Why Was FM25 Cancelled? Sports Interactive Shift Focus to FM26

The Football Manager series has been a staple in the world of sports gaming for two decades, offering players the most in-depth and realistic football management simulation available. However, in a shocking and unprecedented move, Sports Interactive (SI) has officially cancelled Football Manager 2025 (FM25), marking the first time in the franchise’s history that a yearly edition has failed to be released.

But why was FM25 cancelled, and what does it mean for the future of the series? Let’s dive into the details behind this unexpected decision.

A History of Delays and Unmet Promises

FM25 was originally set for release in early November 2024, following the series’ traditional annual launch window. However, after multiple delays—first pushing it back to late November, then to March 2025—it became increasingly clear that something was wrong behind the scenes.

Despite assurances from SI that a gameplay reveal would be shown by the end of January 2025, no such footage ever materialized. This lack of transparency fueled speculation among fans, and on [insert exact date], Sports Interactive finally broke the news: FM25 was officially cancelled.

This decision sent shockwaves through the Football Manager community, as the series has maintained an unbroken streak of yearly releases since Football Manager 2005 debuted in 2004. But what went so wrong that SI was forced to scrap an entire edition?

The Big Leap to Unity – A Step Too Far?

One of the key selling points of FM25 was its transition to the Unity engine, a major technological shift from the in-house engine that SI had used for years. The move was supposed to bring substantial improvements, particularly in the game’s graphics and user interface.

Why Unity?

Historically, Football Manager’s graphics have lagged behind those of other football simulations, such as EA Sports FC (formerly FIFA) and Konami’s eFootball. While Football Manager has always focused more on tactical depth than visual fidelity, SI saw Unity as the perfect opportunity to modernize the game’s look and feel.

As studio director Miles Jacobson put it in 2023:

“The way that everything looks and moves will be far more true-to-life than ever before with FM25.”

Beyond visuals, Unity was expected to provide better cross-platform compatibility and a more robust user interface (UI) system—both areas that SI felt needed improvement. However, transitioning a game as complex as Football Manager to an entirely new engine is no small feat, and the technical hurdles proved more challenging than anticipated.

The Challenge of Integrating Women’s Football

Another major feature promised for FM25 was the long-awaited introduction of women’s football. This initiative was first announced back in 2021, with SI stating its goal of creating a fully integrated men’s and women’s football database—a move that would set Football Manager apart from its competitors.

However, implementing women’s football is not just about adding new player models. It requires:

• A completely separate database of players, teams, and competitions.
• Revised match engine physics, as gameplay mechanics need to account for differences in player movements and stamina.
• Changes to scouting, transfer systems, and player progression, to reflect the distinct dynamics of the women’s game.

While SI never explicitly blamed women’s football as a reason for FM25’s cancellation, the combination of this ambitious addition with the already difficult Unity transition likely stretched the studio’s resources too thin.

Why Was FM25 Cancelled Ultimately?

In SI’s official statement, the developers admitted:

“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… but ultimately, 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.”

SI acknowledged that the game simply wasn’t up to standard, citing issues with:

• The player experience and interface, which was “not where we need it to be.”
• The overall quality of the game, which fell “too far away from the standards you deserve.”

The lack of any gameplay footage despite months of promises also suggests that the development process was deeply troubled, with SI struggling to get a playable version ready for public viewing.

What’s Next for Football Manager?

Despite FM25’s cancellation, the Football Manager series isn’t dead. In the same announcement, SI confirmed that:

“Every effort is now focused on ensuring that our next release achieves our goal and hits the quality level we all expect.”

This strongly hints at FM26 being the next release, potentially in late 2025. Given that the core issues with FM25 revolved around the Unity transition and user interface, it’s likely that FM26 will be a heavily reworked version of what FM25 was supposed to be.

The big question now is whether SI can successfully complete the move to Unity and deliver on its promises, or if the cancellation of FM25 is a sign of deeper troubles at the studio.

Final Thoughts: A Bold but Necessary Decision?

While the cancellation of FM25 is disappointing for fans, it may have been the right decision in the long run. Rather than releasing a subpar game that could damage the series’ reputation, SI has chosen to regroup and refocus on delivering a polished product with FM26.

However, expectations will now be higher than ever. After such a turbulent development cycle, SI must ensure that FM26 is a major leap forward—both visually and in terms of gameplay innovation.

For now, Football Manager fans will have to wait a little longer to see what the future holds. But one thing is certain: the pressure is on for SI to get it right.