Looking for the best teams to manage in FM27? These are our 12 picks, sorted by the kind of save you want: a rebuild, a lower-league climb, a big club with a trophy target, or a league most players never open. Every club and league fact below comes from Sports Interactive’s own FM27 pages (or its own FM26 club announcements, where we say so). The picks and the reasons for them are ours, not SI’s.
Football Manager 27 launches across platforms on 10 November. If you pre-purchase on PC/Mac, you can play the Launch Preview now, and SI says that save carries over into the full game. SI also warns that the preview data “may not accurately reflect real world data”, so a long-term save may be worth starting on launch day.
Table of Contents
Quick answer: FM27 best teams to manage by challenge
- Rebuild a giant: River Plate, Boca Juniors, or one of Portugal’s licensed big three (FC Porto, SL Benfica, Sporting CP).
- Lower-league climb: any club in the National League North or South, the Welsh Cymru North or South, Japan’s J3 League, or Denmark’s CampoBet 3. Division.
- Big club, big expectations: Brighton (Premier League plus the Conference League in 2026/27), OL Lyonnes (women’s game), or any of the 18 ROSHN Saudi League clubs.
- Unusual leagues: the Canadian Premier League (Daylight Offside trial), Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS, or Japan’s WE League.
- Bonus ideas: start unemployed, take an underdog nation like Curaçao, or test a squad in Shuffle Draft first.
All 12 picks at a glance
| Our pick | Save type | League or competition | FM27 licence (per SI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Plate | Rebuild | Argentina | Club licensed |
| Boca Juniors | Rebuild | Argentina | Club licensed |
| FC Porto, SL Benfica, Sporting CP | Rebuild / selling club | Portugal | Clubs licensed |
| National League North or South club | Lower-league climb | England (non-league) | Licensed |
| Cymru North or South club | Lower-league climb | Wales | Licensed, restructure added |
| J3 League club | Lower-league climb | Japan | Licensed (J1-J3) |
| CampoBet 3. Division club | Lower-league climb | Denmark | Licensed (four tiers) |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Big club | Premier League + UEFA Conference League | Licensed |
| OL Lyonnes | Big club (women’s) | Arkema Première Ligue | New licence in FM27 |
| Any ROSHN Saudi League club | Big club / unusual league | ROSHN Saudi League | New licence in FM27 |
| Canadian Premier League club | Unusual league | Canada | Licensed |
| Vancouver Whitecaps | Unusual league | Major League Soccer | Licensed |
Licence status comes from SI’s FM27 licences list (28 October). SI notes that the licensed experience “varies by platform and edition of FM27”, so console, Touch and Mobile may differ from PC.
FM27's Competitions overview puts several leagues side by side, handy when you're choosing where to start (development build). Image: Sports Interactive
Best FM27 teams for a rebuild
Our favourite rebuild saves are at famous clubs where you can build from youth and sell well. FM27 makes that loop more interesting in two ways. First, according to SI’s deeper world deep dive, young players now care a lot more about game time when they choose a move, and the “treat club as a stepping stone” promise carries more weight in contract talks. Second, sell-on fees now appear in Scout Reports, and AI clubs ask for more money for players who have one.
1. River Plate
SI calls River Plate “38-time national champions”. River was its first licensed Argentine club, added in November 2025 for FM26, and the club is on the FM27 licence list again. Argentina’s league itself is not licensed: only River and Boca are. Why it’s our pick: you’re expected to win the title, but you can build a real youth pipeline around the stepping-stone promise and sell to Europe at the right price.
2. Boca Juniors
Boca joined FM26 as a fully licensed club in a March 2026 update, and SI’s announcement calls them “35-time national champions”. Why it’s our pick: it’s the natural rival save to River. Run both in one save, or go with whichever side you want to see win the Superclásico.
3. FC Porto, SL Benfica or Sporting CP
In Portugal, SI licenses these three clubs by name. The Portuguese league is not on the list. Why they’re our pick: the classic FM selling-club save. You develop players, sell them abroad, and the new sell-on fee details show you which targets will cost extra.
Best FM27 teams for a lower-league climb
The FM27 change that matters most here is Tactical Complexity. SI’s training and tactical effectiveness deep dive says there’s now “a clear trade off” between complexity and ability, and that fluid football and relentless counter-pressing “may prove to be too complicated for those at a lower league level”. So a simple system may beat a copied elite tactic in the early seasons. Our FM27 tactics and formations guide explains how the gauges work.
Two other features help underdogs. Cup draws are back, and SI’s FAQ says lower-league managers can “closely follow the drama as you hope to draw a big team”. The stepping-stone promise is, in SI’s words, “fantastic if you’re building your way up the leagues”.
FM27's refined 2D match view. Simple systems suit lower-league squads under the new Tactical Complexity measure (development build). Image: Sports Interactive
4. A National League North or South club (England)
The National League licence includes the Enterprise National League North and South, the lowest English divisions on SI’s FM27 licence list. Why it’s our pick: it’s the longest climb you can make in England with licensed competitions, from regional non-league football to the Premier League.
5. A Cymru North or South club (Wales)
SI’s FM27 database notes list “the league restructures introduced in Northern Ireland and Wales”, and the licence list covers the Novira Cymru Premier, Cymru North, Cymru South and the JD Welsh Cup. Why it’s our pick: a new structure means even FM veterans can’t rely on old habits. The Northern Ireland pyramid (Premiership, Championship and NCL Premier, all licensed) is the alternative.
6. A J3 League club (Japan)
Japan’s J1, J2 and J3 Leagues are all licensed in FM27, along with the women’s WE League. Why it’s our pick: a full three-tier climb outside Europe, so your scouting network and transfer market will feel unfamiliar.
