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“If this game flops…”: A rollercoaster ride with FM26

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“If this game flops…”: A rollercoaster ride with FM26

Football Manager 26 is about to be released in beta—which makes boss Miles Jacobson “both very excited and nervous.” Because he and his team cannot afford to fail.

It was like a big bang in the community when Sports Interactive announced in February that FM25 was being discontinued. For the first time, the developer had to deviate from its annual release cycle—the switch to the Unity Engine proved too much of a challenge. As a result, there is now a lot of pressure on Football Manager 26. The beta version of FM26 will be released on Thursday—and it’s already causing Miles Jacobson’s emotions to run high. In an interview with FM.Zweierkette, the studio director of Sports Interactive rates his emotional state on a scale of 1 to 10: “Today I’ve already been at 2, 5, 8, and 10. Right now, I’m probably around 7.”

Between 2 and 10: “Life is a rollercoaster”

Jacobson gives the confirmation of the FIFA partnership, which also includes the license for the 2026 World Cup, a positive maximum rating of 10. “But there was also a bug this morning that we thought had been fixed, but it came back—that was a 2 moment,” says the FM boss, explaining the downside of the current pre-release phase.

Jacobson uses the 2000 hit “Life is a Rollercoaster” by Boyzone singer Ronan Keating as a metaphor.

He says he is “both very excited and nervous” about the release of the beta. That’s because Football Manager 26 is “not a sequel to FM24” – rather, it can be thought of “as a reboot.” According to Jacobson, “everything has changed.” This could pose some hurdles for experienced and passionate players at the beginning.

Fans “who play 500, 600, or 1,000 hours a year” would need “significantly longer to familiarize themselves with the user interface. Because they have to forget everything they know.” While previous Football Manager games were designed more for absolute experts, the new FM26 will be more beginner-friendly.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” decides

Despite strong pre-order numbers, this could have a negative impact on financial success. And consequently on the future of the series. “At the end of the day, our studio belongs to SEGA – so Sonic the Hedgehog decides, not me,” explains Jacobson. “If this game flops, Sonic will be angry with me—and then that might be it.”

Because: “If we don’t sell anything, there probably won’t be an FM27, right?” he suggests. It’s a grim scenario, but one that the studio director himself doesn’t consider too realistic: “I think the game is really good.” If die-hard fans of the previous installments give FM26 a chance, they’ll recognize that too.

Jacobson raves about “FMPedia”

In addition to the Unity Engine and many major changes, small details are also intended to ensure the success of the new Football Manager. “The way the ‘back’ and ‘forward’ arrows work, i.e., the navigation keys, is really important and well done,” reports Jacobson. The Football Manager creator also raves about “FMPedia.”

“FMPedia means that you can no longer just search for players or clubs in the search bar. For example, you can enter ‘tactics’ or ‘scouting’ and get a description of what that is—plus links to the corresponding screens in the game,” says Jacobson. A “central point of contact for the game and the game world.”

“Discussion over”: Ferrari team boss Vasseur welcomes Elkann’s message

Andrew Jackson
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“Discussion over”: Ferrari team boss Vasseur welcomes Elkann’s message

Rumors of former team boss Christian Horner moving to Ferrari persist—Fred Vasseur explains President John Elkann’s statement on the matter

The latest rumors that former Red Bull team boss Christian Horner could move to Ferrari have also caused a stir at Scuderia: Lewis Hamilton is annoyed about it, but Ferrari president John Elkann has clearly backed current team boss Fred Vasseur.

How did the Frenchman react to the backing? “Honestly, I think it’s good for everyone to get news like this,” says Vasseur. “But since we are in constant contact, we already had the message—it was more intended for third parties and external audiences.”

Specifically, this means that with his official statement on Vasseur, Elkann wanted to make it clear to the public that there are no changes to the current lineup at Ferrari and that all rumors about a possible move by Horner are untrue.

