Games like Football Manager 2021

The Squirrel's verdictBoth cover club management: transfers, contracts, facility upgrades, squad building across seasons. FTG replaces FM's simulated matches with turn-based tactical play you control directly, more like a tactics-RPG than a spreadsheet sim. Priced at $24.99, Very Positive rating. Suits players who want hands-on control of matches rather than watching a match engine resolve them.

Not for you if you want realistic football simulation rather than turn-based tactical combat wearing a football skin.

The Squirrel's verdictNew Star Manager suits players who want football management decisions without FM's scouting spreadsheets and staff micromanagement. Its card-based system and mini-games keep the core loop of squad building, board pressure, and tactics while running at a lighter pace. Priced at $19.99 with a Very Positive rating, median playtime is around 48 hours. Reviewers note success depends on both card luck and strategic thinking.

Not for you if you want FM's full scouting depth, staff management, and league-wide statistical granularity.

The Squirrel's verdictWE ARE FOOTBALL 2024 adds stadium construction and an editor with Steam Workshop mod support to the familiar club-management cycle of transfers, training, and multi-season play. Priced at $39.99 with a Very Positive rating and around 61 hours median playtime, it suits players who want broader club-building scope — including off-pitch infrastructure — alongside a more visual interface than FM's data-heavy layout.

Not for you if you rely on detailed transfer negotiations or expect tactical granularity at FM's level, since player fee negotiations are widely flagged as basic.

The Squirrel's verdictWE ARE FOOTBALL covers transfers, squad building, and multi-season club management, but match presentation shows only the ball carrier rather than full team shape, and key decisions arrive as timed multiple-choice prompts. Median playtime runs around 58 hours at $24.99. It fits players who prioritize the off-pitch club-building cycle over detailed match-day tactical control.

Not for you if you rely on watching full pitch movement and tactical shape during matches to evaluate your team's structure.

The Squirrel's verdictSoccer Manager 2026 is free, includes real player names, and covers squad management, tactics, and match simulation in a format derived from its mobile version. Agent fees require gold-bar microtransaction currency, and there is no option to skip matches and receive only the result. Median playtime is around 17 hours. It fits players who want a no-cost, low-commitment management sim and can tolerate mobile-style monetization.

Not for you if you want FM's tactical depth, a match-skip option, or a PC-native interface free of mobile-derived microtransactions.

The Squirrel's verdictSoccer Manager 2019 covers contracts, training, tactics, and licensed clubs and players, but trims the depth FM players expect. Reviewers report simplified transfer market information and fewer advanced features than FM. Median playtime sits around 27 hours. It fits players who want a faster, lighter management experience rather than a season-long commitment.

Not for you if you rely on FM's depth of features, since multiple reviewers report scripted match outcomes that repeat across different teams and saves.

The Squirrel's verdictFM Touch 2018 cuts micromanagement for speed: fewer menus, faster seasons, and a streamlined interface compared to the full FM experience. Median playtime sits around 176 hours. Reviewers describe it as the right middle ground between FM Mobile's brevity and the full game's granular systems. It fits players who find the complete simulation exhausting but want more depth than a mobile management game provides.

Not for you if you want the full depth of FM21's staff roles, training detail, and text commentary, since Touch deliberately removes those layers.