Football Manager 27 Review (Launch Preview): The Cleanest, Clearest FM in Years

Our Football Manager 27 review comes from the free Launch Preview, which we played over the free days before the full game's 10 November release, and the short version is that it's brilliant. After the rocky reception of FM26, Sports Interactive's promise for FM27 was a clearer interface, less clicking and a deeper football world. On the evidence of the Launch Preview, it has delivered: this is the cleanest and clearest Football Manager in years. We score it 8 out of 10.

A note on what this covers: the Launch Preview is the full game a week or two early, so this is a review of that build. Sports Interactive says some club and player assets may still be missing until launch. We'll update this review after 10 November if anything changes.

Football Manager 27 review at a glance

Is Football Manager 27 good?

Yes. The biggest thing you notice in FM27 is how much cleaner and clearer everything is. Information is easier to find, screens are less cluttered, and it's quicker to get from a thought ("who should start on Saturday?") to an answer. For a series that has always risked burying players in menus, that's the change that matters most, and it makes FM27 a much more inviting game than the last couple of versions.

What's new in Football Manager 27?

• A clearer interface and navigation: the headline change, and the one we felt straight away.
• Training overhaul: easier to set up, with the focus moved towards preparing for your next match and opponent, while keeping individual player development.
• Tactical Effectiveness: a new system that links your training, tactics, management and transfers, so you can see how well your squad actually suits the way you want to play.
• Tactical Tweaks: more control from the touchline during matches.
• Match day upgrades: an enhanced match engine, plus a refreshed classic 2D view with smaller player discs and ball.
• A reworked In-Game Editor, more manager customisation (including hats and a wheelchair option), and better-looking newgens.
• Shuffle Draft: a new online mode built with FIFAe for up to 32 players, which you can also play offline against AI.

Do the new tactics and training systems work?

They make the game feel more joined-up. Tactical Effectiveness gives you a clearer reason for why a tactic is or isn't working, and the training changes cut down the setup you used to repeat every week. It's still deep, but it's depth you can see and understand, which is exactly what FM needed.

What's not so good?

• It's a preview build. Sports Interactive warns that some club and player assets may be missing or not yet approved until launch.
• Long-term saves are still to prove. A few days is enough to judge the interface and match day, but not how a ten-season save holds up.
• Full price. At £49.99 / $59.99 / €59.99 it's a big yearly spend if you're happy with an older FM, though Game Pass subscribers get it included.

Should you buy Football Manager 27?

If FM26 put you off, or the series has always felt too intimidating, FM27 is the one to come back for. If you're on Game Pass, it's an easy yes. Pre-purchasing on Steam, Epic or the Microsoft Store gets you 10% off and keeps you playing the Launch Preview until 10 November, and your save carries straight into the full game.

Watch Football Manager 27

Official gameplay and tactics videos play on the Football Manager 27 Steam page.

More Football Manager 27 on iGame Magazine

• Football Manager 27 Release Date Confirmed: 10 November, Platforms, Launch Preview and New Features: release date, platforms and every new feature
• Football Manager 27 Is Free to Play Now Until 3 November: Times, Platforms, Shuffle Draft and How Your Save Carries Over: the free Launch Preview and how saves carry over
• Football Manager 26: Release Date, Platforms, Price and Why Players Are Divided: why FM26 divided players

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