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If you’re anything like me, you’ve sunk hundreds—maybe even thousands—of hours into FM. And sometimes, the regular save just isn’t enough. So today we’re diving into five challenges that are refined, redesigned, and guaranteed to whet your appetite ahead of Football Manager 26.
We all love that extra bit of difficulty that makes victory taste even sweeter, and these five will test your tactical nous, transfer-market savvy, and maybe even your sanity. So grab a drink, settle in, and let’s get into it.
Now, we all know the classics—the Pentagon, Athletic Bilbao, Youth Only, Moneyball, and Build a Nation challenges. None of those are on today’s list. I’ve already tackled a couple of these myself on my own channel, so if you’re interested, go check me out—Sore Loser on YouTube. But for now, let’s dive in.
Challenge 1: The Mercenary Challenge
This one’s for those who crave instant success. You love travelling, you love silverware, and you’re not afraid to walk away once the job’s done.
The rules are simple, but the execution is brutal: you have one season only at each club. Win as much as you can, then resign. The ultimate goal? Lift the Champions League trophy.
One season. Build a squad. Conquer Europe. Leave. No long-term projects—just pure, short-term glory. Imagine rocking up at PSG or Manchester City, winning it all, and then handing in your notice the next day.
For extra spice, start unemployed, with no badges and no experience, and see just how good a manager you really are.
Challenge 2: The University Challenge
Time to hit the books. For this save, pick a university-affiliated club—for example, Universitatea Craiova in Romania.
Transfer rules are strict:
- You may only sign players from other university teams.
- You may only promote players from your own academy or sign youth-contract players.
- Here’s the kicker: once a player turns 23, they’re considered “graduated” and must be sold. No exceptions, even if they’re your star striker in his prime.
This challenge forces constant regeneration, ruthless youth development, and tactical flexibility. Can you win a league—or even compete in Europe—with a squad that’s always changing?
Challenge 3: The FC Vaduz (Liechtenstein) Challenge
A community favourite—and a brutal one. FC Vaduz are a real Liechtenstein club that play in the Swiss league system.
Two problems:
They cannot qualify for Europe through the league.
Their only route is winning the Liechtenstein Cup each year.
That means your European adventures depend entirely on a knockout cup, where one slip-up can ruin everything. The ultimate long-term aim? Raise Liechtenstein’s UEFA coefficient by winning the Conference League, then the Europa League, then the Champions League.
This is a marathon, not a sprint—decades of grind, heartbreak, and glory await.
Challenge 4: The No-Sell Challenge
Beautifully simple, brutally restrictive: you are not allowed to sell players.
The only ways players can leave are:
- Mutual termination
- Contract expiry
- Retirement
That’s it. Bought a flop? Tough luck—they’re stuck draining your wages forever. Rising star worth millions? Too bad, you can’t cash in. Every signing is a lifelong commitment.
This forces you to be incredibly disciplined in recruitment. One wrong move, and you’re saddled with deadwood for years. How will you handle squad morale, wage budgets, and registration rules when your mistakes never leave?
Challenge 5: The Son Challenge
This one’s for the sentimentalists. The goal? Stay at one club long enough to generate a virtual son through your youth intake.
Once he appears, the mission changes: play him every match, no matter what. Can you guide your son to greatness? Will he win the Golden Boy, become a club icon, or maybe even lift the Ballon d’Or?
It doesn’t matter if he’s world-class or utterly mediocre—you’ve got to build your legacy around him. The ultimate family save.
- Date Created
- 08 Sep 2025 10:22:04
- Date Updated
- 08 Sep 2025 10:22:04
- Last Comment
- 08 Sep 2025 10:22:04
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