called a 'tile and card' system."

You can see the new UI/UX in the screenshot above showing how player form will be detailed as an example.

In a massive change, the Inbox is now gone, replaced by the Portal.

As per an official blog post: "The Portal will be a richer window to the wider footballing universe. It’ll give you far better tools to develop your story through the Agenda and Messages sections, but also deliver you more insight into what’s happening elsewhere via News and Matches."

You can see a work in progress screenshot of the new Portal below:

The development team also shared a work in progress look at the in-match screen which will show between highlights. Check it out below:

Finally, the Premier League is officially licensed in FM25! Expect official branding, player photos and more to make FM25 even better than previous entries.

Is there an FM25 trailer?

An official trailer for FM25 emphasises it as a new era and highlights some of the deep dives we can expect in the future, including an introduction to the women's game.

There is also a Football Manager 25 Premier League licence reveal trailer, which you can check out both below:​

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