The FIFAe World Cup featuring Football Manager is designed to highlight all aspects of Football Manager and requires players to experience the thrill of managing a football team under pressure in their unique style.

The format ensures a fair and exciting competition for the 20 players representing 19 different FIFA member associations.

Like any manager, each set of players will hold official press conferences and interviews, addressing media and community feedback, tackling all challenges that involve being a manager.

Structure of the competition

Group Stage

The group stage features 20 players nominated by various Member Associations, including two from the host country. Each player manages the same club in groups of five, focusing on long-term strategy over multiple seasons. Players are ranked based on league position, cup progress, and managerial ratings, with identical setups ensuring equal starting conditions.

In total, 20 managers and 20 assistant managers were distributed into four groups: Group A assigned to manage Yokohama F. Marinos, Group B assigned to manage Brighton & Hove Albion, Group C assigned to manage Sporting CP, and Group D assigned to manage Dinamo Zagreb.

The group stage is distributed throughout the competition in the following way:

Day 1 (Pre-Season): On 28 August, players configure their clubs and prepare for the first matchday.

Day 2 (Season 1): On 29 August, players complete the first season across three sessions.

Day 3 (Season 2): On 30 August, the second season follows the same structure.

Day 4 (Season 3): On 31 August, the third season concludes and the top managers of each group advances to the knockout stage.

Knockout Stage

On Day 5 (Final Day), the qualified managers use the Football Manager’s Fantasy Draft mode to put their tactical skills to the test. The winners of each group will compete in an online Fantasy Draft format, drafting up to 25 new in-game players for their final-day squad.

One draft pool and the same available budget, set by FIFA, will apply to all finalists and will be revealed to them before the one and only draft session for all final matchups. Upon the draft, players will be given some time to analyze the squad they have acquired and adjust their tactics.

The day will feature two two-legged semifinals, with the winners advancing to the two-legged final to determine the FIFAe World Champion featuring Football Manager.

Prize pool

Players compete to win their share of USD 100,000 in prize pool.