Best Teams to Manage in Football Manager 26

Deciding which team to manage is a key part of enjoying Football Manager 26, and with the addition of women’s football, there are more options than ever before. This article highlights a variety of interesting teams from different countries and leagues, covering a range of skill levels.

Some established teams are currently working to improve, while others are hoping to finally achieve success. And then there are those clubs with unique circumstances or that simply stand out from the crowd.

Truro City FC

Become The First Cornish Team To Reach The English Football League

League: National League (English 5th Tier)
Budget: £5K

Truro City FC had a fantastic season last year, winning the National League South and becoming the first Cornish team to reach the 5th tier of English football. Players can now try to guide them even further. Although staying in the National League will be challenging in their first season, you can make the game more engaging by building a team focused on players from Cornwall or the wider South West region.

Players with Welsh or Breton (from Brittany, France) heritage could be a good fit, given the cultural connections. If Truro City FC climbs to higher divisions, it might make football more popular than rugby in Cornwall. This could also create exciting rivalries with Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City, both based in the nearby county of Devon.

Wrexham AFC Women

Win The League & Then Make The Welsh League A European Threat

League: Adran Premier (Welsh 1st Tier)
Budget: £20K

If you’re searching for a fun team to manage in Football Manager 26, consider Wrexham AFC Women. Unlike the men’s league, the best teams in Wales – including Cardiff, Swansea, and Wrexham – all play within the Welsh league system. This makes the Adran Premier a really competitive and unique challenge.

Wrexham is entering its third season in the top division, with a real chance of winning the championship. Beyond that, the club hopes to establish the Welsh league as a competitive force in Europe – a goal that feels more achievable for the women’s team than the men’s. A key focus will also be nurturing Welsh players, and eventually, when international management returns to the game, taking control of the national team to bring success to Wales.

Colon de Santa Fe

Recent Copa Sudamericana Finalists At The Bottom Of Argentina’s 2nd Tier

League: Primera Nacional (Argentinian 2nd Tier)
Budget: 375K

Colon de Santa Fe, a team that once competed at the highest level of Argentinian football and even played in the Copa Sudamericana, is now struggling at the bottom of the second division, facing a very uncertain future.

Argentine football is a bit different from what many fans are used to. Instead of one long season, the league is split into two shorter tournaments with unique rules, which can be a refreshing change. Plus, it’s a great place to discover exciting new players who might become international stars.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Continue The Moneyball & Modern Tactics, But Finally Take Brighton To The Top

League: Premier League (English 1st Tier)
Budget: £100M

Brighton & Hove Albion have consistently stood out in the football world, both for their play on the field and their smart operations behind the scenes. Recent managers like Graham Potter, Roberto de Zerbi, and Fabian Hurzeler have all brought innovative tactics to the club, and their scouting team consistently finds talented players at great value using data analysis.

Brighton is an ideal club to explore all the new features in FM 26. The game now offers even greater tactical control, both when your team has the ball and when they don’t, allowing players to experiment with approaches like those used by Marco Hurzeler at FC St. Pauli. The transfer system has been revamped too, giving you new opportunities to build a successful team through smart scouting and negotiation. The goal? Finally guide Brighton into the Premier League’s top four – and maybe even hold onto your best players instead of seeing them all move to Chelsea!

AD Ceuta FC

A Spanish Team From The African Continent

League: La Liga 2 (Spanish 2nd Tier)
Budget: £0

Ceuta is a Spanish city located on the tip of Morocco, right across from Gibraltar. Interestingly, even though it’s in Africa, its football club, AD Ceuta FC, competes within the Spanish league system and recently reached the second division.

Managing this club is a fascinating challenge, particularly with a focus on nurturing young players and building a distinctive team. A key goal could be to showcase talent from both Spain and Morocco, and achieving promotion to La Liga – competing with top teams like Barcelona and Real Madrid – would be a massive achievement, significantly raising Ceuta’s profile.

FC Girondins de Bordeaux

French Giants Rebuilding Their Entire Club In The 4th Tier

League: Championnat National 2 (French 4th Tier)

It’s heartbreaking when a football club struggles and collapses, especially when the problems aren’t related to what happens on the field. For a long time, FC Girondins de Bordeaux was a major French team, but recent difficulties led to financial trouble. They ended up in administration and were ultimately forced down to the fourth level of French football, losing their professional status in the process.

Taking charge of Bordeaux requires a complete rebuild, and it will take several years before they can challenge for the French league title – a title they last won in 2009. Because the fourth level of French football isn’t included in the game, players who want to manage Bordeaux will need to use a custom database.

Other Teams To Manage In Football Manager 26

Dagenham & Redbridge: Manage Andy Carroll in the 6th Tier of English football.
1860 Munich: Former champions and Munich’s other club, lingering in Germany’s 3rd tier.
Oldham Athletic: A former Premier League club that suffered decades of relegation and misery, now back in the EFL.
Montpellier HSC: The 2012 French champions, currently in the 2nd tier.
Palermo FC: A big Italian club, yet to return to the top level after years of turmoil.
Retro Futebol Clube Brasil: Climb from the 3rd tier of Brazilian football with this new club, who have retro kits.
Manchester United: Always a good club to manage, given their failure to return to the days of Sir Alex.
RC Deportivo: Former Spanish champions and a huge club fallen to the 2nd tier.
Luton Town: Suffered a double relegation from the Premier League & Championship.
Notts County: An old club down in League Two.
FC Union Berlin Frauen: A growing women’s club with huge support.
Tottenham Hotspur: Finished one place above the drop last season, way below their expectations.
Rangers: Scottish giants struggling to find form.
Falkirk: Earned a double promotion to the Scottish Premiership, where survival will be a huge success.
FC Andorra: An Andorran club in Spain’s 2nd tier.
SC Telstar: After nearly 50 years in the Dutch 2nd tier, they finally made it back to the Eredivisie.
Grimsby Town: A popular League Two team after beating Man Utd in the cup.
Sheffield Wednesday: A club going through some dark days.
1. FC Shweinfurt: Newly promoted to 3. Liga after two decades in the 4th and 5th tiers.
AFC Wimbledon: A fan-owned club with an endearing history.
Wrexham: Continue their historic climb, this time tackling the Championship.
Young Lions: Practically the Singapore U21 side, but a club.
C.D. Cobreloa: Start producing the best Chilean talent once again.
Chelsea Women: They have dominated domestically, but have yet to win the Champions League.
Clwb Cymric: The ‘Welsh Bilbao’, as they only sign Welsh speakers. However, a database is needed.
Exeter City FC: A fan-owned club in League One.
Gimcheon Sangmu FC: A South Korean team for players serving their military service.
The Spartans FC: Take this Edinburgh-based club from the 4th tier to the 1st tier of Scottish football.
Siracusa Calcio: Lead this Sicilian club to Serie A, perhaps with a focus on players from Sicily.
Durham Women’s FC: Try to reach the Women’s Super League.

2025-10-24 02:06