October 22, 2026 – SEGA has announced that from October 30 to November 4th, the Launch Preview version of Football Manager 27 (FM27) will be available for free. FM27 is the newest entry in the popular football management series developed by Sports Interactive, and will launch on November 11, 2026, for PlayStation®5, XBOX Series X|S, PC (Steam / Epic / Windows), Mac, and Netflix.
Starting on October 30, the FM27 Launch Preview will be freely playable for five days later across Steam, Epic, the Microsoft Store, XBOX Game Pass** and PC Game Pass. There’s no sign-up required – fans can simply download from their preferred platform and begin making the calls.
Developed by Sports Interactive and published by SEGA, Football Manager is a world-renowned football management simulation series. It puts you in the role of a club’s manager, from local semi-professional sides to the biggest and most prestigious teams on the planet, with the goal of leading your squad to new heights in this unparalleled, true-to-life football experience.
Making an annual title free to play with all game modes available is believed to be an industry first and is a move that continues Sports Interactive’s efforts to support its community of players. Now, for this year, fans worldwide can get hands-on with FM27’s Launch Preview without any upfront cost.
To support this, the pre-purchase window for FM27 will open only alongside the free play period, offering players 10% off and continued Launch Preview access between November 4 and the November 11. Those managing on Game Pass will be able to continue their journeys through their subscriptions.
Progress during the free play period can be continued through to the paid Launch Preview for those pre-purchasing. The story can also continue into the full game when it launches from November 11 without the need to start again.
FM27 delivers an improved interface with more intuitive navigation, creating a more immersive experience. This is thanks to new feature additions including Tactical Tweaks, Tactical Effectiveness and Continue Flow customisation. These are complemented by enhanced Match Day visuals, the return of various features and more familiar behaviours.
For more detail on this year’s new additions, as well as further information on FM27 Launch Preview, head to the Football Manager website.
*This version contains information that is still under approval process by right holders and may contain data that does not, at this time, accurately reflect real world data. For context, some club and player assets may be absent during this version.
**Launch Preview will only be available for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers.
***This only applies to those purchasing via SEGA-approved digital retailers.
