After two long years of waiting, fans are finally able to play the first edition of Football Manager developed on the Unity engine, Football Manager 26, which entered its Beta phase. Gamers who commit to an early purchase of the game can download it and get started playing today, and that means it’s time to settle on a first save to get you through the next week and change.
While deciding what club or challenge to take on is important for getting the most out of your time with the game during the beta phase, it’s also important to understand the difference in choosing a good save for today and a good save for a couple of weeks from now when the full game releases. If you have access to the Football Manager 26 beta period, here’s what you need to know to find the best save for you to get started with FM 26 as we try out the new Unity engine for the first time.
Tips For Choosing A FM 26 Beta Save Club
While not as important as getting a good selection for a main game save you may play for months, choosing the right club to manage during the beta is a critical decision for how much fun you have on the virtual touchline the next couple of weeks. These considerations may help you make a good choice and find a Football Manager 26 beta save that is fun and challenging!
Think Short Term
The purpose of the beta period is for Sports Interactive to get the game being played on more machines at once than ever before, to find problems missed by prior testing. That means that saves from the beta period traditionally have to be abandoned when the full game arrives to ensure you are playing on a database not bogged down by any of the unpatched problems identified during the beta window.
With such a compressed playing window, this is not ideally suited to use for long-term saves like a Pentagon Challenge. Instead, look for something intriguing as an option for a save that will only last for a few seasons. A team that is immediately interesting while also having a little room to grow into bigger goals for a few years can be excellent for a beta save.
Go Somewhere New
One of the best ways to get the most out of your beta sprint save is to choose a region or nation you have no experience in that you don’t see yourself running a full campaign. If you’ve always wanted to try out the entirely different rules awaiting you in MLS, or want to hit up the league system in a smaller nation where there is less room to grow, the Beta is a great chance.
Using this approach, you can get a taste of the place or save type you’ve always considered, and you can then double down with a similar full save when the full game launches if it really catches your fancy, or move on to something else when the main game arrives.
Play Your Favorite Club
With so much of the audience for the biggest European leagues being international, and so many Football Manager players looking to do saves where they climb the pyramid, often your favorite club may not work for the type of game you want to play. This makes the beta a perfect opportunity to take them for a spin.
Instead of committing to a long save where you’re starting somewhere ahead of schedule, you can jump right in for a different kind of save, where you can directly challenge yourself against reality. See if you can do better in a few years at the helm than the team does in real life. Then, when the full game drops next month, you can have your preferred type of long-term save.
Look To Promoted Sides
With so much of the audience for Europe’s top leagues being international — and many Football Manager players drawn to lower-league “road to glory” saves — your favorite club might not always fit the kind of experience you’re looking for. That makes the beta a perfect time to take them for a spin.
It may not be the thrill of non-league to Champions League, but taking over a small side expected to go down with a whimper and making them world beaters in a couple of weeks is still a fun ride.
Fun Football Manager 26 Beta Save Suggestions
If you’re still undecided about what to do with your beta save, these suggestions may help you find the save for you. Look for an option that seems challenging and intriguing and jump in. Time with the beta is short, so spend it playing the game with one of these saves!
- Get Arsenal Across The Line: Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal has transformed the club from the relative doldrums of the post-Wenger era, finishing second in the Premier League for three straight seasons. While the reasons each respective title chase has fallen short may vary, the result has been the same. Jump in and take over to give Arsenal the push they need to recapture the league, and maybe target a more trophy-laden season for a bigger challenge.
- Perform For The Cameras: Another high-profile side — albeit as much for what’s going on off the pitch as on — Wrexham have shot themselves all the way up to the Championship. A few seasons in the beta is the perfect chance to continue their quest and get them to the very top of the footballing world. Experience a bit of a climb while still starting close enough to the finish to get things done inside of the beta window.
- Enrage A Fanbase: If you already know you’re only playing a short game, there’s no need to worry about your long-term prospects or becoming a club legend, so instead, become reviled. Choose a city with a pair of big clubs or rivals, like Milan, and guide one to the title. Then seize the reins of said rival and do the same for them, all while having to battle against the title-winning side you just built.
- Wander Into The States: Short play windows are a time to experiment, and that’s why the beta can be a great chance to try more unusual league roster and management structures like MLS or the NWSL. The unique rules brought in by being in an American league present a special challenge to take on for a few seasons while waiting for the main game and your big save to get here.
- Take Over The Women’s Game: Whether you’re already considering the women’s game and want to give it a low-commitment trial, or already have a main save in the men’s game picked out and this is the perfect chance to change it up while you wait, the beta window is a great chance to head into women’s management. Take on a big side like Barcelona and hit the ground running or grab a lower side and try to work your FM magic in a few seasons at the helm.
Whatever your goals are for your beta save, Football Manger 26 is finally here. Get out there and grab your tactics board and whistle and get managing!
