Sports Interactive has made a surprising announcement regarding the cancellation of Football Manager 25, a decision that marks an unusual turn of events for the franchise. The series has consistently released games annually since 2004 under SI and SEGA, making the outright cancellation unprecedented.

“We regret to inform that, following extensive internal discussion and careful consideration with SEGA, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Football Manager 25,” reads the official statement, which also specifies that all pre-orders will be refunded.

With this announcement, the company expressed its recognition of the disappointment this decision may cause, particularly as the game was already delayed twice prior to the cancellation. The statement explained that due to various challenges, including some unforeseen issues, the team could not meet the high standards they set for the game, despite their best efforts.

Fan Reactions

Despite the shocking news, fan reactions have been unexpectedly mixed, with many expressing understanding and approval of the decision. One fan on Reddit stated:

“Honestly? Quite happy with this. Too many companies let you pay full price for unfinished unpolished mess hoping to fix things later. It must be a humbling experience to return the money and scrap the game; perhaps even some heads at the management level will roll.”
Translation: Honestly? Quite happy with this. Too many companies let you pay full price for unfinished unpolished mess hoping to fix things down the line. It must be a humbling experience to return the money and scratch the game, perhaps even some heads at the management level will roll.

As Sports Interactive looks to the future, they have stated their focus is shifting to the next release, hinting at a new era for Football Manager. They promise an update on the highly anticipated Football Manager 2026 as soon as possible.