Football Manager Update 26.1.1 Released: 300+ Fixes, Stability Improvements, and Gameplay Refinements

Sports​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Interactive has lifted the embargo on the Football Manager Update 26.1.1, which includes a great deal of refinement, fixes, and quality-of-life improvements to FM26. The latest FM26 update, 26.1.1, is now available on Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store. It was initially released on the Steam Public Beta Track.

The major part of the changes in the game included in the 26.1.1 update is more than 300, and are, to a large extent, game stability improvement, player and staff contract logic refinement, and match-day reporting screens enhancement. Below you can find the full list of the modifications introduced by this update.

Football Manager Update 26.1.1: Platform Availability and Key Notes

The FM26 update 26.1.1 is available for PC users; thus, those from all major storefronts can download it. New save files will still work with old ones, so the players will not have to restart their careers.

The news of the updates for FM26 Console and FM26 Touch being postponed till the New Year came from Sports Interactive. Sports Interactive was saying that the most troublesome issues found in the last Public Beta Track update made it impossible for the console platforms' submission before Christmas.

Additionally, players can anticipate more messages from the developers about their updating plans in the next few weeks.

Technical and Stability Improvements

The major part of the Football Manager Update 26.1.1 is a quite comprehensive technical refinement that takes place "under the hood" and thus, very often remains unnoticed by users, but it is the main reason for smoother and more stable gameplay.

• Some of the key technical corrections are as follows:
• Several crashes and stability issues have been fixed in different situations
• Fix a soft-lock issue arising from the “Best of the Rest” club expectation
• The correct time is now displayed when saving in-game items such as tactics, set pieces, and shortlists
• Improved shadow rendering during overcast matches
• Fix for rare save-loading issues after leaving the Steam Public Beta Track
• Crowd noise stops after a match has ended
• Offline games no longer show the processing timer when the game is on
  These changes make the FM26 update 26.1.1 one of the most stable post-launch updates so far.

User Interface (UI) Enhancements

With the help of the 26.1.1 update, Football Manager has been able to substantially improve its user interface (UI), especially in terms of analyzing the match and managing the squad.

Match Reports and Screens

• More detailed half-time and post-match report screens
• More detailed layout of the past-match report for easier reading
• In match pop-ups, captions for own goals are now correct

Squad, Transfers, and Scouting

• Added multiple new columns in Player Search, Scout, and Transfer views
• Staff attributes are now visible on Coaching, Recruitment, Medical, and All Staff screens
• Loan player wages are now displayed correctly based on the club that is using the player, not the parent club
• Transfer budget and player transfer status are now getting updated instantly
• Improved offering-out-players functionality via the TransferRoom Out tool

General UI Fixes

• NXGN and Top Player in the World awards now show all candidates
• Weather descriptions do not duplicate in Team News anymore
• Set Piece Takers do not have players who have left the club included
• Live Table “expand” button is now working correctly
• Correct lineups are now shown for Opposition Instructions during matches
• Fixed missing captain indicators in UEFA competition graphics

These refinements significantly improve usability in the FM26 update 26.1.1.

Gameplay and AI Logic Improvements

The gameplay side of things got some really substantial updates with the release of the Football Manager Update 26.1.1, especially those related to contracts, promises, and AI decision-making.

Significant gameplay changes are:

• Improved logic for players requesting new contracts
• Refined staff contract renewal behavior
• Better messaging and logic for older players demanding extensions
• Improved handling of backup players seeking national team call-ups
• The frequency of elite-club players demanding Domestic Trophy promises is reduced
• AI clubs have become more logical in offering playing time in loan deals
• Fixed issues with illogical loan recalls and future-fee loan bids
• AI clubs no longer make repeated loan offers for the same player
• Loan extensions and mentoring group creation now work as expected
• New “Makeshift” positional rating icon introduced
• By these changes, squad dynamics become more real-life-like in the FM26 update 26.1.1.

In-Game Editor Fixes

The Football Manager Update 26.1.1 is also a set of targeted fixes for the In-Game Editor users:

• After a transfer, the Player and staff header bars get the update immediately
• Corporate Facilities ratings are editable now without any issues
• Fee adjustment “+” buttons work as expected
• Dropdowns have been changed to tabs for better navigation
• Editor icon is no longer disabled incorrectly on secondary tabs

The London Football Manager Update 26.1.1 is a major refinement patch that makes FM26 stronger in a number of aspects, such as stability, UI clarity, and gameplay logic. With the changes exceeding 300 in number, FM26 update 26.1.1 addresses issues raised by the

community, are addressed to a great extent, and moreover, the groundwork for future updates is laid.

PC players are already able to benefit from these changes, whereas console and Touch users will be able to update their devices early next year. Sports Interactive promises more communication; thus, post-launch support for FM26 is going as ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌planned. Alongside gameplay improvements, FM26 also offers unique cosmetic content, learn more in our guide on How to Get Diablo Skin in FM 26? Everything You Need to Know.