Developers of the beleaguered Football Manager 26 have scored a massive own goal, facing a fresh wave of player fury after being forced to delay a critical game update. The postponement leaves approximately 200 known issues unresolved, further fuelling complaints that the latest instalment of the popular sports simulation is "unplayable" in parts.
A Promised Fix Fails to Materialise
The latest chapter in FM26's troubled release began on Tuesday, November 18, when Sports Interactive (SI), the studio behind the game, announced plans to release update 26.0.6. The patch was promised to roll out via Steam's Public Beta track on Wednesday, November 19, before a full release across Steam, Epic, and Microsoft Stores later in the week.
The studio's community team detailed that the update would bring more than 200 fixes and tweaks, addressing problems such as unrealistic player wage demands during contract negotiations, adding an FPS limit option, and adjusting how European coefficient points are awarded.
However, in a sudden reversal on Wednesday, SI confirmed that a newly discovered "knock-on performance issue" was affecting the update's release. By 5:30 PM that day, the developers admitted they were "yet to resolve" the problem and officially postponed the update, leaving the community exasperated.
Player Backlash Reaches Boiling Point
The delay has acted as a lightning rod for widespread player discontent that has been building since the game's official launch. Fans have taken to social media and forums to express their profound frustration.
One user tweeted, "It's incredibly frustrating to pay for a game that clearly wasn't ready," adding, "The online mode is literally unplayable, and you can't even deliver an update on the day it's promised. This is unacceptable."
Popular streamer Nerdphonic criticised the studio's decision-making as "insane," accusing Sports Interactive of "continually not learning lessons" when it comes to communicating with its player base. On Reddit, the sentiment was equally critical, with one player stating, "Even the most optimistic have to admit that this has been a terrible release." Another described their bug-ridden save with FC Barcelona as "honestly exhausting," while a third bluntly asked, "How many more own goals can SI kick?"
What's Next for Football Manager 26?
Amid the chaos, Sports Interactive has provided a tentative schedule for other versions of the game. The studio indicated that an update for Football Manager 26 Console is still slated for Friday, November 21, subject to the standard submissions process. Updates for the Touch and Mobile versions are expected to follow early next week.
Separately, the developers confirmed that the team is continuously working on improvements to the Match Engine, with more specific details promised later this week. For now, players are left waiting, with the core PC version's most significant patch stuck in development limbo and community trust at a new low.
