Football Manager 27Explainer
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Football Manager 27 free trial: the Launch Preview is free on PC and Mac from Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. ET to Nov. 3
Football Manager 27 is free to play on PC and Mac from Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, at 6 p.m. GMT, which is 2 p.m. ET, for five days, until Tuesday, Nov. 3, Sports Interactive announced on Oct. 21. The free version is the FM27 Launch Preview with every game mode, on Steam, the Epic Games Store, the Microsoft Store and Game Pass, and it needs no sign-up. Saves started during the free days carry over to the paid Launch Preview and to the full game, which launches on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Pre-purchase opens with the free period, with 10% off and continued Launch Preview access from Nov. 3 until launch. SEGA set the price at £49.99 in the UK and €59.99 in Europe. Expected US price: about $59.99, our estimate.
- PC
- Mac
Football Manager 27 opens to everyone on PC and Mac for five days before launch, free. Here’s when the free Launch Preview starts and ends, where to download it and what happens to your save.
When is Football Manager 27 free?
From Thursday, Oct. 29, at 6 p.m. GMT to Tuesday, Nov. 3, Sports Interactive announced on Oct. 21. The free period runs five days and ends at 6 p.m. GMT on Nov. 3, and the pre-purchase window opens with it on Oct. 29. The US moves its clocks back on Nov. 1, so the end lands an hour earlier on the clock in New York than the start.
| City | Free play starts | Free play ends |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 | 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3 |
| Los Angeles | 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 | 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3 |
| London | 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 | 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3 |
| Paris and Berlin | 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 | 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3 |
| São Paulo | 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 | 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3 |
| Tokyo | 3 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30 | 3 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4 |
Where to play the FM27 Launch Preview for free
The free Launch Preview is on Steam and the Epic Games Store on PC and Mac, and on the Microsoft Store and Game Pass on Windows PCs. There’s no extra sign-up: download FM27 from your preferred store and start a career, with all game modes available. On Game Pass, the Launch Preview is limited to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers. Consoles aren’t part of the free period, and FM27 Console arrives on Xbox and PS5 with the full launch on Nov. 10, as our Football Manager 27 release date page explains.
What’s in the free Launch Preview
The Launch Preview replaces what Sports Interactive called the Beta or Advanced Access in earlier years, and the studio says it’s closer in quality and finality to the launch version than previous early builds. Some club and player assets can be absent, and some data can differ from the real world, while rights holders approve it.
FM27 brings a clearer interface, an enhanced match engine and two new tactical layers, Tactical Tweaks and Tactical Effectiveness, for more control on the training ground and the touchline.
Do FM27 free trial saves carry over?
Yes. Saves started during the free period continue in the paid Launch Preview for players who pre-purchase, and in the full game on Nov. 10, with no need to start again. Players who start on Game Pass carry on through their subscription.
Football Manager 27 price and pre-purchase
Pre-purchase opens with the free period on Oct. 29 and gives 10% off plus continued Launch Preview access from 6 p.m. GMT on Nov. 3 until launch, for purchases through SEGA-approved digital stores. SEGA set the retail price at £49.99 in the UK and €59.99 in Europe, and the Steam page lists no US price yet. Expected price: about $59.99 in the US, our estimate, matching the Steam price of Football Manager 26. With 10% off, that’s about £44.99, €53.99 and $53.99.
FM27 system requirements
| Spec | Minimum PC | Recommended PC | Minimum Mac |
|---|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit | Windows 11, 64-bit | macOS 13 or later |
| Processor | Intel Core i3-530 or AMD FX-4100 | Intel Core i5-9600 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Apple M1 or Intel Core M |
| Memory | 6 GB | 12 GB | 6 GB |
| Graphics | GeForce GTX 960, Radeon R9 380 or Intel HD 530 | GeForce RTX 2060 or Radeon RX 5600 XT | Apple M1, GeForce GT 750M, Intel HD Graphics 5000 or AMD FirePro D300 |
| Storage | 20 GB | 20 GB | 20 GB |
These are the desktop requirements on the FM27 Steam page, which lists laptop equivalents too.
FM27 on consoles, phones and Apple Arcade
FM27 launches everywhere on Nov. 10. FM27 Console comes to Xbox and PS5, FM27 Mobile to phones through Netflix, and FM27 Touch to Apple Arcade on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. On the App Store, the FM26 Touch page updates to FM27 Touch automatically, and saves from past titles continue. FM27 is on Game Pass from day one, as our Game Pass November 2026 page shows, and the rest of the month is on our new games in November 2026 page.
This page is updated as soon as SEGA confirms the US price or the free period goes live on Oct. 29.
FAQ
When is Football Manager 27 free to play?
From Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, at 6 p.m. GMT, which is 2 p.m. ET and 11 a.m. PT, for five days, until Tuesday, Nov. 3. Sports Interactive announced the free period on Oct. 21.
What time does the FM27 free trial end?
Five days after it starts, at 6 p.m. GMT on Tuesday, Nov. 3. After the US clock change on Nov. 1, that’s 1 p.m. ET and 10 a.m. PT. From then, Launch Preview access continues for players who pre-purchased.
Is the FM27 free trial the full game?
It’s the FM27 Launch Preview, with all game modes available. Sports Interactive says the Launch Preview is closer to the finished game than its old Beta, though some club and player assets can be absent while rights holders approve them.
Where can I play Football Manager 27 for free?
On PC and Mac through Steam and the Epic Games Store, and on Windows PCs through the Microsoft Store and Game Pass. On Game Pass, the Launch Preview is for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers.
Do I need to sign up for the FM27 free trial?
There’s no extra sign-up. Download FM27 from your preferred store during the free period and start playing.
Do FM27 free trial saves carry over?
Yes. Saves started during the free period continue in the paid Launch Preview for players who pre-purchase and in the full game on Nov. 10, with no need to start again.
Is Football Manager 27 free on Xbox or PS5?
The free period covers PC and Mac. FM27 Console launches on Xbox and PS5 on Nov. 10, and Game Pass console subscribers get it on Xbox from day one.
How much is Football Manager 27?
SEGA set the retail price at £49.99 in the UK and €59.99 in Europe. Expected US price: about $59.99, our estimate, matching the Steam price of Football Manager 26. Pre-purchase takes 10% off, which brings those to about £44.99, €53.99 and $53.99.
What happens after the FM27 free trial ends?
Players who pre-purchased FM27 through a SEGA-approved digital store keep Launch Preview access from 6 p.m. GMT on Nov. 3 until the Nov. 10 launch. Pre-purchase opens with the free period on Oct. 29 and takes 10% off. Game Pass players continue through their subscription.
Can my PC run Football Manager 27?
The Steam minimum is 64-bit Windows 10 or 11, an Intel Core i3-530 or AMD FX-4100, 6 GB of RAM, a GeForce GTX 960, Radeon R9 380 or Intel HD 530 and 20 GB of storage. Macs need macOS 13 or later and an Apple M1 or Intel Core M.
Pop quiz
1 questions from this story.
How long is the Football Manager 27 free period?
The Launch Preview is free from 6 p.m. GMT on Oct. 29 to 6 p.m. GMT on Nov. 3, five days in total.
Your call
Will you try Football Manager 27 during the free days?