“It’s important because it puts an end to the discussion and allows us to focus on the next one, instead of answering all the questions about it,” adds Vasseur, whose future has been called into question more than once this season. The Frenchman was already under criticism in the first half of the season.

New contract for Vasseur with moderate success

At the end of July, the contract with the current Ferrari team boss was extended to put an end to the rumors once and for all. However, this strategy by the Italians was not entirely successful: speculation about Christian Horner continues unabated.

“It distracts us a little as a team,” says Hamilton, who has known Vasseur for a long time. “Of course, the team has made it clear where it stands on Fred’s contract extension, and Fred, myself, and the entire team are working hard on the future of the team. So things like this are obviously not helpful.”

“I know that everyone at the factory is working incredibly hard and is focused, and rumors like this can sometimes be distracting.” Let’s hope that Elkann’s latest clarification will finally bring some calm—and that Ferrari can once again concentrate fully on its performance on the track.

Mielke’s replacement has been confirmed: Tobias Schimon will be the new commentator at ProSieben

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Mielke’s replacement has been confirmed: Tobias Schimon will be the new commentator at ProSieben

Following the departure of DTM commentator “Eddie” Mielke, his successor for 2026 has already been confirmed: Tobias Schimon will take over – why his voice is not unfamiliar

A few days ago, it was announced that Edgar “Eddie” Mielke will no longer be commentating on the DTM on ProSieben and ran.de next year. Now it has been confirmed who will be taking over from him: Tobias Schimon will be the new voice of DTM broadcasts!

The 40-year-old from Nuremberg is no stranger to the DTM, however: Schimon already commentated on the race at the Norisring in the 2024 season because Mielke was unable to attend due to the MotoGP weekend taking place at the Sachsenring at the same time. He received a lot of praise for his work.

Schimon, who wanted to work in television even as a child, started his career as an intern at Sport1 and in the ran editorial office. Born in Franconia, he now commentates on other sports for various broadcasters and is a fixture in motorsport.

Among other things, the TV journalist is responsible for pre- and post-race reports in the DTM and hosts DTM Fan TV directly at the race track. In the past, he has also commentated on Formula 3, Audi TT Cup, and ADAC GT Masters races.

Schimon “at almost every DTM race since 2011”

There is no doubt about his expertise and experience: “Since 2011, I have been on site at almost every DTM race in various professional capacities,” says Schimon. “Now, to be a commentator for my beloved DTM on ‘ran Racing’ is a great honor. From intern to commentator. Thank you to ProSieben for their trust.”

“First of all, of course, a big thank you to Eddie Mielke for his extraordinary commitment over the past few years,” says ProSiebenSat.1 sports director Gernot Bauer about Mielke, who had been commentating on the DTM since 2018. “Starting with the upcoming DTM season, we want to consciously take a younger path with a new voice.”

“Tobias Schimon is the perfect choice for this generational change,” adds Bauer, who particularly emphasizes the new commentator’s background: “I’m all the more pleased because Tobi is another colleague who started out as an intern in the ‘ran’ editorial department and is now moving up to the front row.”

Is Aprilia on its way to becoming number 1? Here’s what riders and competitors have to say

Sports Of The Day
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Is Aprilia on its way to becoming number 1? Here’s what riders and competitors have to say

Aprilia scores with Bezzecchi and Fernandez: The RS-GP seems to be putting Ducati under serious pressure – has Noale now reached the top of MotoGP?

After recent strong weekends for Marco Bezzecchi and Raul Fernandez, who celebrated his maiden victory in Australia, the question arises: Is Aprilia currently the benchmark in MotoGP? While Ducati is struggling without Marc Marquez, the RS-GP is more competitive than ever.

Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola sees his team’s recent form as the result of hard work in Noale. “I think the bike is competitive,” he says. “On fast tracks, it can now be considered the benchmark. We’re not yet the benchmark on stop-and-go tracks, but we’re nowhere near as far off as we used to be.”

