Football Manager 26 Free

Football Manager 26 Goes Free this Weekend but there's a Catch

Shubhrajit Goswami

Published - Apr 17, 2026, 07:59 AM

3 min

Add

As Preferred Source

Football Manager

Summary

Football Manager 26 is now available for free on multiple platforms.
Check the platforms and how to download the game and play right away.

Football fans, you have a chance to test your managerial skills. Football Manager 26 is available for free right now. The game features many licensed clubs, leagues and tournaments in addition to realistic gameplay. If you are confident of your football managerial acumen, Football Manager 26 is the best destination to put it on display.

Football Manager 26 is now Free on Xbox and Steam

As per the official announcement, Football Manager 26 and FM 26 Console will be available for free from April 16, 2026, to April 20, 2026. Football Manager 26 is right now free on two platforms: Steam and Xbox.

Football Manager 26 free versions will be available until April 20, 2026, 17:00 UTC on Steam. Xbox users can avail the FM 26 Console version for free up until 6:59 UTC on the same day. After 20th April, if you happen to fall for the game and its mechanics, you will have the option to purchase it at a discount of 40% until April 23, 2026.

If you have already purchased the FM 23 or FM 24 versions, you can progress your journey on the Football Manager 26 free version from any of the platforms. Sports Interactive is prompt at releasing regular patch updates and hence it is one of the most optimised games across all its titles.

If you had started any career during the free-to-play time, it will be saved, and you can progress from where you left off following purchase.

How to Play Football Manager 26 for Free?

FM26 free access is time-limited, so don't waste your time and follow these steps to get it now:

Xbox

FM 26 is currently available in the Xbox Free Play Days

Open Xbox Store
Open the ‘Subscription’ tab on the Xbox Store.
Scroll down in the ‘Free Play Days’ section to find FM 26.
Select Football Manager 26, download it and play for free until April 20.

Steam

Open the Steam website on your browser.
Search for ‘Football Manager 26’ on your store.
Click on the ‘Play Game’ button to download it for free. It will add the temporary license to the library.
Select a folder to install the game and click Next.
Once downloaded, head to the library and play the game.

For the latest FM 26 updates, news and leaks, make sure to bookmark this page.