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[FM26] Ultimate Difficulty Pack

This pack introduces two different difficulty experiences, designed for players who want Football Manager to be smarter, harsher, and far less forgiving.

By on Dec 26, 2025   18243 views   92 comments
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Downloads: 1309 / Size: 5.7 MB / Added: 2025-12-26
Football Manager 2026 Data Updates - [FM26] Ultimate Difficulty Pack
🧠 Hardcore Mode – No Second Chances

Hardcore Mode increases difficulty through intelligence, pressure, and competition. Opposing managers are smarter and more adaptable, club boards are far less patient, and the transfer market becomes a ruthless battlefield. There are no easy rebuilds, no long grace periods, and no safe seasons. Tactical preparation, squad planning and consistency are essential to survive.

- Smarter, more adaptable AI managers;
- Highly ambitious and impatient boards;
- A more competitive transfer market without adding extra money;
- Reduced margin for error across all leagues.

Hardcore Mode is fair, realistic, and punishing — difficulty earned, not forced.

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💸 Berserk Mode – Survival Football

Berserk Mode takes everything from Hardcore Mode and pushes it further by attacking the financial foundations of football. Money is tight, budgets are reduced, and growth becomes painfully slow. Every contract matters. Every transfer is a risk. Financial mismanagement is no longer forgiven.

- Global financial nerf;
- Zero transfer and wage budgets;
- Removed sponsorship income;
- Slower club growth and harsher consequences.

This is survival football. Only well-run clubs endure.
Two paths. One goal. Survive football at its hardest.

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Downloads: 1309 / Size: 5.7 MB / Added: 2025-12-26
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Discussion: [FM26] Ultimate Difficulty Pack

92 comments have been posted so far.

  • mg331's avatar
    Great! I will try this and then i will give feedback.
  • luk4sh31's avatar
    My first save with Sampdoria was only use for testing purposes.

    The money is gone now (there was about 4mln for transfers).

    I was trying to sign the same player Kari which join my Talavera save and now he is saying I don't have many to handle his demands. He would be rather future prospect for Sampdoria.

    All the player I was trying to sign say the same thing.

    So when I saved a game I add manager for Leeds and Arsenal.

    HE IS SAYING THE SAME THING.

    I just wonder if this doesn't create a problem in the future that there will be a lot of players without club who doesn't want to sign for anyone.
  • addijimmas's avatar
    bro, is there a way i can use the AI managers alone withouth all that transfer and sacking dificuty?
  • SirTAVARES's avatar
    well with the board having less patience you should be sacked faster if you don't reach the clubs goals-
  • 9emi's avatar
    Question about hardcore mode: In FM24 (I barely played FM26, but I understand it must be very similar), in my experience, there are very few AI manager dismissals (roughly 8 per season, all happening at the same time) and they almost always involve lower-level teams (the more important teams somehow met the minimum objectives and stayed on). For example, in Spain, in one save, 10 years passed and the same managers were still at Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​and Atlético Madrid. I find this very annoying. Will this patch affect this? Thank you very much.
  • SirTAVARES's avatar
    let me know if its too difficult or too easy, theres still some gap to improve.
  • luk4sh31's avatar
    I will try to use berserk with Sampdoria. thanks
  • SirTAVARES's avatar
    Director of Football is usually the one who deals with the transfer market
  • ruanba's avatar
    Thank you @tavares!!
    With smarters managers you meant for buying/selling or for changing tactics during season or game??
  • SirTAVARES's avatar
    Ambition, Patience, Loyalty and others.
  • ruanba's avatar
    Which parameters were tunned??
  • SirTAVARES's avatar
    Not the ability but certain stats
    1
  • ginobili20's avatar
    in essence you increased the staff abilty over the world?
  • Hellstorm77's avatar
    can't wait to try this fm26 is too easy atm
    1
  • SirTAVARES's avatar
    no idea what files he has.
  • ruanba's avatar
    Is it compatible with Daveincid ones??
  • SirTAVARES's avatar
    Test versions, feedback is necessary.

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