Rivola expressly praises the work of Fabiano Sterlacchini’s technical team: ” The bike has improved significantly overall, and we owe that to Fabiano and the people in Noale. I’m very proud of what they’re doing.“

However, the Aprilia CEO is not yet willing to confirm that Aprilia is competitive on every track. ”I’m very curious to see how we do in Sepang. It’s a very complete track where we’ve never really been strong before. If we perform well there, it will show that our growth is real.“

At the same time, he warns against too much euphoria: ”I can’t say that we’re super fast now just because we’ve had two good weekends. After all, it was Fermin who won in Indonesia, not Raul like here.“ Nevertheless, he emphasizes that Bezzecchi was ”by far the fastest on the track” recently.

Savadori: “We are developing in the right direction”

Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori, who has recently been competing regularly as a substitute rider, is also satisfied with the form curve. “I’m really happy with Marco and Raul’s results,” he says, looking back on the weekend in Australia.

The current third-placed rider in the world championship cites the stability of the RS-GP as the biggest improvement: “That was my biggest problem at the start of the season. Now I can brake as hard as I did a few years ago. That gives me enormous confidence.”

“My own results are secondary because I’m here to develop the bike—and we’re doing that in the right direction,” he emphasizes his own role.

He particularly stresses the value of development work on race weekends: “When you have four bikes on the track at the same time, you have a lot more comparative data. The conditions are identical, and that helps enormously.“

”We have taken advantage of this situation and perhaps made greater progress than in private tests,“ explains Savadori. He particularly highlights the efforts of the Aprilia engineers: ”Everyone in Noale is working extremely hard to bring something new to every race and further improve the bike.”

Bezzecchi: “I feel really comfortable with the RS-GP”

Bezzecchi, who is currently spearheading Aprilia’s efforts, does not want to jump to conclusions, however. When asked whether Aprilia is already on a par with Ducati, he replies: “I don’t know. I don’t ride a Ducati, so I can’t make a comparison. But I feel really comfortable with my bike at the moment.“

The engineers are doing ”a wonderful job.“ ”Of course, there are tracks where the characteristics of the bike are a perfect fit, and others where the field is closer together. But overall, we are making great progress,” said Bezzecchi.

“Getting closer and closer”: Ducati feels the heat from Noale

The competition is also taking note of Aprilia’s performance. Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46-Ducati), who was Fernandez’s closest rival in second place in Australia, sees the brand as a growing threat.

“We knew Ducati had a lead, but now Aprilia is getting closer and closer – or maybe it’s already ahead. Yamaha has also improved a lot,” he analyzed. Ducati must continue to work hard “to maintain its small lead” and “work on the 26 Ducati to increase the gap again.”

Pol Espargaro, Tech3-KTM’s replacement rider at Phillip Island, on the other hand, is pleased with the change in the balance of power and attributes it primarily to the concessions.

“It’s nice to see Honda getting faster again, Yamaha getting closer, and some Ducati riders having to fight. This diversity is fantastic. It shows that all the teams’ hard work is finally paying off again,” says the KTM test rider. Whether Aprilia really has the best bike will only become clear on all-round tracks such as Sepang or Valencia. But one thing is certain: Ducati is feeling serious pressure for the first time in years – and this season, that pressure is clearly coming from Noale.

Hyundai and WRC27: “The train has left the station for a completely new car”

Jeffrey Gooding
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Hyundai and WRC27: “The train has left the station for a completely new car”

Will Hyundai continue to compete in the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2027? If so, only a modified Rally2 car will be eligible for use.

Hyundai could only continue its participation in the World Rally Championship (WRC) from 2027 onwards if the manufacturer uses an upgraded Rally2 version of the i20 N. Team boss Cyril Abiteboul confirmed this to Autosport,

“We have a Rally2 car and I hope that rallying doesn’t become a one-make series. That’s why existing Rally2 cars will play a role,” said Abiteboul last week on the sidelines of Rally Central Europe.

