Supported FM version: 26.3.1 (World Cup update)
Supported Platform: Windows and macOS
Installation (FMSB)
Use FM Skin Builder to download CTRL, apply it to your game, and keep backups, all without juggling files by hand. When a new release is available, you’re notified in the app so you can update and apply it to your game from the same place. This is the easiest way to install the skin and get future updates.
Download the skin in the skins gallery, or grab it directly from the website: CTRL 26 on FM Skin Builder
Installation (Manual)
Extract the bundle files into your game installation folder (replace the existing files when prompted).
Windows:
Steam: \Steam\steamapps\common\Football Manager 26\fm_Data\StreamingAssets\aa\StandaloneWindows64
Xbox Game Pass: \XboxGames\Football Manager 26\Content\fm_Data\StreamingAssets\aa\StandaloneWindows64
Epic: \Epic Games\Football Manager 26\fm_Data\StreamingAssets\aa\StandaloneWindows64
macOS:
Right-click the Football Manager app → Show Package Contents.
Then navigate to the bundles folder using a similar path structure as above (`Content` → `Resources` → `Data` → `StreamingAssets` → `aa` → `StandaloneOSX`).
Paste and replace the supplied bundles.
Repository (source files, for personal use with FM Skin Builder): https://github.com/matt-wadsworth/ctrl-fm
Thanks to lotsgon, Darkside, (sic), MrTini23 and everyone else working to improve the FM skinning experience.
Notes
Recommended for 1920x1080 and above, with Small font size scaling. May work with other setups but this isn't tested.
Same for languages, tested and built in English, other languages may have issues.
Support FMSB Development
If you’d like to support ongoing development of FM Skin Builder and help cover hosting, tooling and research time, you can do so via https://ko-fi.com/lotsgon. The builder will remain free to use, contributions simply help keep the project online, stable and improving over time.
Changelog
[1.7.2] – 31/05/2026
- Fixed
- Match - Controls - Fixed crash with playback controls button/menu.
- Match - Team Stats - Replaced the team stats tile with a working version.
- Scoreboard - Fixed aggregate score display.
- Scoreboard - Fixed Nation flags/logos loading on unlicensed fixtures.
- Player Report - Performance - Tidied up the Performance tile layout to avoid overlapping elements.
[1.7.1] – 29/05/2026
- Fixed
- Crash fix for Player Report tiles.
- [1.7] – 29/05/2026
- Fixed
- 26.3.1 Support - Compatibility with the FM 26.3.1 International Management update.
- New Career Tiles - Fixed styling on the quick start tiles when starting a new career.
- Added
- Next Match Widget - Support for Nation matches and when you manage a Club and Nation.
- Main Menu / Startup - New look for International Management / World Cup.
- New Scoreboard - Custom default scoreboard with CTRL styling and layout; replaces the non-licensed scoreboard only.
- Formations - Player portraits on ongoing and past Match formation panels.
- Changed
- Player Tooltip - Fixed missing header and added season stats.
[1.6] – 12/05/2026
- Fixed
- Average Rating - Fixed the colour scale so ratings keep consistent hues instead of shifting to mismatched colours.
- Budget Adjustment - Fixed modal styling for Budget Adjustment and similar modals.
- Radio Group - Made more subtle, consistent with the rest of the skin.
- Search Component - Fixed styling for the search box and results.
- SpeakTo - Additional Actions - Styling fixes for the additional-actions UI.
- Added
- Next Match Widget - Added to navigation area.
- Player Status - Added themed status indicators for consistency with the rest of the skin.
- Changed
- Navigation - Removed navigation icons and re-introduced the active section highlight.
- Meetings - Adjusted styling for elements used in Meetings and Press Conferences.
- Match Tile Layout - Re-introduced the horizontal 2D viewer layout.
[1.5] – 30-04-2026
- Fixed
- Player Tooltip - Fixed Key/Pref row highlighting plus added more info.
- Player Photos - Fixed/removed some styling on Player Photos on Report tiles.