7. A CampoBet 3. Division club (Denmark)
SI licenses four Danish men’s tiers: the 3F Superliga, Betinia Liga, CampoBet 2. Division and CampoBet 3. Division. Why it’s our pick: four licensed tiers in a smaller football nation make for a compact climb, and it suits the “develop and sell” approach above.
Best FM27 big clubs and dynasty saves
8. Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton has been SI’s club partner for eight seasons running. SI’s October post says the club plays in the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and UEFA Conference League in 2026/27, at the American Express Stadium. Brighton is also the club SI used in its FM27 deep-dive screenshots. Why it’s our pick: it’s a good first save. You get European football from day one and the screens look like the ones in SI’s guides, and the big target is turning a Conference League side into a Champions League regular. New to FM? Start with our FM27 beginner’s guide.
9. OL Lyonnes
The Arkema Première Ligue, France’s top women’s division, is fully licensed for the first time in FM27. SI’s announcement says the league was founded in 1975, has been fully professional since 2024, and is home to “eight-time UEFA Women’s Champions League winners OL Lyonnes”. Why it’s our pick: it’s a dynasty save where anything less than Europe is a failure. FM27 also applies FIFA’s new women’s football staff mandate, which requires at least two female backroom staff, one of them as Head Coach or Assistant Coach, so plan your staff hires early.
10. Any ROSHN Saudi League club
The ROSHN Saudi League is FM27’s other new licence. According to SI, all 18 clubs have official logos, kits and player photos, and the league brings FM27 to 59 playable nations. SI names players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Joao Felix and Ivan Toney. The coaches it names for 2026-27 are Simone Inzaghi, Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou, and it says RSL clubs have won four of the past seven AFC Champions League titles. Why it’s our pick: star names in the squad and rival managers with big reputations make it a new kind of pressure job, and SI’s own AFC Champions League stat sets the bar.
Unusual leagues worth a save in FM27
11. A Canadian Premier League club
SI’s database deep dive says FM27 includes the Daylight Offside rule “being trialled in the Canadian Premier League this season”. The Pre-Game Editor can turn it off or add it to other competitions. Why it’s our pick: it’s the only FM27 league where the offside line itself works differently, so your forwards and defensive line need rethinking.
12. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS)
When SI signed Vancouver as its first MLS club partner in November 2025, its announcement said the club was founded in 1974 and is “the longest running professional soccer club in Canada or the United States”. Major League Soccer is licensed in FM27. Why it’s our pick: a historic club in a licensed league outside Europe, with the licensed Canadian Premier League as a natural second stop for a North American career.
Deadline Day returns as a bigger focus in FM27, with agent offers gathered in the Recruitment screen (development build). Image: Sports Interactive
Bonus FM27 save ideas
- Start unemployed (journeyman). SI says that in FM27 you can again view shortlists and the player database while unemployed, so you can plan your first job before taking it.
- Underdog international. SI ran an official Curaçao Challenge in FM26, noting that Curaçao is the smallest nation by population and land area ever to reach a World Cup. FM27 adds training plans during international camps.
- Pick your favourite clubs first. FM27 lets you set up to four favourite clubs before your career starts.
- Test before you sign. Shuffle Draft lets you draft from sets such as “Lower League Legends”, “Wonderkids” and “Veterans”. SI pitches it as a way to see how players fit before spending your transfer budget. Our FM27 wonderkids list is a good place to find targets.
How to choose your FM27 save
- Decide your timeline. Want trophies in season one? Take Brighton, OL Lyonnes or an RSL club. Happy to wait 10 seasons? Go to the National League North or South.
- Check your platform. Licences vary by platform and edition. On console, see our FM27 Console guide. On a phone, see our FM27 Mobile release guide.
- Match the tactic to the level. In the lower leagues, keep Tactical Complexity low until your squad’s Tactical Understanding improves.
- Decide when to start. Launch Preview saves carry over, but SI warns that some preview data and assets may change. Our Launch Preview guide covers access, and the FM27 new features rundown covers what’s changed.
FAQ
What is the best team to manage in FM27?
It depends on the challenge you want. For a first save, our pick is Brighton: a Premier League club with European football in 2026/27, per SI. For a long climb, pick a National League North or South club. For something new, try the newly licensed ROSHN Saudi League or Arkema Première Ligue.
Which leagues are new in FM27?
SI’s FM27 licence list marks two new licensed leagues: the Arkema Première Ligue (French women’s top division) and the ROSHN Saudi League. SI says the Saudi licence brings FM27 to 59 playable nations.
Is the Saudi Pro League in FM27?
Yes. The ROSHN Saudi League is fully licensed in FM27, with all 18 clubs shown with official logos, kits and player photos, per SI’s 27 October announcement.
Are FM27 lower-league saves harder?
SI says complex styles such as relentless counter-pressing “may prove to be too complicated” for lower-league squads, thanks to the new Tactical Complexity measure. In practice, that means simpler systems early on and more complex ones as your players improve.
Will my FM27 Launch Preview save carry over?
Yes. SI says every tactic, training session and touchline decision from the Launch Preview carries over into the full game on 10 November, including saves from the free 29 October to 3 November period once you pre-purchase.
Sources: Sports Interactive: FM27 licences, ROSHN Saudi League, Arkema Première Ligue, Brighton partnership, River Plate, Boca Juniors, Vancouver Whitecaps, Curaçao Challenge, deep dives on the deeper world, Tactical Effectiveness, database and world upgrades, Shuffle Draft, manager personalisation and pre-purchase and Launch Preview. Pages read 6 November 2026. Team picks and reasons are GamingRoute’s own.
Live: Follow today’s gaming news as it happens
Featured image: AI-generated illustration