The Korean manufacturer’s future in the WRC beyond the current season had been unclear until now. Hyundai is currently reviewing its long-term motorsport strategy and evaluating various options for future factory entries, including against the backdrop of its entry into the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with its Genesis sub-brand. Abiteboul emphasized that developing a completely new vehicle in accordance with the planned regulations for 2027 would not be feasible. Instead, Hyundai could remain in the championship by further developing its existing Rally2 vehicle. The new technical regulations, which are to apply from 2027, stipulate a cost limit of €345,000. The vehicles are to have around 300 hp and be based on a space frame with components from the Rally2 category.
According to the FIA, the new WRC27 cars will offer similar performance to current Rally2 vehicles.
“Train for a completely new car has left the station”

To ensure a full starting grid, the WRC27 cars will compete alongside Rally2 vehicles in the top class.
This should give manufacturers and teams additional flexibility. However, Abiteboul explained that Hyundai needs clear assurances from the FIA to ensure that Rally2 cars can compete with the new WRC27 cars. At the moment, Toyota is the only current manufacturer working on a completely new car for 2027.
“Many things are unclear at the moment. Will it be the same category or a different classification? How do we balance the performance between the new rally car and the Rally2 cars?” asks Abiteboul. “Once we have clarity, we can finalize our plans and, if necessary, push ahead with further development of our Rally2 car to ensure it is competitive under the new rules.”

Abiteboul hinted that Hyundai only has a few weeks left to make a decision. “With the new technical regulations, the train has probably left the station for a completely new car, but an updated Rally2 specification for 2027 is still possible,” he said.

FIA responds to concerns about competitiveness

Xavier Mestelen Pinon, technical director of the FIA, the world motorsport governing body, assured that the two regulations—WRC27 and Rally2—are closely aligned and that the cars should achieve a similar level of performance. However, a Balance of Performance (BoP) system, such as that used in the WEC, is not planned for the WRC. “Ultimately, both regulations should enable manufacturers to achieve the same level of performance,” said Mestelen Pinon. “If we were to talk about Balance of Performance, that would be the end of our championship. We must avoid this discussion.”

Instead, the FIA wants to equalize factors such as downforce and the weight-to-power ratio. If tests show that a vehicle has a significant advantage, the FIA could adjust the minimum weight before the start of the season to ensure a level playing field.

“We don’t want to make changes after a few rallies,” emphasized Mestelen Pinon. “Once we have data from test drives, we can make adjustments before the start of the season if necessary – and the means to do that is weight.”

The FIA plans to publish the final details of the WRC27 regulations by the end of the year. The necessary safety tests have already been successfully completed.

Harsh criticism of Sinner

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Harsh criticism of Sinner

Top star Jannik Sinner’s decision not to play in the Davis Cup Finals has earned him fierce criticism from an Italian tennis icon.

Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal from the Davis Cup Finals (November 18 to 23) has earned him fierce criticism.

“This is a slap in the face for Italian sport. I don’t understand why he talks about a difficult decision; he has to play tennis, not wage war,” Italian tennis icon Nicola Pietrangeli told the Ansa news agency.

Tennis star Sinner? “The heart is left behind”

With Sinner, the Italian team won the Davis Cup title in the past two years.

Pietrangeli always felt very honored to represent his country: “It should be the goal of every athlete to wear the national team jersey. But that was a different era.“

Sinner explained his decision to Sky Italia, saying that he wanted to prepare well for the upcoming season and that one week more or less could be decisive: ”It wasn’t an easy decision, but after Turin, the goal is to get off to a good start in Australia.”

Pietrangeli now hopes that Sinner will not play in another tournament during the week of the Davis Cup finals. “Today, the world is too dominated by money. The heart falls by the wayside,” criticized the 92-year-old.

When Bruges visited Munich for the first time in 2005

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When Bruges visited Munich for the first time in 2005

FC Bayern against Belgian teams: that was a rare occurrence in the European Cup. They had only met Club Brugge twice before, but in 2005 they met at the Allianz Arena on a very special occasion.

