Sports Interactive has revealed that Football Manager 2025, the upcoming edition of its renowned simulation franchise, will include women’s teams. The studio had previously announced its intention to introduce women’s soccer to the game, but now we have a clearer timeline for its implementation.
Football Manager is known for its extensive database, featuring tens of thousands of players with detailed individual statistics, biographies, and injury histories. In order to provide the same level of depth for the women’s game, Sports Interactive (SI) had to make significant adjustments. These included changes to the attribute systems, considerations for gender-related translations, and adapting to different league rules specific to women’s football.
Miles Jacobson, the studio manager at SI, explained the reasoning behind the delayed inclusion of women’s teams, stating, “The women’s game deserves to be the best it possibly can be when it is released.” He emphasized the progress made in various areas, such as research, the match engine, and translation, while acknowledging that legal issues and other aspects still required advancements.
In addition to the introduction of women’s teams, Football Manager 2025 will mark a fundamental shift for the series as SI transitions to the Unity game engine. This move will enhance the graphical capabilities and user interface across all formats, resulting in a visually improved matchday experience and significant advancements in animations. However, the transition to Unity on mobile platforms will take a bit longer to complete.
The overhaul of Football Manager’s underlying technology has been a long-term project for SI, initially planned for the release of Football Manager 2022. However, due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the studio decided to focus on ensuring the annual release of a new version before fully implementing the technological overhaul.
Miles Jacobson also addressed feedback from players regarding the features of Football Manager 2023. While the game has attracted over 5 million players, the studio acknowledged that some of its features did not meet expectations. However, with an expanded team, SI is confident in delivering the new features of Football Manager 2024 at a faster pace, allowing more time for polish and bug fixes.
One highly anticipated update is the ability to transfer progress from Football Manager 2023 to FM24, allowing players to continue their careers with the benefits of the latest version. Despite the transition to a new game engine in FM25, SI plans to offer the same feature, enabling players to carry over their FM24 saves. This is especially beneficial for Game Pass and Apple Arcade subscribers, who would typically lose access to their careers after the new game’s release. SI is currently working on the finer details of this feature in collaboration with platform holders.
As Football Manager 2025 approaches, fans can look forward to the inclusion of women’s teams and the technological advancements brought about by the transition to the Unity game engine, signaling an exciting new era for the beloved franchise.