- SpeakTo - Advice - Removed purple gradient and label.
- Added
- Match - Club Profile - Added more info to the tile layout.
- Scouting - Table Views - Added new table views for Recommended players and TransferRoom in results. Based on sas/SYC tables. ("Scout - Position" views)
- Icons - Fatigue - Added new icons for fatigue levels.
- Changed
- Table Rows - Added subtle background to alternate rows.
- My History - Refactored the layout of the My History card to reduce scrolling.
- Buttons - Secondary - Re-added border to give some visual definition.
- Icons - Stars - Increased clarity and sharpness on the star icons.
- Icons - Union - Changed attribute change icons to be more visible/solid.
[1.4] – 31-03-2026
- Fixed
- FM26.3 - Support for 26.3 update.
- Changed
- Tile Layouts - Adjusted some layouts around the Stages/League tile to make better use of the available space.
[1.3.1] – 29-03-2026
- Fixed
- Squad Screen - Reverted change to IP/OOP tabs that caused crashes on non-First Team squads.
[1.3] – 28-03-2026
- Added
- Match - Squad Panel - Replaced Kits with Player Portraits.
- Tactics - Added Player Portraits to Tactic pitch view. (thanks to TangFu)
- Changed
- Portal - Messages Tile - Moved UABEA changes to UXML. Cleaned up tile and buttons.
- Match - Scoreboard - Moved to the left of the screen. Re-aligned items affected by this.
- Match - Layout - Adjusted to fit better with the left scoreboard.
- Fixed
- Squad Screen - Tidy up of the IP/OOP tabs.
- Squad Screen - Tidy up of the IP/OOP tabs.
[1.2] – 13-03-2026
- Added
- Support for update 26.2 (March 11th) - Updated and fixed any related issues.
- Job Market - Changed the screen layout to show more of the main table.
- Changed
- Star Icons - Reduced saturation of Gold icons.
- Tile Indicators - Changed styling of current/active tile.
[1.1.1] – 26-02-2026
- Fixed
- Individual Training - Fixed a bug preventing Praise/Criticise actions from showing.
[1.1] – 25-02-2026
- Added
- Pros and Cons – Added to Player Reports.
- Match View - Added Pass Maps.
- Individual Training - New tile layout.
- Player Reports - New tile layouts for Overview, Performance and Career tabs.
- Changed
- Key/Preferred attribute highlights – Made these more obvious (may still tweak; want to keep them quite subtle).
- Match View - Re-arranged tiles and updated Commentary Bar styling.
- Switches - Updated styling.
- Font - Removed replacement of language fonts.
- Club Site - Added more relevant info - based on MrTini/WTS layouts.
- Checkboxes - Updated styling.
- Messages Unread Indicator - Increased contrast.
- Fixed
- Player Polygon – Fixed for goalkeepers.
- Warning Icon - Reverted to white icon to make it visible on Continue/Must Respond buttons.
- Background Replacement - Fixed for Bundesliga and added others in case another league was missed.
- Incoming Messages - Removed blue background.
[1.0] – 20-02-2026
- Initial release of the CTRL skin.
- Date Created
- 20 Feb 2026 14:03:03
- Date Updated
- 31 May 2026 10:22:01
- Last Comment
- 03 Jun 2026 14:33:52
Comments
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Damien 14
Hi Matt, nice colours there - very my type.
Also if you would like to add my pre-match lineup panels to your skin, go ahead feel free 🙂
STjw
Do you think you could highlight the selected attributes for each role in the player panel?
fallenzero17
Nice skin, Matt! Thank you for your effort and for sharing!
pemski13
WOW. im out of words. such a thing of beauty! best skin so far by miiiiles!
Matt
The bar to the left of the attribute row shows this. Green = Key, Blue = Preferred.
I won't be re-introducing the entire row highlighting.
SH S
The skins you’ve created, especially the color schemes, are absolutely incredible. I love the skin so much that I’m leaving a comment here for the first time. I look forward to seeing more of your great work in the future.
