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FM26.1.3 Update: Improved Match Engine, Pass Maps, and Youth Updates
Football Manager 2026 update 26.1.3 introduces improvements to the match engine, with a focus on defense against strikerless tactics and control of the wide area. Dynamic passing maps are reintroduced and youth team management is improved. The update also includes graphical optimizations and bug fixes, aiming to improve the overall gaming experience.
1. 🛠️ Update 26.1.3: Match Engine Improvements and General Optimizations
- ✅ FM26 update 26.1.3 introduces significant improvements, comparable to those of a major update.
- ✅ Game optimization and stability, bug reduction.
- ✅ Improvement of the in-game editor, with fixes to currency management and the presentation of player qualities.
- ⚠️ The match engine has been tweaked to counter strikerless tactics, which tended to "break" the game by exploiting weaknesses in the defensive department.
00:00 - 00:57
1. 🛠️ Update 26.1.3: Match Engine Improvements and General Optimizations
- ✅ FM26 update 26.1.3 introduces significant improvements, comparable to those of a major update.
- ✅ Game optimization and stability, bug reduction.
- ✅ Improvement of the in-game editor, with fixes to currency management and the presentation of player qualities.
- ⚠️ The match engine has been tweaked to counter strikerless tactics, which tended to "break" the game by exploiting weaknesses in the defensive department.
00:58 - 02:28
2. ⚽️ Tactical Interventions: Defense Against Strikerless Tactics and Control of the Wide Area
- ✅ Defensive improvements against strikerless formations, addressing a previously reported issue.
- ✅ Optimization of the pressing logic of wide players and the marking decisions of midfielders.
- ✅ Review of marking, pressing and management of the wide area to make attacking in these areas more difficult.
02:29 - 03:00
3. 🔄 Further Changes to the Match Engine: Substitutions, Reactions to Shots and Graphics
- ✅ Changes to the frequency with which managers make substitutions during matches.
- ✅ Improvement in the way players react to shots that hit the post, increasing reactivity in these situations.
- ✅ Optimization of the graphics department, with improvements to 2D visualization.
03:01 - 04:29
4. 🌱 Youth Management and Other News
- ✅ Possibility to manually select the assignments of coaches for reserve and youth teams.
- ✅ Visualization of the skills and potential of the B team players, with the possibility of using the B team staff also in team A.
- ✅ Resolution of the problem of sharing facilities between team A and team B.
- ✅ Reduction of the frequency of rain in matches.
04:30 - 06:26
5. 📊 Reintroduction of Passing Maps and In-Depth Tactical Analysis
- ✅ Reintroduction of the dynamic passing map, which is composed of new visual elements during the match.
- ✅ Possibility to compare your passing map with that of your opponent.
- ✅ In-depth analysis of passes, with information on direction, frequency and players involved.
- ✅ Possibility to specifically highlight the players involved in the action for a better tactical understanding.
06:27 - 07:21
6. 🔍 What to Expect and What's Missing: Market, Live Draws and Future Features
- ✅ The list of changes is not exhaustive and there may be hidden surprises in the update.
- ⚠️ The market will not be completely renewed in this update, but a more complete intervention is expected in the next update.
- ❌ Features such as the last day of the market and live draws will probably not arrive on the 26th.
07:22 - 08:55
7. 📱 Update Availability and Possible News for Player Search
- ✅ Update 26.1.3 is available for PC and consoles (with possible delays for consoles), while the touch version is already available.
- ✅ In the touch version, there is a filter wheel in the player search, suggesting the arrival of filters in the other versions as well.
08:56 - 09:42
8. 🎮 Conclusions: A Promising Update for FM26
- ✅ The update could bring many players back to FM26, but its effectiveness will be assessed after its release.
- ✅ The update should be available to everyone from the start, both on the Microsoft Store and on Epic Games.