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
- 04 Jun 2026 15:41:34
Comments
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Alex Mikolajczak
any quick fix bar verifying files? i tried using fm skin manager to restore the default but i think it made things worse.
PoorJack
>“any quick fix bar verifying files?”
https://support.sega.com/hc/en-gb/articles/29454156611985-How-to-verify-the-integrity-of-Football-Manager-s-files
>“i tried using fm skin manager to restore the default but i think it made things worse.”
The question is: When did you create the backup using the program?
If your backup is from 26.3.0 or earlier, and you restored those files after updating the game to 26.3.1, then of course, things don't work.
darrell.bailey
in Steam right-click Football Manager 26 → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files. Steam will redownload any modified files and restore them to the default post-update state
Shadow2000
That's right - we should be grateful if we get an update at all; it’s certainly always a lot of work, and he does it on the side as a hobby. Especially now, with the World Cup mode and all the new tile layouts, quite a bit surely needs to be adjusted. So, patience, please :-)
kanarokan
update please…
RipCity0
Bro be patient…Its so much work for the skinners and constantly demanding an update doesnt help. We should be so thankful for these guys and their work!
BirkirFS
aesthetically this is by far my favourite FM26 skin!, ever, but it does not work after the world cup update, fix incoming
?
kanarokan
anlamsız bir wc güncellemesi herşeyi batırdı…bekleyeceğiz.
Mesut Leelo
Can anyone advise why I can't see the tiles when loading the game, tried the skin last night twice and got to the start screen but no tiles or anything on screen bar a single tab for manager profile and the picture of Yamal & Wirtz, thanks
Im guessing the skin just isn't comp[atible with latest update & changes to be made?
iNOVA
Not that I'm not grateful for the work done by the creators, I would like to know whether there is going to be a version that is compatible with the newest update on the upcoming days since I would like to continue my save with this same skin. It is so much better than the original one that I don't even want to consider continuing with the original.
ARookieKeeper
Skins are currently not working with 26.3.1. Most of the bundles that are part of the skins were changed in the update.
PoorJack
The simplest explanation is:
Some files from the skin are updated after the patch. This breaks the skin… as the new files are basically for the default skin, not other skins.
Then, if you “tried the skin last night twice”… assume that you meant you applied the skin files again, then this could break the game. Think about it: You're replacing 26.3.1 files with some 26.3.0 files from your skin.
If you need any rescue:
https://support.sega.com/hc/en-gb/articles/29454156611985-How-to-verify-the-integrity-of-Football-Manager-s-files
==============================================================================================================
To whom it may concern:
Anyone bothers to back up or/and learns how to fix the problem first?
Anyone bothers to understand what's going on when you replace the game files with some 3rd-party skin files?
Anyone is aware that this is high-risk?
If it's no for the above questions, then you may not be ready to use a 3rd-party skin. Sure if you're brave and like gambling, go ahead… it's your choice. However, at least, you need to understand what you're doing…
Suppose these kind of posts will show up again anyway, when the next patch arrives…
GucioMalutki
Please guys give me reply when update came out, i didin't play without this skin 🙂
bigpole
People please, the update came out literally 2-3 days ago. Please stop begging for god's sake and be patient. The author update the files regularly so no need to post 5 messages a day when the new version is out.
MrTini23
With the international update, making skins compatible for this update is far from straightforward. Rest assured, all the skin makers are working tirelessly to get their skins updated for use with this patch.
That said, we won't rush. It's better to get it right rather than release something which doesn't work properly
David Hurn
SI could have heeded that advice
The Miller
SI simply dont care. But people continue to give them money. That goodwill wii run out sooner rather than later. I personally dont think FM27 will be a vast improvents on 26. Just updated databases. 26 is the beta for 27. They should hang their heads in shame at the last 2 to 3years. In fact some heads at SI should have rolled.
Deejilondon
Hi, I am having an issue trying to get this to work. It won't go past the actual load up pages and reach the set up page which now show the international management options. Is this to do with the new update or something else?
RipCity0
Yes its because of the new WC update. You have to wait for the new skin version.
Deejilondon
Thanks. I wasn't sure because my usual skin and another one I tried just stopped loading and put up an error message, whereas with this skin it looked as if it had loaded up and then it just stayed on the screen in the screenshot rather than shut the game down.
azz1992
Hey, this skin has stopped working on my game since the new World Cup up date? Anything I can do? thank you.
Please ignore just seen other posts- thank you.
Matt
CTRL 26 - 1.7 is now available.
This update adds FM 26.3.1 International Management support, a custom default scoreboard, and several UI improvements, including expanded Next Match widget coverage, formation player portraits, and a refreshed World Cup startup look.
Fardjad
Thank you for the update Matt, it looks amazing as always and I really don’t want to play the game without your skin anymore 😀
I just saw the update by chance and installed it right away, but sadly the game keeps crashing every time.
Sometimes it crashes immediately, for example when I click on one of my players and try to renew the contract, or after 3-4 days during random things in the game.
Just wanted to give you the feedback — thanks for your hard work and for sharing this with us!
Matt
Pretty sure I know what this is, fixing..
orlandooo#0374
i have the same issue
Matt
Pushed a small update, 1.7.1
Fixed
Dvinci
Hey Guys Im on a MAC and found that some files are conflicting with each other
So I started Installing One By one WORKING for now with
- the background bundles
-FONTS bundles
-Tableview bundle
.-texture bundle
and the UI styles and tiles layout bundles
I'll keep trying till I see the faulty one
Matt
Faulty how, what's the actual issue you're seeing?
Shadow2000
Fantastic work from you once again - and delivered so quickly for all of us just in time for the weekend! This is the only way FM26 makes sense again :-) And thank you for incorporating my idea regarding the player statistics in the tooltip; I’m absolutely thrilled - that’s AWESOME!!! Have a wonderful weekend, and THANK YOU!!
Dvinci
I haven't made any screenshots from my last try, but when I added the iconsspriteatleases , mainmenu, paneliids ,match assets and tiles assets all
every thing disappeared on the main menu
with the rest installed just found the recruitment area also disappears