Football Manager 2023: Release date, new features & everything we know
By Tom Gott
With the new football season underway, the annual announcement of the new Football Manager game is upon us.
Football Manager 2023 has been officially unveiled and players across the globe can now start getting excited about sinking hours and hours and hours into the new game.
Here's everything we know so far.
When is the Football Manager 2023 release date?
FM23 will be released on November 8, but fans who pre-order the game from an official retailer will get access to the game early.
Will there be a Football Manager 2023 beta?
As is the case every year, FM23 will be available earlier than the official release date for those with relevant pre-orders.
The FM23 beta will be released around two weeks before November 8, with previous releases occasionally coming even earlier.
Football Manager 2023 platforms
PC and Mac remain the focal point for FM23 but, for the first time ever, the game will be released on PlayStation 5.
The PS5 release will go alongside the Xbox version, now branded FM23 Console, with FM23 Touch set to return on Apple Arcade.
Football Manager 2023 new features
Squad planner
Managers will have a new tab on the sidebar allowing you to rank players and academy prospects in your squad according to their suitability in your tactics. You can even add players from your shortlist to see how they compare.
This is kept away from your players but shared with your staff, who will use the weak points in your setup to suggest suitable transfer targets.
Recruitment focus
An upgrade to the previous concept of scouting assignments, this is a more streamlined way to instruct scouts to search for the specific type of player that you are looking for.
Agents
Conversations with agents have been improved to add a deeper level of discussion before opening formal negotiations.
You can ask for a player's demands but, if they are too high for your budget, you can approach the agent once again to ask for a reduction.
Recruitment meetings
Meetings have been upgraded to be focused more on your wishes, limiting the amount of random scouting reports which find their way to your inbox.
Manager AI
Further work has been done to try and replicate the tactics of AI managers, who have been given authentic tactical knowledge to use both against you and in other simulated matches.
Managers will have more realistic responses to situations in game to try and add an extra layer of authenticity to the tactical battle.
Supporter confidence
You will be able to see not only what matters to the club owners, but also what matters to the fans, who are split up into the idea of casual and hardcore supporters.
Football Manager 2023 licenses
While the full list of licenses have not been confirmed, FM23 will include UEFA's club competitions for the first time ever.
The Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League and Super Cup will all be fully licensed, playable competitions.
Will Football Manager 2023 have women's football?
Sports Interactive have confirmed that they are looking to add women's football to the Football Manager series but the 2023 release will come too soon.
However, as part of the new UEFA license, the rights to the Women's Champions League have been secured and the competition will feature when women's football is added to the game.