Football Manager 2026 Patch 26.3.0 - February Transfer Data Update

Sports Interactive have released the February Transfer Window Update for Football Manager 2026 on March 30th.

It is the sixth year in a row that we get the winter transfers data in 2 parts instead of 1.

Featuring more than 1,000,000 database changes since the Main Data Update on March 9th, this update contains deals that happened during February in the USA and China, as well as significant non-transfer events.

Rosters for certain licensed leagues whose seasons run to the calendar year will only be reflective up until the end of the 2025 season and so will not include incoming and outgoing transfers made for 2026.

A gameplay patch containing fixes and improvements across multiple areas of the game is also included in this Update. All gameplay adjustments will be effective immediately in existing careers, although new save games are required for you to play with the latest player and team data.

Date Released: March 30th, 2026
File size: 785MB

The Final Winter Update for Football Manager 2026 is now complete, with this second part covering transfers from windows that closed during February, database updates and some minor gameplay fixes.

This means that upon starting a new game, the latest database will be available with updated squads, managers and everything else which happened before the February window closed.

Even if that doesn't do the trick, then verify the game cache will.

26.3 List of Changes

In a nutshell
This update introduces a new full-screen Youth Setup Overview, quality of life improvements to the User Interface, and Database changes from transfer windows including China, Türkiye, and the USA.

While the game version is being updated to 26.3, the database version will remain named as 26.2.

In detail

Database

• More than 1 million Database changes
  
• Updated Transfers for China, Türkiye, the USA, and other select leagues
  
• Boca Juniors are now a licensed team
  

Technical Issues

• Crash fixes & stability improvements
  
• Fixed an issue causing keyboard shortcuts to activate when using the global search function
  
• Fixed an issue that would cause Navigation focus boxes to appear after using the global search function
  

User Interface (UI)

• Redesigned the Youth Setup Overview to be full screen
  
• Sort functionality has been restored for transfer value, ability and potential columns in Recruitment > Shortlist
  
• Attributes being trained now highlight in Orange within the Individual Training screen
  
• The Fixtures and Result Report will remember your filters should you leave and return
  
• The Competition > Transfers card will remember your filters should you leave and return
  
• The Recruitment > Transfer History Card will remember your filters should you leave and return
  
• If the player attribute polygon graph is selected, it will remain visible while cycling through other players
  
• Match Stats bars are now correctly equal when values are zero for both teams
  
• Added Transfer Fees to the Career Stats tile
  
• Fixed an issue preventing the user to view past seasons in Stages card for select competitions
  
• Set Piece/Penalty taker lists will now properly reflect the real-time current squad
  
• Removed empty space appearing in Scout World Knowledge card
  
• Viewing the Tactical Analysis no longer omits certain players incorrectly
  
• Fixed an issue causing form indicators to sometimes appear inaccurately on the Competitions page
  
• League tables which feature a ‘split’ now better display the split in teams
  
• Tactics within the save folder now correctly display if attempting to overwrite them
  
• Team form will now display oldest to newest (left to right) in all game areas
  
• Fixed an issue that could sometimes cause Partnership lines to appear misaligned on the Tactics screen when first opened
  
• Fixed an issue causing the Passing Completed, Crosses Completed, and Clear-Cut Chances stats to display incorrectly during the match day
  

Gameplay

• Staff not at the user’s club no longer display ‘unknown’ personalities
  
• Added a ‘Automatically open a must respond message’ preference option
  
• Added Cash/Claused Transfers, Free Transfers, Part Exchange Transfers and Player Trials filters when on the Transfer History card
  
• Fixed an issue causing ‘Grey’ players that have been offered contracts to display attributes over 20
  
• Goalkeepers are now only compared to other goalkeepers on the player comparison screen
  
• Club vision ambitions have been tweaked to prevent certain objectives being contradictory of one another
  
• Improved supporter reactions to some players performances within Squad Feedback
  
• Fixed an issue where the ‘approach to sign’ action was not generating when the users club exited a transfer embargo
  

Match, Art & Animation

• Added a new Premier League match ball
  
• Fixed an issue where players would sometimes kick ball out of play straight from kick off
  
• Fixed an issue causing offsides lines to be missing during the replay for a goal disallowed by offside
  
• The Dugout and Live Scores/Table will remain expanded even after highlights occur
  
• Fixed a rare issue with substitutes flickering on the 2D pitch tile
  

In-Game Editor (IGE) / Pre-Game Editor (PGE)

• Further crash fixes and stability improvements
  
• Fixed an issue where verified rule files with a database were not valid with that same database in a new game setup (PGE)
  
• Fixed an issue causing non-playing history to appear blank for non-players with edited history (PGE)
  

Competition and Rule Groups

Belgium

• Added the RWDM Brussels points deduction
  

Brazil

• Updated a number of formats, schedules and rules of various Brazilian competitions
  
• Updated VAR rules for various Brazilian competitions
  

China

• Updated schedules for the Chinese Super League, Chinese National First Division, and the Chinese FA Super Cup
  
• Updated Transfer Windows for the Chinese Super League and Chinese National First Division
  

Colombia

• Updated the Colombian Cup Substitution Rules
  

England

• Added the Leicester City points deduction
  

Europe

• Updated the format for the UEFA Youth League
  
• Fixed an issue where some Last 16 UEFA Champions League matches were scheduled on Thursdays
  

France

• French Overseas Nationalities no longer count as foreign players in the French Cup
  

Germany

• Updated the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 Squad Numbers rules
  

Greece

• Fixed an issue causing there to be no TV matches appearing in Super League 1 after league split
  

Ireland

• Updated the Irish Leinster Cup schedule
  

Indonesia

• Updated the Substitution Rules for various Indonesian competitions
  

Latvia

• B Teams no longer participate in the Latvian Cup
  

Lithuania

• Updated the Lithuanian U18s Sorting Rules
  

North America

• Updated the North American W Champions Cup Squad Registration dates
  

Portugal

• Updated the Substitution Rules for the Portuguese Second League and Third Division
  

Russia

• Updated the Russian First Division Loan Rules
  

Scotland

• Updated the KDM Evolution Trophy Substitution Rules
  

Spain

• Trialists are no longer allowed to participate in the Spanish Women's Super Cup
  

Switzerland

• Fixed an issue causing youth players to be denied work permits after turning professional
  

Sweden

• Updated schedules for various Swedish leagues/competitions
  

Uruguay

• Updated the Uruguayan Transfer Window dates
  
• Updated the Uruguayan First Division schedule
  

U.S.A

• Fixed an issue causing players to incorrectly gain Green Cards/American nationality (NWSL)
  
• Expansion teams no longer play matches prior to being formed (NWSL)
  

Wales

• Updated the Nathaniel MG Cup Substitution Rules
  

If you encounter any issues post update, please use the official FM26 Bugs Tracker. You can also contact [email protected] for further support.