Football Manager 2023: Complete Guide

A complete FM23 guide for players still running careers in it: tactics and roles, squad building, recruitment, training, finances, and the FM23-specific systems (Supporter Confidence, squad planner, recruitment meetings), plus what you need to know about its store status.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the final FM23 release. FM23 is no longer sold on Steam; the game itself no longer receives updates. Check the linked sources if something differs.

Status note (September 2026): The Steam store page for Football Manager 2023 now states that it "is no longer available on the Steam store." If you already own it, you can still download and play it from your Steam library, and existing saves keep working. The series has since moved on to Football Manager 2024 (released 6 November 2023) and Football Manager 26 (released 4 November 2025, after Sports Interactive cancelled FM25 in February 2025). FM23 careers cannot be carried forward into later PC editions; only Console and Touch careers could be carried from FM23 into FM24. Everything below applies to the FM23 match engine and systems.

Quick Start

• Pick a club you know or one with a clear identity. A mid-table side in a top league gives you enough money and players to learn every system.
• Choose a tactical preset and adapt it. The tactics screen offers styles like Gegenpress, Tiki-Taka, Vertical Tiki-Taka, Wing Play, Fluid Counter-Attack, Route One, and Catenaccio. Pick one that suits your best players.
• Keep training on the default schedules at first. Your coaches can manage it well; tweak it once you understand the effect on match sharpness and injuries.
• Hold the pre-season meetings with your staff and board to set expectations you can meet.
• Delegate what you don't enjoy. Friendlies, contract renewals for non-key players, and press conferences can all be handed to staff.
• Use the Squad Planner (new in FM23) to see where the squad is thin over the next few seasons.
• Watch Supporter Confidence. New in FM23, fans have expectations about playing style, results, and signings, separate from the board.
• Buy the In-game Editor only if you want sandbox control. It's still listed as DLC, but it isn't needed for a normal career.

FM23 Headline Features

Feature | What it does

UEFA club competitions licence | Fully licensed Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League with authentic draws and graphics

Supporter Confidence | Fan groups judge your results, style, and transfer decisions

Recruitment meetings | Regular meetings with scouts to shortlist targets

Squad Planner | Map the squad by position across multiple seasons

Agents | Closer relationships with agents who offer players and act on your behalf

Out-of-possession instructions | Better defensive and counter-attacking setups

Dynamic Manager Timeline | A record of milestones in your career

Match engine changes | Improved wing-back and double pivot behaviour, new animations

Tactics

Mentality

Mentality sets risk: Very Defensive, Defensive, Cautious, Balanced, Positive, Attacking, Very Attacking. Start at Balanced or Positive for a strong team and Cautious for underdogs. Change it in-game when protecting a lead or chasing a result.

Team instructions

• In possession: passing directness, tempo, width, focus of play, crossing and dribbling preferences.
• In transition: counter-press or regroup, counter or hold shape, goalkeeper distribution.
• Out of possession: line of engagement, defensive line, pressing intensity, prevent short goalkeeper distribution, and trigger preferences (new FM23 options make low blocks and counter-attacks more viable).

Roles and duties

Each position has several roles (for example Ball-Playing Defender, Wing-Back, Deep-Lying Playmaker, Box-to-Box Midfielder, Advanced Playmaker, Inside Forward, Advanced Forward, Pressing Forward, Target Man) and duties (Defend, Support, Attack). Balance matters more than individual roles:

• One or two creators (playmakers) per side is enough.
• Mix duties down each flank (e.g., full-back on Support with a winger on Attack, or vice versa).
• Pair a physical striker role with a creative partner in two-striker systems.

Tactic-building rules of thumb

• Build around your best three players. If your best player is a playmaker, give him the role.
• Don't max out every instruction. Extreme settings (highest tempo, highest press, highest line) together often collapse against good teams.
• Familiarity takes time. A new tactic performs worse until the squad learns it; don't switch every match.
• Use the analysis tabs (shot maps, pass maps, conceded chances) to see what's going wrong.

