So, you’ve just opened Football Manager 26 and have no idea where to start. Don’t worry — everyone feels that way at first. FM is one of the deepest and most rewarding strategy games out there, but it can also be overwhelming for newcomers. Between tactics, scouting, training, and press conferences, it’s easy to feel lost before your first match even kicks off.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through some essential tips to help you settle in and build a foundation for success in Football Manager 26. Whether you’re managing your favorite club or starting from the bottom of the football pyramid, these pointers should make your first save smoother and a lot more fun.
Start With A Big Team
Obviously, the most popular thing to do in Football Manager is to take a lower-division team and gradually build it up over the course of multiple in-game seasons. While you should absolutely do that at some point, a save like that is a tall task when first starting out. Instead, your focus should purely be on getting more accustomed to things like tactics, transfers, training, and other things of that nature.
To do this with as little pressure and as many resources as possible, consider taking a bigger team and managing for a bit before diving into more complicated and in-depth managerial journeys. Here are some teams to start out with:
- Paris Saint-Germain: The French giants are fresh off a Champions League win last year and are one of, if not the, best club in the world right now. They’ll have an incredibly talented squad full of depth and a virtually unlimited budget, making the day-to-day tasks for managing the club way easier than normal.
- Manchester City: Another team with tons of talent and deep pockets, Manchester City is a good starting point for anyone new to FM, and plays in perhaps the best league in the world, where competition will be plentiful. If you want to play for a top team and get acclimated to playing other good teams, Manchester’s blue team is a great start.
- Ajax: Though not as rich or big in stature as the previously mentioned clubs, the Netherlands’ Ajax is a big club in a smaller league. They’re rich in youth prospects and will perennially be in European competition, making them ideal for someone who doesn’t want too much pressure, but wants to get acclimated with facing more complete clubs here and there.
Of course, there are massive clubs like Bayern Munich, Liverpool, AC Milan, and others, but these three should provide a good base for building experience.
Delegate Most Duties To Your Staff
One of the biggest mistakes new Football Manager players make is trying to handle everything themselves right away. FM is deep — scouting, training, press conferences, youth development, tactical tweaks, recruitment meetings — it’s a lot. But that’s exactly why the game gives you a capable backroom staff.
Delegating tasks to your assistant manager, scouts, and coaches helps you focus on what really matters early on: learning tactics, managing your squad, and getting comfortable with matchdays. You can always take back control later once you understand how each system works. For example, letting your assistant manager handle training schedules and opposition instructions ensures your players stay sharp while you focus on learning to build your tactical identity.
Football Manager is less a test of micromanaging and more about making the big decisions that shape your club. Trusting your staff allows you to ease into the game’s complexity without getting overwhelmed, while still seeing your team grow and perform well on the pitch.
Be Patient, Learn, And Have Fun
It’s easy to feel frustrated when things don’t go perfectly early on — your tactics misfire, key players underperform, or your team goes on a losing streak. But that’s part of the Football Manager experience. Every save teaches you something, whether it’s how to adjust your formations mid-match, when to rotate your squad, or how to handle unhappy players.
Even seasoned FM veterans rarely “master” the game in one go. The fun comes from experimenting, learning from mistakes, and watching your club evolve over time. Don’t be afraid to restart, try different leagues, or manage smaller teams to understand the game’s depth.
The best managers in FM — like in real life — are the ones who adapt, learn, and keep improving season after season.
