FM26 Match Day experience; new cameras and highlights system

This might be the most we’ve seen of FM26 overall thus far, but I’m somewhat left asking a few more questions about not only the match-day experience, but also the overall feel. Released late last week, we got an in-depth look at the “Match Day Experience” with all the PR fluff and buzzwords that come along with that too. From “next-evolution” to “the future of football storytelling,” the latest trailer and blog wanted to tell us something without saying much of it out loud.

New stadiums, new environments, new lighting, new textures, new animations, new cutscenes, and a new highlights system, alongside redefined match-day gameplay. There is a lot I should be really excited about, but beyond being told of everything new, we don’t have much on how it will play. Let’s take, for example, the new broadcast mode and camera changes, which are basically a number of improvements to the visual presentation that, in theory, will make the game feel more natural and better overall. Great!

What is notable about that is the highlight this year about Women’s football having several differences, a very notable point to Women’s football is the lack of TV broadcasts and TV production in comparison. So authentic to one part of the game, but not the other. It is a nice addition; it is one that’s going to feel better to watch, especially if you’re able to pick angles as well on certain replays. However, most of the match is going to be watched from that TV camera vantage point, unless you’re older than dust and still play in 2D.

Another point that I’m unsure is worth the time spent on it in the trailer is improved audio, which is drowned out by the same trailer loop music we’ve heard a hundred times these past couple of weeks. We’re told that there is improved audio, but we hear one cheer and the ball catching the back of the net, something that will be quickly replaced by a podcast, YouTube video, Twitch stream, or your own music because you’ll play on mute.

I’d be excited about crowd noise if it felt like a proper stadium, but home and away fans are typically just as loud as each other, players don’t shout, the away manager isn’t screaming, and the non-league special for goalkeepers, “You fat bastard, you fat bastard…. woahhhhhhh! You fat bastard!” Which is never going to be in the game for various reasons, one of which is the possibility of bugging out and playing that over a WSL game. To which the chants at Women’s football games are often far more appetizing.

FM26 looks better, I’m not disputing that. Even if you are the type of person who bemoans Saka’s run in the Arsenal Vs Leeds clip not looking right. Sure, it won’t look like him specifically as he runs, but this would be like bemoaning playing as Celtic in the Scottish cup, playing against Hutchison Vale, and seeing that Saughton Enclosure isn’t faithfully recreated. It is a game with thousands of players across two databases. Sure, there are “300+ New Animations,” but having different players run with separate arm animations isn’t important.

I think the new showdown between attacking and defending players, allowing for more interesting one-on-ones, is a great addition and is important, though. If I’m honest, beyond the established new animations for women’s football, that’s one of the most important parts to me in this trailer. Having players “stand up their opponents” looks to improve a lot of the lack of intelligence problems we have seen with FM24 in particular. We’ll still see dumb player decisions, probably, but the better-rated among players might have better knowledge when in a one-on-one.

We also got a look at the new between highlights screen, which is different and might need one of those skins we’ve all been in two minds over after the first UI video. Like before, you’ll see each team’s lineup, maybe some match stats like you’re watching Google, coaching staff suggestions, latest scores elsewhere, and the new 2D action on what appears to be a tablet. A bit like watching the game via the bras they all have with the data monitor in it.

I don’t hate that screen, but besides the Windows 95 dev-build issue, I don’t want a purple background, and I don’t need half of the bits and pieces there. Formations are fine, even with the “IP” thing, which suggests the new “in possession” tactic idea. However, unless it is the last few games of the season, I don’t care about the scores elsewhere until after the match; I’d rather see a league table. The two or three dots suggest some customizability, but how much will be something we find out in the beta/advanced access, I assume.

The final big thing from the trailer is, of course, the “Dynamic Mode,” which is a highlight mode that changes the number of highlights you see based on the importance of the match. If you’re 4-0 ahead, supposedly, then you’ll see fewer, if any, highlights, while it is suggested that title fights might be given more for the sake of drama. Again, this is one that you can put PR fluff around for days, but until we get hands-on and see it in action for a while, it sounds like something to try, but eventually get annoyed at.

The true highlight is that smaller league stadiums have had an upgrade, and you now play in a Train Simulator 2013 world rather than car parks with a couple of ambulances, a burger van, and some generic variation of stands. Bigger stadiums look a bit more Premier League, smaller stadiums look a bit more non-league, and the surroundings don’t look like generic tripe from 2007. It doesn’t fully matter when you think about it, but it feeds into the atmosphere, and that’s important.

What we haven’t seen is the stadiums and surroundings outside of the German and English leagues, so Africa, South America, and Asia could be interesting or generally the same. Again, we don’t know these things, and they certainly aren’t going to be shown just yet. While we do get a look at the new lighting, though, for nighttime matches, which looks better, we don’t get details on the weather. That’s where the blog post comes in, noting, “The FM26 experience is also elevated by a new pitch shader. This enables more detailed and authentic-looking surfaces, and makes weather effects like rain and snow much more evident.”

Everything looks nicer, everything we’re seeing is nicer, the Hawk-Eye Innovations Volumetric animations thing is nice because it will improve the series over time, but that’s it. What we’re being shown here in this trailer and throughout isn’t excitement for now; it is the excitement for what FM27, 28, 29, and even 30 is going to be. Having “on-the-ball, volumetric animations directly taken from real-life matches” is good, but it is going to improve the game down the line more than right this second.

The new cameras and presentation is going to find its balance better next year after feedback than it is on launch this year. The same with the Women’s game, which hopefully will continue to grow over time. Football Manager 26 feels like it will be a good foundation for the next few years, an improvement on what we’ve played for two years in FM24 and 30-odd years in series history, but we don’t know how the next few years of Football Manager are going to feel like to play. That’s where my mind is at right now.

The biggest thing I want to see, I want to know more about, is that little bar at the bottom during matches showing position, rating, and energy, because I’m an old man. It’s all fine telling me my DM has a 6.7 rating 33 minutes into the match, but I can’t tell you who my DM is in my current save with Fujieda MYFC. I think it is Simon Như Thông Vũ, but it might be Ao Tanaka on rotation. I’m hoping the arrows on the left of the subs pop up the names. I never really know who is in my midfield.

Football Manager 26 is set to release fully on November 4th, 2025, with a beta/advanced access expected sometime around the 21st of October, either the Thursday before or that week itself. I’m excited to see what is next for Football Manager, to get that new game, and to just move on a bit from FM24. Tell us, what are you most excited for when it comes to FM26? New licenses like the Premier League, new UI, or the presentation?