Football Manager 2024: Best Challenges, Ranked

Football Manager 2024: Best Challenges, Ranked

As a seasoned Football Manager player with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that these challenges are not for the faint-hearted. Each one presents its own unique set of difficulties and demands a level of commitment and dedication that only the most ardent fans of this magnificent game can truly appreciate.


In Football Manager 2024, you get the chance to prove your management skills by taking charge of numerous teams, ranging from affluent giants to underdogs battling in the lower divisions. Each team presents distinct challenges to overcome and triumphs to achieve.

To certain gamers, the gameplay pattern in this game may feel instinctive due to the long-standing history of the series. Fortunately, there are numerous difficulties designed for skilled players to encounter, possibly finding a worthy opponent that will test their management abilities to the utmost.

10 Over 30’s Challenge

The Golden Oldies

Football Manager 2024: Best Challenges, Ranked

  • Rules: Cannot sign players under 30 years old
  • Aim: Maintain a successful squad and win silverware

In this scenario, managers will need to buck their usual tendencies and focus on recruiting top young talents worldwide, since the restriction is solely on signing players aged thirty or older. You are free to pick any team for this challenge, but the transfer approach must adapt accordingly.

It’s crucial to strike a balance between immediate victories and strategic team rotation, ensuring that managers keep an eye on the natural deterioration of veteran players’ physical abilities. Ideally, these seasoned athletes will provide valuable guidance as the team navigates this tough task.

9 Director Of Football Challenge

Taking A Step Back

Football Manager 2024: Best Challenges, Ranked
  • Rules: Only control transfers and staff
  • Aim: Build a successful squad for the assistant manager to win with

As the Football Director, the responsibility for constructing a competitive team (alongside necessary support staff) falls on the players. However, decisions regarding game strategies, practice sessions, and overall team management are delegated to the assistant manager.

It’s up to the players to ensure that a reliable, top-tier assistant is brought on board, as they will be the ones taking the field during matches. The main focus will be on supplying the manager with a competent team that aligns with their preferred playstyle, while simultaneously enhancing the club’s financial standing through strategic and shrewd player transactions.

8 Bottom At Christmas Challenge

The Big Sam Special

Football Manager 2024: Best Challenges, Ranked
  • Rules: Take over whichever team is bottom of the league on Christmas Day
  • Aim: Avoid relegation, and eventually make them league winners

In this game, participants find themselves in a tense situation where they assume control of a team at the bottom of its league around the holiday season. This puts them in charge of a demoralized and underperforming squad, while also facing the difficult task of turning things around within a narrow timeframe to prevent relegation.

If teams want to prevent a relegation, they’ll need to make shrewd moves during the January transfer window, only if they have the resources available initially. Otherwise, it will primarily depend on skillful squad management as coaches strive to maximize the potential of the league’s least strong team.

7 Red Bull Challenge

Wings Not Included

  • Rules: Only manage Red Bull owned clubs
  • Aim: Win each club’s domestic trophies

For many years, the well-known energy drink corporation has been putting money into football, and at this time, they control four teams: RB Leipzig (Germany), RB Salzburg (Austria), RB Bragantino (Brazil), and New York Red Bulls (USA). The task involves players going to each club and winning their local leagues and cups.

Despite its apparent simplicity, the task at hand demands flexibility as competitors traverse different continents and navigate leagues with distinct regulations and standings. Budget constraints aren’t significant concerns, but the high demands from management could limit the margin for mistakes.

6 Head Coach Challenge

Over To The AI

Football Manager 2024: Best Challenges, Ranked
  • Rules: Only manage the team. Transfers and staff are left to the Director of Football
  • Aim: Use the available team to meet the board’s expectations

In essence, the role of a Head Coach in football can be seen as a simplified version of the job responsibilities, where the players’ individual tasks are significantly reduced. The Head Coach’s primary focus will be on the overall team performance; duties such as player transfers and squad management will instead be delegated to the Director of Football.

