🌟 Overview
This mod dives deep into the Football Manager 26 match engine files (simatch.fmf) to unlock a grittier, more unpredictable, and authentic football experience. We've moved beyond simple database tweaks to adjust the core probabilities of the simulation itself.
📊 Technical Changelog (For the Data Nerds)
⚽ Gameplay Mechanics
- 1-on-1 Balance (
CLEAN_THROUGH):prob: 10 → 5 (-50%)- Impact: Reduces the frequency of "hockey scores" by making clear-cut chances harder to generate.
- Possession Error (
LOSE_CONTROL):prob: 10 → 20 (+100%)- Impact: Players are twice as likely to miscontrol the ball under pressure.
- Weather Chaos (
EVENT_PLAYER_OVERHITS_PASS_WIND):prob: 10 → 40 (+300%)- Impact: Wind now drastically affects long ball accuracy.
🛡️ Defense & Goalkeepers
- Goalkeeper Handling (
EVENT_GOALIE_CATCH_BALL):prob: 40 → 60 (+50%)- Impact: Keepers catch the ball significantly more often, reducing cheap rebounds.
- Defensive Rigor (
NPT_TENDENCY_TO_MAN_MARK):min_value: <10 → 14 (Floor raised)- Impact: All defenders now have a baseline "tight marking" instruction, preventing passive defending on set pieces.
- Interception Fix (
GOOD_INTERCEPT):prob: 0 → 20 (Bugfix)- Impact: Reactivated a dormant interception event that was previously disabled.
🎭 "Dark Arts" & Physicality
- Simulation/Diving (
EVENT_PLAYER_DONE_FOR_DIVING):prob: 10 → 30 (+200%)- Impact: Players are 3x more likely to attempt a dive in the box.
- Professional Fouls (
EVENT_SENT_OFF_FOR_PROFESSIONAL_FOUL):prob: 10 → 25 (+150%)- Impact: Cynical fouls to stop counters are now a viable AI strategy.
- Injuries (
EVENT_PLAYER_INJURED_FORCED_OFF):prob: 10 → 15 (+50%)- Impact: Matches take a heavier physical toll.
- Referee Strictness:
VAR_CHECKprob: 10 → 20 (+100%)EVENT_FOULprob: 10 → 15 (+50%)
🧠 Tactical AI Adjustments
- Gegenpress:
NPT_TENDENCY_TO_PRESS_INTENSELY(Min): 15 → 17- Impact: Requires elite physical conditioning to execute effectively.
- Tiki-Taka:
WIDTH(Range): 5-9 → 8-12- Impact: Increased spacing to allow for better passing lanes.
- Catenaccio:
DEPTH&WIDTH: Locked to 1-5 (Ultra-Low Block)
- Route One:
DIRECTNESS&TEMPO: Locked to 15-20 (Maximum Directness)
📥 Installation
- Backup your original in
SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Football Manager 26\shared\data - Replace it with the modded
simatch.fmf. - Works with all save
Comments
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Deniga Babatope
There is no download link on the next page
Medhi Garic
If you press on download on the right didnt work ?
Domaaaaaa
There is.
Testing this now. Thank you!
Medhi Garic
I need feedback, for improve the mod <3
cephas.88
This is interesting. How much testing was made before publishing?
Medhi Garic
I'm solo for testing , i play only 200 match (100 bad team,100 big team)
All feed back it's open , I can change a lot of things.
cephas.88
Thank you for your reply. Did you watch the 200 matches with full match highlights?
Also, which files inside the simatch.fmf were changed and how?
Medhi Garic
I watched the matches using Key Highlights. I extracted the simatch archive with the Resource Archiver, and then analyzed the editable JSON files to tweak the Match Engine.
cephas.88
Thank you for your reply and having the time and patience.
From what I can see, you only changed the match_events.xml and styles.xml, is that correct?
Thank you for your work
Medhi Garic
Yes it's correct, i do step by step , and now i'm waiting update for see what change, and what i need to change yet
cephas.88
Thank you for your reply.
During your 200 testing matches, what were the biggest changes you noticed?
Medhi Garic
Defenders who manage to block the full-backs and wingers, and instructions that are respected.
nasco36
Finally we have what we need!
thanks a lot for this work.
cephas.88
Thank you for your reply. You managed to have those results by only changing two files? Amazing.
What do you plan next? Changing more those two files?
Medhi Garic
i search yet , now with unity is more complex
galsen
Hello all, some of you know where is the simatch file on MacOS ? I can't find it 😢
kasumoto
funziona anche x fm 24
cephas.88
The file structure is different in FM24 therefore this one will not work there. If you are looking for a match engine mod for FM24, check FM Match Lab.
John Conner
When I go to "steamapps\common\Football Manager 26\data" there is only a folder named game_simulation?
There is no .fmf files or nothing. Have anyone else experienced this or know what to do?
Edmond89
This file is not really different from the current one.
There are no changes, but thank you for your work anyway.
天啸
Has the success rate of one-on-one chances been increased? The success rate of one-on-one chances in the original version is really frustrating.
Aiden C
You have to click on the 'shared' folder before clicking on 'data'
simizu
I've been playing Serie A for 2 years and overall I don't score many goals. I'd really like to score more. Does this mod reduce the number of goals I score?
skogr
match_events.xml is a file that only adjusts commentary probabilities. It determines the percentage chance that a commentary line will be displayed when each event occurs
Thanks to you, I’ve found a way to make use of styles.xml
cephas.88
Interesting, do you know what the styles.xml file does?
cephas.88
Just to let you know that your mod appears on FM Scout but under a different username. Letting you know in case someone is sharing your mod without your permission…
rayenon
@Medhi Garic, Will you do Any update following the 26.1.0 official patch? Or the official new simatch patch is the same as 26.0.6?
Medhi Garic
Hi, i wait the officiel update for upload the new simatch
Medhi Garic
hi, it's me but not same name account on fmscout , thanks for the information !
rayenon
yea, I think the 1.00 version shall go for another update in response with the official 26.1.0 update, actually the official simatch file have changed but I accidentlly paste with your 1.00 version and do not what offcial revised for this file lol.