Sports Interactive and Sega have announced the cancellation of Football Manager 25 across all platforms. This marks the first time the series has skipped a year since its inception in 2004. The decision follows a challenging development process hampered by the transition to the Unity game engine, impacting the player experience and interface.

The announcement, part of Sega Sammy Holdings' financial results, includes a writedown of associated costs. Sports Interactive, in a blog post, explained the decision was made after extensive internal discussions with Sega. Sega has confirmed that no job losses resulted from this cancellation.

No Football Manager 24 update with 2024/25 season data will be released, as resources are fully dedicated to the next iteration. Discussions are underway with platform holders and licensors to potentially extend FM24 agreements on subscription services.

FM25 faced two prior delays before its cancellation, with the latest projected release set for March 2025. Development has now shifted to Football Manager 26, anticipated for the usual November release window. Refunds are being offered to those who pre-ordered FM25.

Sports Interactive apologized for the delay in announcing the cancellation and for the disappointment caused. They emphasized their commitment to delivering high-quality games and explained that despite progress in some areas, the overall player experience and interface didn't meet their standards. Releasing a subpar game was deemed unacceptable, as was delaying the launch further into the football season.

The developer assures fans that all efforts are now focused on ensuring Football Manager 26 meets expectations, promising future updates on its progress.