Keep Playing and Continue Your Save
Football Manager 27 free access ends at 6pm GMT on 3 November 2026, after which you can keep playing through an eligible pre-purchase or a supported Game Pass subscription. Saves started during free play carry into the paid Launch Preview and full release without needing to start again.
Access Windows, Prices and Requirements
| Option | Details |
|---|---|
| Free Launch Preview | Runs from 6pm GMT on 29 October until 6pm GMT on 3 November 2026. PC and Mac access is available through the participating platforms, including Steam, Epic Games Store and Microsoft Store. |
| Paid Launch Preview | Begins when free play ends at 6pm GMT on 3 November and runs until full launch on 10 November. Continuing through this route requires a pre-purchase from a SEGA-approved digital retailer. |
| Game Pass continuation | Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can move from the free period into the paid Launch Preview through their subscriptions and continue their saves. |
| Purchase price and discount | The announced base price is £49.99/€59.99/$59.99. Pre-purchasing from a SEGA-approved digital retailer gives a 10% discount and access to the paid preview. |
| Full release | The digital release is scheduled for 10 November 2026, with preview saves continuing into it. Release happens at the same moment globally, so the local date may be 11 November in some countries. |
| Release state and content | The preview is a near-final build with all modes, features and areas available. During the free window, there is no separate limit on gameplay time or career progress. |
| Steam compatibility | Steam supports Windows and macOS. Its listed minimum requirements include 6 GB RAM and 20 GB available storage on either operating system; compare the processor, graphics and operating-system requirements with your machine before downloading. |
Your Preview Career Can Be Your Long-Term Save
You can keep the career you began during free play. Save continuity covers both the move into the paid Launch Preview and the move into full release. You do not need to abandon that club and begin a replacement career because the free window closes.
Being able to continue the save and having access to play are separate requirements. Your preview progress can carry forward, while continued play after the deadline depends on an eligible purchase or supported subscription. Base your purchase decision on whether you want to keep playing that career, without budgeting extra time to recreate it.
If your existing career is from FM24 or FM26, the start screen also offers a save carry-over option. The relevant save data must be available on your PC or in your platform account’s cloud save storage. Check that the career you want to continue is available there before using the option.
Choose How You Will Continue Playing
- Buying the game: choose a SEGA-approved digital retailer so your pre-purchase qualifies for continued Launch Preview access. Steam, Epic and Microsoft Store are the named pre-purchase platforms.
- Continuing through Game Pass: check that you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. These are the subscriptions named for Launch Preview access and continuation after free play ends.
- Trying the game during free access: download it from the usual product page on your preferred participating platform. No additional sign-up is required for the free preview.
What to Expect From the Preview Build
The Launch Preview replaces the earlier Beta and Advanced Access names. Sports Interactive intends it to be closer to the launch version in quality and completeness than previous early builds. It still may contain bugs and glitches that need attention in later updates.
All game modes are available, including Shuffle Draft. Use the preview to try the parts of the game that matter to your purchase decision, whether that means settling into a career or testing multiplayer. The free window has no separate gameplay-time or career-progress cap, so you can assess the experience at your own pace within that window.
Some club and player assets may be absent while rights-holder approvals are still being completed, and some data may not accurately reflect the real world. Treat those presentation and data details as part of the preview build when assessing it. Save compatibility is explicitly supported despite the game still being in its preview period.
If you encounter a saving problem, the preview update notes include a specific fix for Save Game becoming unavailable after missing UEFA squad-registration messages. Sports Interactive also provides a dedicated bug-reporting area on its forums. Describe the issue you encounter there so the team can investigate it.
Questions About Keeping Access and Progress
- Does downloading the free preview let me keep playing afterward?
- No. Free access ends at the stated deadline. Continued preview play requires an eligible pre-purchase or access through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass.
- Do I have to restart when the full game launches?
- No. Saves created before launch can continue through the paid Launch Preview and into full release without starting again.
- Is there a career-progress limit during free play?
- No. All modes, features and areas are available, with no separate limit on the time or progress you can log during the free access window.
- Who develops and publishes the game?
- Sports Interactive develops Football Manager 27, and SEGA publishes it.