Football Manager 2020: Complete Guide

A manager's handbook for FM20: your first week at a club, building a tactic that works, training and player development, the new Development Centre and Club Vision systems, scouting and transfers, finances, and dressing-room management — plus what you need to know about the game's status in 2026.

Researched September 2026 — current as of FM20's final patch (20.4.4 hotfix, September 25, 2020). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Status: Football Manager 2020 is unlisted on Steam at the publisher's request — it can't be bought there anymore, but existing owners can still download and play. The final patches (20.4.2 to 20.4.4, September 2020) added network-game cross-play with the Epic Games Store version and fixed save/cloud issues; there have been no updates since. The database is frozen at the 2019/20 season. Buying the game through Steam also came with FM20 Touch, the streamlined version.

Quick Start

• Pick a club whose expectations you can meet. The board and Club Vision judge you on multi-year goals; a mid-table club with realistic targets is the best first save.
• Set up your staff before your tactic. Hire a good Assistant, coaches and scouts early; they drive player ratings, training and recommendations.
• Start with a simple, balanced tactic. A 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 on Balanced mentality with default instructions works. Tweak one thing at a time.
• Use the Development Centre to manage youth players from the academy to the first team.
• Set Playing Time Pathways when you sign or renew contracts — a promise you break damages morale.
• Talk to players, but don't overdo it. Team talks and individual chats swing morale; keep promises.
• Watch the wage budget, not just the transfer budget. Wages are what sink clubs.
• Use the Data Hub and staff reports to diagnose why you're losing.
• Save often and keep multiple saves. Especially before transfer deadline days and key matches.

FM20's New Systems

Feature | What it does | How to use it

Development Centre | Central hub for youth teams, from arrival at the club up to first-team readiness | Check it every month; track progress, set up loans, and promote the ready ones

Club Vision | Board-agreed culture, playing style, transfer policy, and multi-year milestones | Read the Vision on day one. Signing young players or playing a certain style might be part of it

Playing Time Pathway | Defines current and future squad status across a contract (Fringe Player → Star Player) | Offer realistic statuses; future pathways help sign ambitious young players

Backroom staff changes | New roles and more staff advice across areas | Read staff meetings and act on their suggestions

Match engine improvements | More realistic player behavior | Watch at least key highlights; the engine rewards coherent tactics

Your First Week at a New Club

• Read the board's expectations and Club Vision.
• Staff review: in Staff > Responsibilities, decide what to delegate (friendlies, contracts for youth, press conferences) and what to keep.
• Hire staff: Assistant Manager with good judging ability, coaches rated highly in the areas you want (attacking, defending, fitness, goalkeeping), and scouts with good Judging Player Ability/Potential.
• Squad review: ask your Assistant for a squad assessment; identify one or two weak positions.
• Tactic: pick a formation that fits your best players, not the other way around.
• Pre-season: schedule friendlies (a mix of easy games and a couple of harder ones) to build match fitness.
• Transfers: fill the gaps with loans and free agents before spending big.

Tactics

Structure

A tactic is made of:

• Formation — e.g., 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 3-5-2.
• Roles and duties — each player has a role (e.g., Ball-Winning Midfielder, Advanced Playmaker, Inside Forward) and a duty (Defend, Support, Attack).
• Mentality — from Very Defensive to Very Attacking; controls risk, tempo and positioning collectively.
• Team Instructions — split into In Possession, In Transition, and Out of Possession.
• Player Instructions — individual tweaks (shoot less, dribble more, close down more, etc.).

Balanced starter tactics

Formation | Roles (example) | Why

4-2-3-1 | GK (Defend), FB (Support) x2, CD (Defend) x2, DM (Defend) + DLP (Support), W (Support) + IF (Attack), AM (Attack), AF (Attack) | Balanced, works for most squads

4-4-2 | GK, FB x2, CD x2, BWM (Defend) + BBM (Support), WM (Support) x2, DLF (Support) + AF (Attack) | Simple, strong defensively and on counters

4-3-3 (DM wide) | DM (Defend), CM (Support), CM/Mezzala (Attack), IF (Attack) x2, CF/AF | Possession and pressing

Principles that matter more than formation:

• Balance duties — not every player on Attack duty; keep at least a couple of players on Defend.
• Mentality determines risk — Balanced or Positive is a safe default; go Defensive to protect leads.
• One change at a time — you can't learn what works if you change five things together.
• Familiarity — new tactics take time to learn; stick with one or two.

