FM26 Hardest Saves - Teams Starting with a Points Deduction

The long wait for Football Manager 2026 is almost over! As you plan your first save, forget the easy options.

This year, one of the toughest and most rewarding ways to play is by taking over a club that starts with a major setback: a points deduction.

These teams are facing huge financial or legal problems, meaning you'll start the season with a negative score.

Your first goal won't be to win, but simply to climb out of the negative numbers!

If you are looking for a true challenge that tests your skill and patience, start your next FM26 story with one of these clubs.

Don't enjoy reading? You can watch the video instead.

Teams with Point Deductions in FM26

Here are the clubs that will start the 2025/2026 season with a disadvantage:

1. Vitesse Arnhem (Netherlands)

The Story: Vitesse has gone through a massive crisis. They were relegated from the top Dutch league (Eredivisie) and faced a huge point penalty due to serious financial difficulties, almost losing their club license. They have been allowed to continue, but their starting position is dire.

The Challenge: You take over a club in the second tier with a heavy 12-point deduction. Your mission is to recover from this massive setback, stabilize the club's money situation, and guide Vitesse back to the top of Dutch football to become a superpower once again.

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2. Dumbarton FC (Scotland)

The Story: Dumbarton is in the fourth tier of Scottish football (Cinch League 2). They recently ran into major financial trouble, which led to the points deduction.

The Challenge: This is one of the hardest long-term challenges in the game. You must navigate the financial problems and the 5-point deduction just to survive the fourth tier. The ultimate goal is to do what few teams ever have: break the control of Celtic and Rangers and win the Scottish Premiership title.

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3. Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (Scotland)

The Story: Not too long ago, this club was playing in the Scottish Premiership. Now, they are in the third tier and, like Dumbarton, have been punished with a point deduction for entering financial administration.

The Challenge: You have to deal with terrible finances and the 5-point deduction to guide them back up the leagues. Can you go even further than their past successes and somehow manage to win the Scottish title?

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4. Edinburgh City (Scotland)

The Story: Another Scottish club in the fourth tier that is facing a punishment so severe it could ruin the season before it even starts.

The Challenge: This is a punishing save. The 15-point deduction means you need to win five extra games just to reach zero points. You must quickly steady the club and survive relegation first, then begin the massive climb to take this club from the capital city all the way to the top of the Scottish leagues.

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5. Lechia Gdańsk (Poland)

The Story: This heavily supported club—which has a large, modern stadium—recently found itself sinking to the second tier but has now returned to the Polish top flight (Ekstraklasa). However, they bring a point deduction with them.

The Challenge: You must overcome the 5-point penalty and win the league for the first time in the club’s history. If you can deliver the top trophy in this passionate football nation, you will instantly become a club legend.

FM26 Extreme Italian Challenges

The Italian third tier (Serie C) is where you'll find the biggest punishments in FM26.

Getting relegated from this division means you are out of the playable leagues entirely, so survival is critical!

6. Trapani Calcio

The Challenge: You start in the lowest playable Italian division (Serie C) with an 8-point deduction. Your first goal is to simply survive and avoid relegation. The long-term mission is to take them on the journey up through Serie B and eventually win the legendary Serie A title.

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7. Rimini Calcio FC

The Challenge: This club, which is over 100 years old, is struggling financially and starts with an even bigger penalty: 11 points. You must stabilize this historic club and try to turn them into a new dominant force in Italian football.

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8. Unione Sportiva Triestina

The Challenge: This is the biggest point penalty in the game! You start in Serie C with a massive 20-point deduction. You must win seven or eight games just to get to zero points and begin your season properly. Your first and most important aim is to survive relegation. If you can manage to win the league or get promoted from this position, you will be an incredible FM player.

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Who will you choose to lead back to glory in FM 26? Let us know in the comments!