In Football Manager 26, the most important topic of discussion is always the meta. For years now, the gegenpress has been the way to dominate in this series. The Gegenpress meta will likely still thrive in FM26, but it’s not the only method to rely on to win matches. Counter-attack tactics are rarer in this series, but they can be very satisfying if you pull them off.
The problem is that because of the popularity of ultra-aggressive pressing tactics, counter-attacking tends to get sidelined more. Fortunately, there are still some tactics that fit this playstyle well, especially if you’re the sort of person who enjoys exploiting space and hitting teams on the break. Here are the best counter-attacking tactics in Football Manager 26.
Combined 4-4-2 Tactic
This is a tactic that is built for robust defense and explosive transitions. It’s built on the basic 4-4-2 shape, where the wide midfielders often provide service into the box to the striker, and defensively, the two banks of four players work to deny opponents space and force them wide.
At the back, two Ball Playing Center Backs and two Wing Backs provide stability and controlled build-up. You want to set up the Wing Backs to tackle harder, stay wide when in possession, and to cross from deep instead of requiring more of a run. The Center backs are simpler, as they provide basic protection and line-breaking passes.
In the midfield, you want to position a Deep Lying Playmaker on the left, acting as the link between defense and attack. This player will dictate tempo and launch risky, line-breaking passes to catch opponents out of shape. The Defensive Midfielder on the opposite side will offer balance, cover space, and stop counters.
Next, identical Inverted Wingers on the left and right side. These players will drift inside to overload the center, allowing wingbacks to maintain width. Use this to create dynamic passing triangles to the two Channel Forwards. Speaking of which, these two forwards will be aggressive, constantly making forward runs and attacking half-spaces. Set them to shoot more often, make more forward runs, and tackle harder when out of possession.
This tactic works as it’s compact, disciplined, and ruthless on the break. You don’t dominate in possession — you rely on structure, movement, and direct play while turning defensive stability into opportunities.
Combined 3-3-2-2 Tactic
Generally, a 3-3-2-2 tactic is more possession/control-oriented. Back in the FM24 days, people modified this setup to turn it into a counter-attacking shape, and it still works in FM26. Your setup with this tactic will absorb pressure, force turnovers, and break with precision.
At the back, set a Ball Playing Center Back that will help anchor the defense, flanked by two identical Wide CBs that stay tight, win duels, and quickly release the ball into the midfield. Use a Sweeper keeper that stays aggressive, sweeping up long balls and kick-starting fast transitions.
The midfield trio includes a Defensive Midfielder who screens the backline, breaking up play and recycling possession intelligently. Ahead of the DM, you’ll have two Attacking Midfielders that act as the chain between defense and attack. These are your guys for pushing up the counter and making driving runs to feed the forwards. They can also take shots themselves. Out wide, two Wingers (Support) stay wide when in possession to stretch the defense, but sprint forward on the break
Up front, you want a Channel Forward and Second Striker pairing. The CF will relentlessly run into wide channels and exploit defensive gaps, pulling markets out of position for fast breaks. Meanwhile, the Second Striker drops deeper, looking for throughballs or rebounds.
3-4-3 In Possession / 4-4-2 Out Of Possession
This is one of the few counter-attacking tactics that fully embraces the new IP and OOP system of FM 26, and it is experimental for the time being. The two tactics above are both safer bets, but you might want to try this one out to see what’s possible with different tactics for in and out of possession.
For out of possession, the 4-4-2 tactic will be familiar to the first entry on this guide: Two Ball Playing Center Backs, Two Wing Backs, Deep Lying Playmaker, Defensive Midfielder, Inverted Wingbacks, and two Channel Forwards.
In possession, the team will shift into a 3-4-3 shape that prioritizes controlled buildup and quick transitions. One of the center-backs will step up into the DM role, creating a back three alongside two wide center-backs. The wing-backs push high up the pitch — one staying wide to stretch play while the other tucks slightly inward to form a compact midfield box.
Next, you can set up the existing Deep Lying Midfielder with a Box-to-Box Playmaker that drives transitions from deep. The front three are set up like this: an Inside Forward cutting in from the left, a Wide Forward staying high on the right, and a Target forward leading the line.
This tactic can be risky, but it does a decent job of blending the defensive 4-4-2 out of possession with a fluid 3-4-3 in possession.