September 27, 2005, was a special day in the history of FC Bayern and the Allianz Arena. It was the first time that the German record champions played a home game in the European Cup in their new stadium. Their opponents then, as now on Wednesday evening, were Club Brugge from Belgium. Munich won by the narrowest of margins, with defender Martin Demichelis scoring the decisive 1-0 goal in the 32nd minute.

It was one of only two encounters with Club Brugge in FC Bayern’s long European Cup history. In the return leg of the group stage in Belgium, Claudio Pizarro’s goal was not enough for Bayern, who had to settle for a 1-1 draw, but they still advanced as runners-up behind Juventus Turin, while the Belgians finished third ahead of Rapid Vienna.

The 19-time Belgian champions last reached the semifinals of the Conference League in 2024, where they were narrowly eliminated by AC Florence, as they were in 1992 in the semifinals of the European Cup Winners’ Cup against eventual winners Werder Bremen. In 1976, the club narrowly missed out on victory in the UEFA Cup, losing 3-2 and 1-1 in the two finals against Liverpool FC, although Bruges had already taken a 2-0 lead in the first leg at Anfield Road. In 1978, they almost won the trophy, but once again their dreams were shattered in the final against Liverpool, who won 1-0 with Kenny Dalglish scoring the only goal. The club started this Champions League season with a strong 4-1 win against AS Monaco before losing 2-1 to Atalanta Bergamo. Bayern should therefore be warned that their opponents have the means and class to cause problems for bigger clubs.

Most of the time, the opponent was Anderlecht

Bayern have played a Belgian team 16 times in total, winning ten, drawing three and losing three. On their way to their first European Cup victory in 1967, Munich eliminated Standard Liège in the semifinals of the European Cup Winners’ Cup, with a 5-1 aggregate score over two legs.

Bayern have faced RSC Anderlecht most often, in twelve of the 16 matches. The two sides last met in the 2017/18 group stage, with Bayern winning 3-0 at home and 2-1 away. All three of their defeats against Belgian teams have come against Anderlecht, including in the 1976 European Super Cup and in the 1986 European Cup quarter-finals.

That is not a threat this time, but Vincent Kompany’s team wants to build on its excellent position in the league phase with a third win in three games to avoid the play-offs in February.

Flick suspended for El Clásico – Barcelona refuses to accept punishment

Andrew Jackson
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Flick suspended for El Clásico – Barcelona refuses to accept punishment

As things stand, FC Barcelona will have to do without coach Hansi Flick in Sunday’s eagerly awaited El Clásico at Real Madrid. However, the Catalans are still contesting the ruling.

Hansi Flick himself recently confirmed that, as coach of FC Barcelona, he is sometimes much more emotional on the sidelines than he was during his time at FC Bayern or as national coach: “This club has completely changed me.”

However, his emotional outbursts are increasingly getting him into trouble in Spain. In the late 2-1 home win against Girona last weekend, for example, Flick had to watch the final moments of the game and the late lucky punch from the stands. Referee Jesus Gil Manzano showed Flick not only a yellow card but ultimately even a yellow-red card within seconds of injury time.

The referee’s report later stated that Flick had first “protested” and then made a “disapproving” gesture. Barcelona’s head coach later explained that the applause was for his player Frenkie de Jong and that he could not understand the second yellow card. Flick also had an explanation for his subsequent disparaging gesture of celebration from the stands: “That at the end was not directed at anyone. Maybe it was because of our game, because of our performance, or because we won like that.”

Catalans appeal to the appeals committee

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed the expected one-match ban on Wednesday afternoon, meaning that Flick will only be allowed to sit in the stands for Sunday’s eagerly awaited Clasico against archrivals Real Madrid. A win away from home would see Barcelona overtake Los Blancos, while a defeat would see the gap widen to five points.

However, Barcelona is still fighting for Flick to be able to sit on the bench at the legendary Bernabeu after all. As Spanish media unanimously reported on Wednesday after the ruling, the club does not accept the penalty and will appeal to the appeals committee.