Squad Building and Recruitment

• Scouting: Set a scouting focus (regions, competitions) and let the recruitment team report. Recruitment meetings surface targets regularly.
• Attributes: Players have technical, mental, and physical attributes on a 1 to 20 scale. For most roles, check the highlighted key attributes for that role in the player's profile.
• Hidden potential: Scouts give star ratings for current and potential ability. More knowledge (scouting reports) makes these more accurate.
• Agents: Build relationships to get tips on available players and smoother negotiations.
• Loans: Loan out young players to get them match time at a suitable level; check their loan's playing time and development.

Transfer tips

• Negotiate installments and add-ons to stretch your budget.
• Use player-plus-cash deals to offload unwanted players.
• Check the release clauses and contract expiries for bargains; players in their final year are cheaper.
• Buy young, sell at peak. Selling a 27-year-old at peak value funds two younger replacements.

Youth Development

• Youth Intake: Arrives yearly; quality depends on youth facilities, junior coaching, and youth recruitment.
• Head of Youth Development influences the personality of intake players; hire one whose personality you want in your squad.
• Mentoring groups: Put young players with experienced, professional senior players to improve their personality and hidden attributes.
• Playing time: First-team or good-level loan minutes matter as much as training for development.

Training

• Default schedules balance fitness and sharpness. Increase intensity when the fixture list is light, drop it during congested spells.
• Individual training: Assign a role to train and an additional focus. Retraining a player in a new position takes time.
• Watch injury risk on the medical centre screen and rotate players showing high risk.

Finances and the Board

• Keep the wage budget under control; wages are a recurring cost that eats future budgets.
• Board requests: Ask for better facilities, youth recruitment, or a bigger budget when you're meeting expectations.
• Supporter Confidence and Board Confidence are separate; you can lose the fans while the board is happy, and vice versa.
• Club Vision lists the board's long-term expectations (e.g., playing style, youth development, league position).

Matchday

• Set match preparation focus (e.g., defensive shape, attacking movement) based on your weak areas.
• Use team talks carefully; a player's reaction depends on the situation and your tone.
• Watch key and extended highlights at least early in a save so you can see why chances happen.
• Make changes at half-time with the analyst's suggestions and heat maps.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Copying an internet tactic without the right players. Many downloaded tactics exploit specific match engine patches and specific player types.
• Changing tactics constantly. Familiarity drops and performance falls.
• Ignoring squad morale and dynamics. Unhappy key players drag down the dressing room.
• Overpaying average players. Wage structure problems haunt later seasons.
• Neglecting the youth setup. Cheap improvements to youth facilities and staff pay off over a long save.
• Selling too many players at once. Squad depth for cup runs and injuries matters.

Advanced Tips

• Set player roles for set pieces separately; set-piece goals win tight matches.
• Use data analysis to spot overperforming players in weaker leagues before scouts rate them highly.
• Build a feeder club relationship to place youngsters.
• Hire staff with the right attributes (e.g., working with youngsters, tactical knowledge, judging ability) for each job, not just the best-known names.
• Use the In-game Editor for sandbox or "fixing" saves if you prefer, but expect it to lock achievements for that save.
• Keep a backup save before key transfer windows and cup finals if you like to experiment.

FAQ

Can I still buy Football Manager 2023? Not on Steam. As of September 2026 the store page says the game is no longer available. Owners can still install and play it.

Can I move my FM23 career into FM24 or FM26? No for the PC/Mac edition. Carry-forward only applied to FM23 Console and FM23 Touch careers into FM24 Console and Touch.

What's the best tactic in FM23? There's no single best tactic; a coherent system that suits your squad and a manageable pressing intensity outperforms copied "meta" tactics in long saves.

Is FM23 still worth playing? Yes if you already own it, especially for its licensed UEFA competitions and many community databases and mods. Newer editions have newer data and a different match engine.

How many people played FM23? It reached around five million players, more than double the series' usual annual number.

Does FM23 still get updates? No. Development moved to later editions.

Sources

• Football Manager 2023 on Steam (store status and DLC)
• Football Manager 2023 on Wikipedia
• Football Manager 26 on Wikipedia (FM25 cancellation)
• Football Manager 2024 Out Now (Steam, 6 Nov 2023)
• Get 20% Off Football Manager 2024 - carry-forward note (Steam, 16 Feb 2024)
• Football Manager Steam news hub