Football Manager 26 has released Update 26.3.2, bringing its officially licensed FIFA World Cup tournament up to date just in time for the real-life competition. The update includes fully finalised squads for all 48 participating nations, addressing a key request from fans.
Japan Squad Finally Included
One of the most notable additions is the inclusion of the Japan national team, which had been missing due to licensing issues. The Japan squad is now fully licensed, a move that FM26 fans have hailed as a "seriously huge deal." This is significant because the official Japan national team license is typically exclusive to Konami, the developers of eFootball and Pro Evolution Soccer.
Previously, Japan was absent from the World Cup mode, but Update 26.3.2 rectifies this. Fans on Reddit expressed their excitement, with one user stating, "This is actually a huge deal. Like a seriously huge deal." Another added, "Been waiting for this since it came out... I needed the official squads."
Quick-Start World Cup Mode
Players can now dive into the quick-start World Cup mode and take control of any of the 48 nations, each with their confirmed 26-player squads as of Monday, June 1. The update also ensures that all teams have licensed kits. However, subsequent injuries, suspensions, or squad changes after that date are not reflected.
Bug Fixes and Stability Improvements
Alongside the squad updates, Update 26.3.2 includes half a dozen bug fixes addressing crashes and other technical issues. The full patch notes are as follows:
International Management
- Added option to start your save with the confirmed World Cup squads
- All 48 qualified teams in the FIFA World Cup 2026 now have licensed kits
- All 48 qualified teams in the FIFA World Cup 2026 are now playable
- The 26-player squads implemented for FIFA World Cup 2026 qualified nations are correct as of Monday 1 June. Subsequent injuries, suspensions and squad changes have not been reflected.
Technical Issues
- Fixed a crash when trying to assign squad numbers to specific players
- Fixed a crash caused by clicking the 'Wnt' icon on a Player Profile if the player has no club
- Fixed a rare crash when changing Contract Expires Date on the Player Database screen
- Resolved multiple crashes in online saves that are far into the future
- Prevented a soft lock occurring in specific circumstances when using the space bar to continue in a dual management save
- Fixed an issue in Hotseat mode where the Portal interface could incorrectly appear during matches after half-time
Fans speculate that this might be the final update for FM26, which has had a life cycle affected by bugs and unpopular new features. The real-life World Cup kicks off on Thursday, June 11, making this update timely for players eager to simulate the tournament.