P.S. I’m a Manchester City fan—is there a way for me to change the background image myself? 🙂
_ErHaN_
Please remake for MacOs.
sdke
This skin with the default (or lighter) colors would be perfect!
Matt
Appreciate that.
Not in a particularly simple way tbh. You could use Skin Builder to patch your own backgrounds and replace the background bundles in this, or use UABEA to replace the assets directly.
SrWer
@Matt , I have to say that this skin is absolutely wonderful. I loved it, and I'll love it even more after using it. Great job. I recommend it.
1seasonwonder
hi mac?
Matt
@1seasonwonder @_ErHaN_ macOS version added.
AnderGOD
Hi Matt.
Fantastic work so far man, this is really clean. Are you able to show the goalkeeper polygon instead of the outfield player one for keepers, at all?
Kraha
Fantastic skin and great work! Love it!
Found something to fix, but not using trello so posting it here:
edenpc
I don’t usually comment on these, but aesthetically this is by far my favourite FM26 skin so far.
I do have two small nitpicks. When setting positional or attribute training for a player, or when selecting a position to view a player’s key attributes, it is very difficult to see them clearly. Also, on the messages screen, perhaps the grey dots for new messages could be green. I sometimes find myself thinking I have already read them because they are grey.
That said, this skin is amazing so far. It is easily my favourite and the one I will be using from now on and I have recommended it in the server I am in. That is the only reason I am nitpicking. Thanks for the hard work! 🙂
Matt
Thanks. Will take a look at the polygon, was under the impression it was switching already (it's not) but I may have left out some data binding when I moved it around.
Matt
Appreciate the comments.
I'll take a look at the fonts, I have had similar issues myself. May be a case of changing the font used for better language support.
Matt
Thanks.
The message indicators I did originally have as the yellow/gold used elsewhere but felt it was a little too much. I will try some other options there to try increase the readability of the message state.
I'll try to improve this also for the key/preferred attribute rows. Though I do want to try keep it a pretty minimal, just maybe not as much as it is now.
Kraha
Yeah, it can be like that. Don't want to mess up to much with bundles.
Also find out problem with ‘warning-sign’ on continue button. Where there is necessary to answer/action something, the sign is not visible on button - because of red background of button. Maybe it is possible to implement here white sign of it?
danny04
Great great skin, some improvements to be done like the key stats for selected role in player card but this is the most beautiful skin this year
panku123
Hello, first of all, let me say that it's a very nice theme, well done. I just have one request, I hope it's not too rude, but could we make the color blue?
MehmetSefa
Hello thanks for amazing work. Can you add pass maps in match screen its will be fantastic thanks a lot again.
fallenzero17
Hi Matt,
Just want to share my findings today. In the Affiliate section, the “Proposed Affiliates” tiles do not display as intended. The list for "Affiliated Clubs" shows accordingly. Honestly, I am unsure if this is the FM or the skin. If it is FM, then kindly ignore this finding.
Kraha
Is is possible to change tiles in Portal main window? because each time i change it and build in skinbuilder, then i getting crash
Berkeedv2
It's really good. I just have a few suggestions. The players' key attributes in their positions could be more distinct. Also, are you considering adding a pass map during the match? Thanks for your efforts.
Matt
Just to update on some things…
Fixed/Changed:
Preview (Ignore the lack of icons in the Nav)
Looking into:
The above and possibly some more will hopefully be released with v1.1 over the next few days.
Matt
Just tested this, didn't seem to happen for me..
I don't think this would be a skin issue, as I haven't changed anything for those buttons yet, but hard to really know for sure.
If you previously had another skin installed, I would verify your game files and re-install the skin. Not a definite fix at all though.
budwaiser4
Great job my friend!
Kraha
Are we able to change tiles on Portal Window? Cause everytime when i change and build in SkinBuilder, then I am getting crash game when trying to load any save.
fallenzero17
Thank you Matt, for the confirmation. I will look into it on my end