How to play Football Manager 2024: A beginner’s guide to FM24

Football Manager 2024 rookie? Exciting, isn't it? We remember our first time playing FM, too.

It's also a bit nerve-wracking in a weird kind of way – there aren't many computer games in which you can, you know, get the sack. But fear not! FourFourTwo has your back.

We've put together five handy tips to get you up and running as a Football Manager beginner...

1. Stick to the familiar

If you're just getting started with Football Manager, it might be a good idea to pick a team you know well.

That might be the one you support; it might be another side you've taken a fancy to; but there's a lot to be said for comfort in familiarity. Even if you just choose someone like Barcelona to manage before you get used to the game properly, it can be helpful for you to get a grip of FM properly before expanding out to manage Tokyo FC or someone…

2. Don't rush!

Football Manager can be an immensely rewarding game to play – even more so if you take your time doing so.

Put it this way: even if you only get through two fixtures a day as manager of a Premier League team, you're still going to finish the season in a matter of weeks – in a game that only comes out once every 12 months!

3. Keep it simple

Football Manager provides all manner of possibilities in terms of tactics – but you might want to steer clear of more complex systems at the outset.

There's plenty of time for radical innovation later, but it's wise to get to grips with the tactical side of the game by adopting a relatively simple philosophy at first (although that can still be route one; possession play; whatever you want it to be, within reason!)

4. Remember it's a team game

It rather goes without saying that Football Manager is about managing a team – but there's plenty more to it than that, with a plethora of staff to assist you.

They range from assistant coaches to scouts, and each of them can be an invaluable asset in your quest for success – so it's well worth taking a bit of time to organise them and optimise their various skill sets.

5. Follow the tutorials

We get it: you've fired up Football Manager for the first time and you're itching to get started – but the in-game tutorials can really help you get the most out of your FM experience.

It might be tempting to skip them, but taking the time to go through them pays off – believe us!

More Football Manager 2024 stories

The Football Manager 2024 beta is out now. New features have beeen teased ahead of the game's drop. Netflix is set to carry the game, while FFT's list of the wonderkids to watch out for is also out already.

Miles Jacobson of Sports Interactive, the team behind FM, has spoken to FFT about the introduction of the Japanese J-League, how realistic the Saudi Pro League is in the new game and how set pieces have improved – he's also revealed that the FM team are constantly playing catchup to the great Pep Guardiola.

We also have a list of the best teams to play as in FM24 and a surefire way to pick the perfect underdog, along with a list of cheats – we also have a guide to every tactical role in the game.