In Football Manager, the AI’s management of player transfers is infamously weak, making it uncertain that it can assemble a competitive squad. To achieve success amidst these limitations, managers may need to devise strategic training plans and adjust their tactics based on the players they receive.

5 No Transfer Budget Challenge

No Money, More Problems

Football Manager 2024: Best Challenges, Ranked
  • Rules: No money can be spent on the transfer market
  • Aim: Make the club rich and successful by spending no money

As a dedicated Football Manager player, honing your expertise in the transfer market is crucial – it’s the difference between a winning and a losing season. However, this time the challenge intensifies, as I am restricted to acquiring free agents or players on loan. This restrictive approach will test my skills to their limit!

Nowadays, the routine of acquiring players affordably and reselling them for a profit seems less attractive because all earnings go straight back into the team. As the quality of the club improves, so does the difficulty, especially since lower leagues often rely on free transfers. However, this won’t be the case for Premier League clubs as they have larger wage budgets to work with.

4 Rags To Riches Challenge

Slow Road To Glory

Football Manager 2024: Best Challenges, Ranked
  • Rules: Must only manage a single lower division club
  • Aim: Transform one of the game’s worst teams into one of the best teams

Although many gamers often face this challenge, it remains extraordinarily tough. Navigating one of the least successful teams within a selected nation and leading them towards unprecedented triumph is one of the most gratifying experiences the game can provide, but let’s not be misled – it’s not an easy journey.

Managing growing financial resources and ensuring our team stays competitive by recruiting players suitable for the league is a key focus. It’s important to remember that this task demands not just effort but also perseverance, as anyone who expects quick promotions without hard work is likely inexperienced.

3 Youth Only Challenge

Wonderkid Factory

Football Manager 2024: Best Challenges, Ranked
  • Rules: Can only sign players through the youth system
  • Aim: Build one of the best youth facilities in the world, and use them to dominate their respective league

The fundamental rule for this competition is that players can join solely through the club’s youth system, which means no player acquisitions via transfers or loans. Consequently, managers should become well-versed in managing their own youth development programs. To maximize success, it would be advantageous to select a club with robust youth infrastructure, as this would increase the likelihood of finding talented players who can contribute significantly to the team.

Initially, the early seasons might prove challenging since we’re building our youth team and improving our facilities. But rest assured, as everything falls into place, you’ll see a continuous flow of promising young talents emerging who can steer our club towards victory. All I ask is for a bit of patience.

2 Build A Nation Challenge

Put Them On The Map

Football Manager 2024: Best Challenges, Ranked
  • Rules: Pick a lower-ranked nation, and manage one of their respective clubs
  • Aim: Make the chosen nation number one based on FM’s national coefficients

Few Football Manager gamers venture into international management, yet those who do are certainly familiar with this task. It involves guiding a team from a less prominent nation, simultaneously leading their national squad, with the ultimate goal of elevating that nation to the top spot in the game’s national rankings as determined by its coefficients.

To enhance their team’s coefficient rankings, players must work on improving not just their own club but also their competitors. Clever loan signings and robust youth development programs are essential for success. The choice of country significantly impacts the level of difficulty, with destinations like San Marino making the task almost insurmountable.

1 The Pentagon Challenge

Worldwide Glory

Football Manager 2024: Best Challenges, Ranked
  • Rules: Start unemployed with zero coaching badges
  • Aim: Win every continental club trophy in one save

The toughest test in Football Manager is undoubtedly referred to as “The Pentagon Challenge.” This task demands that players lead their teams to victory in the most prestigious continental club tournaments spanning Europe, Asia, North America, South America, and Africa – all within a single game session.

Not only is the challenge in Football Manager tough to begin with, but players usually start without jobs or coaching qualifications. This adds an element of strategy, as trophy-winning players must decide when and where to compete, and in what sequence. With multiple leagues, demanding trophies to win, and a long-term save game, the Pentagon Challenge is considered the most challenging feat in Football Manager by many.

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2024-09-13 09:04