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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The Football Manager 26 Advanced Access Beta went live on 22 October 2025, ahead of the full game’s 4 November release. It was not an open beta for everyone: access required a pre-purchase from a SEGA-approved digital retailer. The event has passed; FM27 is the next installment, and its pre-launch event is called Launch Preview.
When did the Football Manager 26 beta come out?
Sports Interactive announced the FM26 Advanced Access Beta was live on 22 October 2025 on Steam and the Epic Games Store. The full game launched on 4 November 2025. The beta was therefore a past, time-limited early-access period—not an upcoming release. Sports Interactive’s beta announcement and its launch announcement set out those dates.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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FOOTBALL MANAGER 26 SPIELANLEITUNG: Meistere Taktik, Transfers Und Teambuilding, Um Deinen Verein... | $8.65 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Football Manager 2024 (PS5) | $34.34 | Buy on Amazon |
Advanced Access had been described as arriving approximately two weeks before the street date, with exact timing potentially varying by platform. The live announcement confirmed 22 October for the Steam and Epic beta.
Was the FM26 beta open to everyone?
No. Players needed to pre-purchase FM26 from a SEGA-approved digital retailer to qualify. The beta was available on Steam and Epic Games Store; it was not the same as unrestricted access to every FM26 edition or platform. SEGA said qualifying players could continue to pre-purchase with a 10% saving until launch, an offer that ended with the release.
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How did eligible players install it?
- Bought directly on Steam or Epic: Restart the relevant client to find and install the beta.
- Bought through a participating third-party retailer: Use the code or redemption link supplied by that retailer. The official beta announcement included Steam activation instructions.
SEGA Support’s FM26 installation guide, updated 30 January 2026, explains installing the released game across PC, console, Mobile and Touch platforms; it is not a way to access the expired beta.
Did beta career progress carry over?
Yes, progress in a single-player career could carry over to the full release. The announcement also allowed players to start online careers, but it specified carryover for single-player careers rather than promising that every kind of save or online progress would transfer.
What was missing or unfinished in the beta?
Advanced Access was a beta build, so Sports Interactive warned players to expect bugs and glitches. It asked users to report problems through the in-game Report Bug button or the community forums.
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- The Store, Steam Workshop, Pre-Game Editor and In-Game Editor were unavailable during the beta and were due to follow at launch.
- Some information was still awaiting right-holder approval, and some club or player assets could be missing or not yet match real-world data accurately.
Which FM26 editions had beta access?
The beta announcement covered the PC/Mac pre-purchase offer and Steam and Epic access. It should not be confused with the separate Console, Mobile or Touch editions. SEGA’s launch information listed FM26 Console for Xbox and PS5 and Mobile through Netflix for launch day; Touch was scheduled for Nintendo Switch on 4 December 2025. After launch, SEGA listed PC/Mac availability through Steam, Epic Games Store and Microsoft Store, as well as Xbox Game Pass; Console on Xbox and PS5; Touch on Apple Arcade and later Nintendo Switch; and Mobile through Netflix. Availability varies by edition and platform.
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What is different about FM27 Launch Preview?
FM27 is the upcoming installment, not another name for the FM26 beta. The official FM27 page lists a 10 November 2026 digital release and calls its pre-launch opportunity Launch Preview, replacing the former Beta/Advanced Access label. That page had not set a Launch Preview date. See Football Manager’s FM27 announcement for the stated details.
FM26 beta participation figures were reported by Sports Interactive Studio Director Miles Jacobson in SEGA’s 4 November 2025 launch announcement: more than 100,000 people were playing within the first 45 minutes of the beta going live, and more than 200,000 were playing each day thereafter. These are publisher-reported figures, not independently audited measurements. SEGA’s launch announcement contains Jacobson’s statement.
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