African Footballer of the Year: Guirassy is one of ten finalists

Jeffrey Gooding
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African Footballer of the Year: Guirassy is one of ten finalists

Serhou Guirassy has good reason to hope for the African Footballer of the Year award. The Dortmund striker has made it into the top ten finalists.

Serhou Guirassy has already scored for Borussia Dortmund in all three competitions this season. He has four goals in the league (plus one assist) and one each in the DFB Cup and Champions League (plus three assists). The 26-time Guinea international (ten goals) has become an indispensable part of BVB’s attack.

Given his performances in the 2025 calendar year, it comes as no surprise that Guirassy is among the ten finalists for Africa’s Footballer of the Year award. In the 2024/25 season, he scored a remarkable 21 goals and provided seven assists in 30 Bundesliga appearances for the Westphalia club. Even more impressive are his statistics in the Champions League, where he was directly involved in 20 (!) goals in 14 games – 13 goals and seven assists is his outstanding record.

Now Guirassy is hoping to win the African Footballer of the Year award for the first time. Last year, Guirassy narrowly missed out, with the 29-year-old finishing behind Atalanta Bergamo striker Ademola Lookman. Right behind him, Parisian winger Achraf Hakimi finished third for the second year in a row.

However, the competition is fierce again this year: in addition to Hakimi and Guirassy, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Napoli), Fiston Mayele (Pyramids FC), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool FC), Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC), Oussama Lamlioui (RS Berkane), Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton FC), and Pape Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur) are among the finalists.

Eto’o and Touré are record winners

From 1970 to 1994, the French newspaper L’Equipe awarded the title of African Footballer of the Year, but since 1992, the African Football Confederation has also been selecting a Footballer of the Year. It is noteworthy that every CAF winner was playing in Europe at the time of receiving the award. The record winners, with four awards each, are Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon (2003 to 2005 and 2010) and Yaya Touré of Ivory Coast (2011 to 2014). Will Guirassy soon be joining this illustrious list?

Fans celebrate “historic” victory over La Liga: “Now it’s Serie A’s turn”

Sotd Editor
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Fans celebrate “historic” victory over La Liga: “Now it’s Serie A’s turn”

⁠The fact that FC Barcelona will not be playing Villarreal in Miami after all is seen by Europe’s most important fan association as a “groundbreaking victory” – one that is to be followed by another.

On Tuesday evening, La Liga finally gave in to the ongoing protests: grudgingly, it announced that the league match between Villarreal CF and FC Barcelona scheduled for December 20 will not take place in Miami after all. Now, Europe’s most important fan association is calling for further consequences.

“Common sense and the rules of the game have prevailed,” Football Supporters Europe (FSE) rejoiced in a statement on Wednesday. “This is a groundbreaking victory for European soccer and for all those who believe that sport should be at the heart of our communities.” The “collective resistance of fans, players, UEFA, European institutions, and many other players in soccer” was “deafening,” the statement said.

Following this “historic” success, FSE has formulated two demands: the leadership of Spanish professional soccer must be reformed and given a “healthier, more sustainable, and more democratic” image so that decisions are no longer made in isolation from fan interests. And: “Now it’s Serie A’s turn.”

Appeal to Serie A – and FIFA

Italy’s upper house is also planning to hold a match far away from home this season: on February 8, AC Milan and Como 1907 are scheduled to meet in Perth, Australia. This plan must also be withdrawn, according to the FSE statement: “It’s not too late. The position of players and fans in Italy is crystal clear.” Otherwise, the Asian Football Confederation must intervene and reject the proposal. “The game has no place 15,000 kilometers away from its home.”

In order to prevent such debates, which had kept La Liga on tenterhooks, especially over the weekend, the FSE is also appealing to FIFA to provide clarity and adopt “appropriate regulations” – with the involvement of fan representatives. “Attempts to destabilize the foundations of the game must stop now.”

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