In-match management

• Watch the first 15–20 minutes. If the opponent overloads a flank, move a winger back or switch a fullback to Defend.
• Use Shouts sparingly (e.g., "Demand More", "Encourage") based on the team's body language.
• Make substitutions around 60–70 minutes for tired players (check condition and sharpness).
• Protect leads by lowering mentality and adding a DM or a defensive fullback.

Training and Player Development

• Training schedule: Your coaches can manage it, or you can build weekly schedules focusing on match preparation, tactics, attacking/defending, and recovery.
• Individual training: Assign a role and an additional focus (e.g., "Finishing", "Quickness") to help a player develop specific attributes.
• Match time is key for young players' growth. Use loans and the reserve/youth teams via the Development Centre.
• Mentoring: group young players with experienced, determined professionals to improve personality traits.
• Injury risk: Check the medical centre's injury risk ratings and rest players marked high risk.

Understanding player quality

• Current Ability (CA) and Potential Ability (PA) are hidden; staff give star ratings based on their judging ability. Better scouts/coaches = more accurate stars.
• Attributes are rated from 1 to 20. Look at role-relevant attributes, not the overall star rating alone.

Scouting and Transfers

• Scouting packages cost money and determine how much of the world your scouts can see. Upgrade when your budget allows.
• Scouting assignments: send scouts to specific regions or competitions, with filters (age, position, potential).
• Recommendations are sorted by staff opinion; check the full scout report ("pros/cons") before bidding.
• Negotiation: Include instalments, sell-on percentages and add-ons to fit budgets. Agents want signing-on fees and wages.
• Free agents and loans: best early value for smaller clubs.
• Selling: Players with rising value and one or two years left on contracts are prime sell candidates.

Popular young targets in the FM20 database

FM20 players often target young talents who were breaking through in 2019, such as Ansu Fati, Erling Haaland, Jadon Sancho, Kai Havertz, João Félix, Eduardo Camavinga, Rodrygo and Mason Greenwood. Their growth varies per save, so scout them yourself.

Finances

• Wage budget is the real constraint. Long contracts with high wages to aging players will cripple you.
• Transfer budget can be adjusted by moving money between transfer and wage budgets (Finances > Budget).
• Incomes: prize money, TV rights, sponsorships, gate receipts, player sales.
• Board requests: facilities upgrades, youth recruitment and training facilities improve long-term outcomes. Ask when the board is happy.

Dressing Room and Media

• Squad hierarchy and dynamics: keep team leaders and influential players happy; they shape the mood.
• Promises: playing time and signing promises are tracked; break them and morale drops.
• Team talks: be calm/assertive rather than aggressive by default; praise when the team plays well, demand more when they underperform.
• Press conferences: can be delegated to your Assistant. Answers affect players, the board and the fans.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overloading attack duties. Your defense collapses.
• Constantly changing tactics. Familiarity and results suffer.
• Ignoring the Club Vision. Boards will sack you even if results are good if the vision is ignored.
• Signing too many players at once — squad dynamics and wages suffer.
• Letting youth rot on the bench. They need minutes or loans.
• Promising Star Player status to players who won't get it.
• Neglecting staff: poor coaches slow development, poor scouts mislead you.

Advanced Tips

• Tactic analysis: use the Data Hub and after-match analysis to find where you concede (crosses, set pieces, through balls) and fix that specifically.
• Set pieces: design routines in the set pieces screen and assign takers with strong Corners, Free Kick Taking and Penalty Taking attributes.
• Opposition instructions: target weak-footed or slow players by closing down or tight marking.
• Affiliated clubs: use them to loan players and grow a pipeline.
• Youth intake: improve Youth Recruitment and Junior Coaching through board requests for better long-term intakes.
• Network games: FM20 supports network play (cross-play with Epic since 20.4.2); agree on save times and holiday rules with friends.

FAQ

Can I still buy FM20? Not on Steam — it's unlisted. If you already own it, it's still in your library.

Is FM20 worth playing today? Yes for its match engine and the new systems it introduced (Development Centre, Club Vision), but the database is from 2019/20. For current squads, play a newer edition.

What's the difference between FM20 and FM20 Touch? Touch is streamlined for faster seasons with fewer details. Steam buyers also got Touch for free.

How do I improve youth players? Give them minutes (loans or matches), assign an individual training focus, and pair them with good mentors.

What's the best tactic? Whatever fits your players and Club Vision. A 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 with balanced duties is the safest starting point.

Does FM20 have an in-game editor? Yes, it's a separate paid add-on (DLC) for FM20.

Sources

• Football Manager 2020 on Steam (store page and official announcements)
• FM20 20.4.2 update and 20.4.3/20.4.4 hotfix announcements (Steam news)
• Football Manager official site