It's that time of the year once more, and we're positively thrilled about the prospect of learning about Football Manager 2022 new features. Who isn't? Though the pickings are rather slim as of early August, there are bits and pieces we can use to talk about the game early.

Now, you may be wondering why would we be jumping onto the hype train so early, but the simple truth is that the team here at 2Game is hugely into Football Manager. We even share a similar color scheme, when you think about it! All jokes aside, though, FM is one of our favorite yearly projects. We're particularly keen on how Sports Interactive has evolved the franchise over the years. This is one of the finest examples of methodical seasonal improvement in video gaming at large, and we ought to celebrate that.

Besides, we've also got a bit of a background in supporting FM and its community, so it makes sense for us to get started with this task early. Down below, you'll find all the info about the new Football Manager 2022 information we could find. Enjoy!

Football Manager 2022 Release Date

Of course, we're still pretty far away from an official announcement as to when FM2022 might be coming out, but we do have an idea of when it's supposed to happen. For years now, new Football Manager titles have been coming out in November. We're reasonably sure we'll see the tradition continue in 2022, too.

Now, the more interesting part of this particular topic might be the Beta. As you may or may not know, FM2021 received an early access build via Beta access. It's not an overly early version of the game, either. Last year, we got the Beta early in November, while the game launched some two weeks later - on November 23rd. So, it's entirely possible that we'll get two weeks' worth of early access. Do note that the Beta was limited to pre-purchase owners, too, so you may want to check in with 2Game every so often to snag it - at a discount.

Football Manager 2022 New Features & Changes

Some of the pre-announcements are very exciting, including the advanced match engine and new data hub, others sadly enough, refer to problems in licensing, and a delay in adding women's football to the game. Let's get the issues out of the way before we move on to the good stuff!

Licensing Issues with FM 22

According to sources, Manchester United will not be technically present in FM2022. This is due to a recent legal agreement between Manchester United and SEGA, who have agreed to stop using the specific 'Manchester United' branding in Football Manager moving forward. Instead, the game will feature Manchester UFC/Man UFC, which will basically be the equivalent to the real-world Manchester U.

Regrettably, there's certainly precedent for this in Football Manager. Juventus, for example, is going by the name of 'Zebre', and a wealth of existing football players had to have their names changed to appear in the game. Sadly, trademark disputes are a serious threat nowadays, and FM is not immune to them.

In 2021, licenses are strewn across virtually all major football games. That means eFootball (i.e. PES), FIFA, We Are Football, and Football Manager all have to fight to get access to genuine naming conventions. A stiff deal for smaller developers, for sure.

Female Football Teams might not make it into FM2022, either

According to Sports Interactive, introducing women's football is a major consideration for the future: "When we do it, we’ll do it properly," explained one of their recent blog posts. Though this massive expansion of the sport - and one that's been a long time coming - won't make it into Football Manager 2022, it's going to happen. Eventually.

"What I haven’t said, because we tend to keep our plans under wraps, is that we’ve been working on women’s football in the background for some time now," said the blog. "There’s no hiding that there’s currently a glass ceiling for women’s football and we want to do what we can to help smash through it. We believe in equality for all and we want to be part of the solution."

An admirable goal! And an expensive one, to boot, as Sports Interactive knows that this is going to cost millions of dollars for potentially small immediate returns. Regardless, they're eager to continue: "Rest assured that our plan is to make this happen as soon as we possibly can, whilst ensuring that you are still getting all the features you’d expect from new versions of FM."

New FM 22 Data Hub

One of the most intelligent and advanced features we've seen in the Football Manager series, the new Data Hub is set to become a wonderful addition to the franchise. Essentially 'painting a picture' of match data across matches, the data hub will provide valuable information to help players with their tactics, as well as their player development.

Improvements to the FM Match Engine

Last year, AI improvements were mainly about decision-making to make the action feel more unpredictable and fluid. This year, we are set to experience a brand-new match engine!

With improvements to animations, dribbling, and control features, gone are the days of players barely touching the ball. Rather, you'll now be able to see the natural twisting and turning of players to make the game look that much more realistic.

The new match engine will also improve accuracy, as well as inaccuracy. That is to say, when playing down in the lower leagues, the new engine will ensure a more realistic feel of jeopardy and poor play to differentiate the weaker teams from the teams at the top.

Oh, and with FM 22, the same old boring 'plug-and-play Gengenpress system' will be a thing of the past. Yes, calling all wannabe Peps, this is your chance to adopt your own tactical style and put your pressing tactics to the test. What will your defensive line look like, and what will it take to gain the winning edge?!

PC System Requirements: Will it Run FM 2022?

Historically, Football Manager has never relied too much on graphics to engage and immerse players. This might sound less than ideal when cutting-edge sports releases keep pushing the envelope with advanced visuals, but it's really not. Football Manager games all work on virtually anything, from ancient low-spec machines of yesteryear to the most powerful rigs imaginable. If it runs Windows, chances are that it's going to run Football Manager 2022, too. As a stellar example, let's check out FM21's minimum system spec:

• OS: Windows 7 64-bit
• CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo / AMD Athlon 64
• GPU: Intel GMA X4500 / Nvidia GeForce GT 9600M / ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 (256 MB of VRAM minimum)
• DirectX 11 compliant hardware
• 7 GB of available storage space

That's as tame as tame gets in 2021, is it not? So, while we've got virtually no idea on what graphical improvements may or may not make their way into FM22, we're 100% positive that any old PC will run the game perfectly fine, this way or the other.

Final Remarks

It's still pretty early to be talking about Football Manager 2022, for sure. Regardless, we hope that this short overview helps set the stage for the franchise's next step forward. There's a reason why this football management series has become a bit of a cultural lodestone over the past decade or so. The football community uses it as a one-of-a-kind platform for both gaming and socializing. Indeed, no other football title has come even close to creating a community of lovers of the beautiful game that is so incredibly tight-knit.

If you'd like to get the latest scoop on how FM2022 might be coming along, be sure to check in with this article every so often. We'll push out updates from SEGA and Sports Interactive as soon as we get them.

On that note, if you'd like to play FM21 while you wait, now may well be the time to do so! 2Game has got some massive discounts dropping in, giving everyone the opportunity to join in on the hype as we wait for November. It's really not that long of a stretch, now. Have fun!