1
Squirrel's Pick Squirrel's PickThe best game on this page. If you only try one, try this. Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say.
SportsFootball (Soccer)Football (American)
~447.6 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 93.5% of 24k
The Squirrel's verdictFM2021 carries the same management depth the series is known for — transfers, training, tactics, squad development — but at a steeper learning curve than WE ARE FOOTBALL. It added xG tracking and refinements reviewers who skipped earlier entries noticed positively. Median playtime is 448 hours. The editor and workshop mods that make WE ARE FOOTBALL easy to customize are absent here.
Not for you if you found WE ARE FOOTBALL's interface manageable and don't want to navigate a denser, spreadsheet-heavy system with a steep initial learning curve.
2
SportsFootball (Soccer)Football (American)
~437.9 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 92.6% of 22k
The Squirrel's verdictDepth in squad management, contracts, and league simulation is what FM2022 offers over WE ARE FOOTBALL, with reviewers logging a median of 438 hours. The trade-off is the loss of stadium building and workshop mod support, plus reviewer complaints that the match engine and yearly formula have stayed static across multiple entries. Players who want more simulation beneath the surface will find it here.
Not for you if you want stadium construction, workshop mods, or meaningful year-to-year changes — reviewers consistently say the match engine has not materially evolved.
3
Football Manager 2024
PCMac
SportsFootball (Soccer)Economy
~508.7 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 91.6% of 28k
The Squirrel's verdictFM2024 is the deepest entry in this comparison, with a median playtime of 509 hours and systems covering contracts, scouting, and squad dynamics in more detail than WE ARE FOOTBALL. Reviewers praise the menus and management layer while pointing to the match engine as the one area the newer FM2026 improves on. Stadium building and mod-friendly editing tools are not part of the package.
Not for you if you prioritize a cleaner interface, a bundled editor, or stadium management over deep contract, scouting, and squad-dynamics systems.
4
SportsFootball (Soccer)Real Time Tactics
~400.7 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 89.9% of 20k
The Squirrel's verdictFM2023 offers a licensed database, granular scouting, and squad-planning tools that go further than WE ARE FOOTBALL's systems. Median playtime is 401 hours. Reviewers are split: some call it one of the least-progressed entries in a decade; others say it's a solid entry point for newcomers. The editor costs extra and is not bundled, unlike WE ARE FOOTBALL's included tools.
Not for you if you want a bundled editor, workshop mod support, or stadium management rather than a deeper licensed database and scouting system.
5
SportsFootball (Soccer)Football (American)
~484.5 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 89.3% of 32k
The Squirrel's verdictFM2020 runs the same management pillars — scouting, transfers, tactics, board expectations — but at a depth WE ARE FOOTBALL doesn't match. Reviewers flag a match engine they say went backwards, with over-reliance on crosses, rare through-balls, and inconsistent AI behavior. Median playtime is around 485 hours, which points to the kind of long-term engagement the game is built around.
Not for you if you want stadium management, a cleaner interface, or a match engine reviewers don't describe as having regressed from prior entries.
6
SportsFootball (Soccer)Football (American)
~487.1 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 86.8% of 12k
The Squirrel's verdictFM2019 sits closer to a full management simulation than WE ARE FOOTBALL, with a reworked training model and a more flexible tactical system reviewers call the best in the series at that point. The match engine draws consistent criticism for blocked crosses and unreliable finishing. Median playtime is 487 hours. Players who want more tactical granularity than WE ARE FOOTBALL provides will find it here.
Not for you if you want stadium construction, workshop-editable rosters, or a match engine free from recurring complaints about blocked crosses and poor finishing.
7
Budget Pick Budget PickThe best game here for the least money.
SportsFootball (Soccer)RPG
$19.99 ~47.7 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 87.4% of 522
The Squirrel's verdictBoth put you in a manager's chair with transfers, training, and squad decisions, but New Star Manager strips the spreadsheet-heavy granularity WE ARE FOOTBALL leans on, replacing deep negotiation systems with a card-based, mouse-driven interface and lighter tactical layer. Suits players who found WE ARE FOOTBALL's depth appealing in theory but want faster, more arcade-paced matches.
Not for you if you want detailed transfer negotiations and deep tactical granularity rather than a simplified, mouse-controlled arcade approach to management.
8
Football Manager 2017
PCMacLinux
SportsFootball (Soccer)Football (American)
~355.5 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 59.6% of 11k
The Squirrel's verdictFootball Manager 2017 covers the same ground as WE ARE FOOTBALL — transfers, training, tactics, and multi-season progression — but through a data-dense interface that experienced FM players already know. Median playtime reaches 355 hours. Reviewers describe the match engine as carrying over unresolved crossing and aerial-threat problems from FM16, and many call the yearly entry little more than a roster update.
Not for you if you want noticeable year-on-year improvements; reviewers widely describe FM2017 as a minor update with persistent match-engine bugs.