Football Manager 25 Canceled, Dev Apologizes for Letting Fans Down

Sports Interactive and Sega have announced the cancellation of Football Manager 25 across all platforms. This marks the first time the long-running series has skipped a year since its inception in 2004. The decision follows a challenging development process marked by significant hurdles in transitioning to the Unity game engine.

Initially touted as a generational leap in technical and visual advancements, the game encountered persistent issues, particularly with the player experience and user interface. Internal reviews and player testing revealed that the game, despite progress in some areas, fell short of the expected quality standards.

The announcement, included in Sega Sammy Holdings' financial results, involves a writedown of associated costs. Sega has confirmed that no job losses will result from the cancellation. Sports Interactive assures fans that no Football Manager 24 update incorporating 2024/25 season data will be released, as resources are fully dedicated to Football Manager 26. Discussions are underway with platform holders and licensors to potentially extend FM24 agreements on subscription services.

The developers acknowledge the disappointment this news will cause, especially after two previous delays, and apologize for the delayed announcement, citing stakeholder compliance requirements. Refunds are being offered to those who pre-ordered FM25. The team emphasizes its commitment to delivering high-quality games and explains that releasing FM25 in its incomplete state would be unacceptable. A March 2025 release was deemed too late in the football season for a new game launch.

The focus is now entirely on Football Manager 26, slated for release in November, aiming to deliver the significant improvements and quality expected by fans. The developers promise future updates on the progress of FM26.