Sports Interactive has released a major post-launch update for the Console and Touch versions of Football Manager 26, rolling out version 26.0.4 with a strong focus on stability, performance, and fixing several of the most widely reported issues across both platforms. After outlining their update strategy earlier in the day, SI moved quickly to address community feedback, targeting everything from crashes and soft locks to UI alignment, controller quirks, and matchday inconsistencies. A PC-centered update was also released for Steam via the public beta track.
This update delivers a substantial sweep of improvements: smoother navigation, safer transitions between menus, more reliable substitutions, clearer attribute colors, and better match presentation — including newgen portraits appearing in broadcast graphics. It also tackles a range of annoyances like snowy matches using the wrong ball, halftime subs not registering, and dropdown menus causing the game to freeze.
A full non-exhaustive list of changes is included below.
Football Manager 26 Console And Touch Update 26.0.4 – Patch Notes
- Substantial crash and stability fixes.
- Numerous string translation fixes.
- Numerous text overlaps and misalignment fixes.
- Numerous tile/card polish.
- Fixes to the radial wheel across tactics
- Fixes an issue where accessing dropdowns can cause a soft lock
- Fixes an issue where the privacy policy could be bypassed using a controller
- Removed 3D match preferences for devices that are restricted to 2D match only
- Further fixes to Matches Freezing at start of the second half in Single-Player Career
- Change to default colouring of attributes to make them more distinguishable.
- Newgen portraits will now appear during match broadcast graphics.
- Fixed issue preventing subs processing that were made at halftime via the tactics screen.
- Fixed issue where white match ball would be used in snowy weather.
- Set piece attributes are now visible when setting Set Piece/Penalty takers.
- Fixed issue causing World Golden Ball award to be skewed towards South American players.
- Text scaling preference option will now be saved after exiting the game.
- Fixed issue preventing user from closing Fixtures & Results popup post-match.
- Fixed issue causing Player Database to return incorrect results if user switched between Interest Levels
- Career Stats will no longer display GK columns for outfield players
- Mental Attributes will now display correctly when set within the Staff Database tool.
- Fixed issue where there was no way to tell which clubs were promoted/relegated via Season Preview
- Club badges are now shown on the Media Dream Eleven
- Back navigational directional arrow shortcut now functional across cards/tools
- Overall start/until dates within Club > Finances > Debts & Loans will no longer display 01/01/1900.
- Fixed issue where Squad Numbers would be missing if making a single substitution.
- Injury icon now better displayed on contrasting red kits.
- User can now select ‘None’ as an option for Individual Training.
- User can now remove previously set Individual Training Focus.
- Career > Managerial Vacancies will now display both men’s and women’s teams.
- Fixed issue where player would reject the own asking price that they themselves had set.
- Fixed issue preventing user from continuing if loanee was injured on international duty.
- Manager Creation > Accessories will now correctly reflect colour changes.
- Manager Creation > Fixed wrinkles slider not applying
- Manager attire choices will now save correctly.
- Fixed User being able to sell instalments within clauses tool
- Club Header in Welcome Pack will now display the correct information.
- User can now only mortgage transfer instalments from the point they took over, not from real world transfers that occurred pre-game start date.
- “Exit Talks” button now functions correctly within Contract Negotiations.
- Reworked Match Momentum Graph to better show teams with dark colouring.
- Opposition team will now be highlighted in Europa/Conference League pre match league tables.
- Winners will now display within Competitions Card.
- User is now always taken back to portal after using instant result for a friendly match
- Red card icon will now correctly display for each respective team within the Scorebar of men’s Champions League matches.
- Fixed spacing of the aggregate score within the Scorebar of men’s Champions League matches.
- Fixture tile on Portal will now correctly update post-match.
- The “Scouting Finished” message headline will now display the name of the player.
- The “Intermediary Suggestion” headline will now display the name of the player.
- Fixed issue causing the Attributes Graph within Progress Report not to display graph lines.
- Fixed inconsistency of teams being selected by default via ‘Quick Start’
- Unmanageable divisions will no longer display within Advanced Game Setup.
- Improved in-game tooltips, resolving issues with text wrapping and display location logic
