Want to take your Football Manager game to new heights? Here are 12 cool FM24 challenges that will test your management skills. From bringing old teams back to life to helping young players grow, these challenges will keep you playing for a long time. Let’s look at what you can try:
Key Points for Football Manager Challenges
- Popular FM24 challenges include Pentagon Challenge, Sleeping Giant, Youth Academy Only, and Zero to Hero and 8 more…
- Challenge settings often involve lower league teams, historically successful clubs, or unique restrictions
- Real-world elements can be incorporated, such as specific managers, clubs with unique histories, or transfer policies
- Long-term football manager challenges spanning 10+ seasons with gradual progression are most popular
- Creative challenges can be based on movies, TV shows, or real-world events
1. The Pentagon Challenge
Want to rule the football world? Try the Pentagon Football Manager Challenge. Your job: win the top club continental cups on five different continents. It’s tough – you’ll need to be patient, able to change, and really good at tactics. This challenge usually takes over 20 seasons to finish, so prepare for a long game!
Start in a lower league and work your way up. Each continent has its football manager challenges, like tight budgets in South America or strict rules about foreign players in Asia. You’ll need to be great at finding hidden talent to build winning teams without spending much money.
Tip: Use the FM24 Data Hub to check how players are doing and see what needs to improve as you move from continent to continent. What works in Europe might not work in Africa, so be ready to change your tactics quickly.
2. Sleeping Giant Revival
Do you like helping underdogs? Try the Sleeping Giant challenge. Pick a team that used to be great but isn’t doing well now, and make them great again. Teams like Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, or AS Saint-Étienne are good choices. As we already mentioned France, Bordeaux is an even bigger challenge in FM24.
Your job is to rebuild the team, fix the money problems, and bring back the good old days.
This task is about smart transfers and helping young players grow. You need to think about what’s good now and what’s good for the future. Focus on making your youth facilities better and finding good young players to build a strong future for your club. Watch your money too – spending too much could get you in trouble with the financial fair play(FFP).
Remember, in FM 24, keeping the fans happy is important. Winning games is good, but so is playing fun football and giving young players a chance. Use the new staff roles feature to build a team of helpers who share your ideas for the club’s future.
3. Youth Academy Challenge
Think you can be like Alex Ferguson? The Youth Academy Challenge tests how good you are at helping players get better. The rules are simple: you can only use players that come from your youth team. No buying players allowed!
This football manager challenge needs patience and planning. You’ll have to spend a lot on your youth facilities and hire outstanding coaches to help your young players. Pay close attention to the new young players you get each year – these kids are the future of your club!
FM24’s better development centers are really helpful for this challenge. Use them to see how your young players are doing and change their training to help them get as good as they can. Don’t forget to let your promising players play in the main team a lot – playing real matches is the best way to get better.
4. Zero to Hero Journey
Ever wondered if you could make it as a manager starting from nothing? The Zero to Hero challenge lets you try that. Start with no job and no coaching badges, and work your way up from the bottom. It’s a real rags-to-riches story, and you’re the main character!
Begin by applying for jobs at small clubs. These teams won’t have much money, so you’ll need to be clever with free transfers and loans. As you move up to better leagues, focus on making people know who you are and getting better coaching badges. Each time you get promoted, you’re one step closer to the big time!
The FM24 Data Hub is your secret weapon in this challenge once again. Use it to find players who are worth more than people think and to spot what tactics are working in your league. As you get better, you’ll face tougher teams and people will expect more from you. Keep learning, changing, and pushing yourself to reach the top of the football world.
5. The Moneyball Challenge
Think you could be like Billy Beane? The Moneyball Challenge tests how good you are at using numbers to build a team. Your goal is to make a successful team without spending much money by looking at stats that other teams might miss. It’s all about finding hidden gems that other clubs haven’t noticed.
Start by setting up a really good scouting network and hiring people who are great at judging players. Look for players who are mentally strong and good at the key things for their positions, not just their overall ability. Don’t be afraid to try older players or those coming back from injury – they might help you succeed without spending much.
FM24’s better scouting and number-crunching features are perfect for this challenge. Remember, it’s not just about buying cheap and selling for more – you need to build a team that works well together and can compete at the highest level.
6. Recreate a Legendary Manager’s Career
Ever dreamed of being like José Mourinho or Arsène Wenger? This challenge lets you try! Pick a famous manager and try to do what they did, using their style. It’s a great way to learn from the best while adding your own ideas.
Research how your chosen manager’s career went, what tactics they used, and how they bought and sold players. If you’re trying to be like Ferguson, focus on helping young players and building a long-lasting successful team. For a Wenger-style challenge, try to play attractive football and be smart about finding new players. Change your approach to fit the time you’re managing in – what worked in the 90s might not work in today’s game.
Don’t forget to talk to the media and build good relationships with your players – being good with people is a key skill for many famous managers.
7. The Journeyman Challenge
Like to travel? The Journeyman Challenge is your chance for a worldwide management adventure. Start in a small league and work your way around the world, managing in as many countries as you can. It’s all about being able to adapt and learning about different football cultures.
Start in a lesser-known league – think San Marino or Gibraltar. Build your reputation with each job, always looking for your next move. You’ll need to adapt to different league structures, transfer rules, and playing styles as you move from country to country.
This challenge is great for exploring FM24’s huge database of leagues and players. Use the game’s language settings to really get into each new football culture. Remember, success looks different in every league – sometimes avoiding relegation is as impressive as winning a title!
8. Create a Club Challenge
Ever wanted to build a football club from scratch? The Create a Club challenge lets you do that! Use the game’s editor to make your dream team, then guide them from the lower leagues to the top. You get to shape every part of a club’s identity and future.
Start by designing your club’s logo, colors, and stadium. Think carefully about how much money and what facilities you start with – making things too easy will take away the fun! Put your new team in a lower league and get ready for a long journey to the top.
9. The Homegrown Challenge
Want to create a team that’s great for your country? The Homegrown Challenge asks you to build a successful team using only players from your club’s home country. It tests how good you are at developing young players and competing against teams that can use players from anywhere.
Choose a club with good youth facilities or be ready to spend a lot on improving them. You should focus on developing young talent and making it clear how players can move from the youth team to the main team. Look all over your chosen country to find the best young players.
Don’t forget about the national team – if you do well with your club, you might get a chance to manage your country!
10. The Tactical Revolution
Think you can change how football is played? The Tactical Revolution challenge dares you to succeed with an unusual formation or style of play. It’s time to think differently and create something new!
Start by coming up with a tactic that’s different from what everyone else does. Maybe it’s a super-attacking 2-3-5 or a very defensive 6-3-1. The key is to find a way to make your unusual approach work regularly. You’ll need to carefully choose players who fit your system and train them a lot in your methods.
FM24’s improved match engine is perfect for this challenge. Spend time looking at how your team plays and tweaking your tactic. Don’t be afraid to fail – new ideas often take time to get right. Who knows? Your crazy formation might become the next big thing in football!
11. The Financial Fair Play (FFP) Master
Ready to test how good you are with money? The FFP Master challenge puts you in charge of a club with strict rules about spending. Your goal is to do well in matches while keeping the money balanced. It’s a tricky job that will really test your management skills.
Choose a club in a league with tough money rules, like the English Championship or Italian Serie A. You’ll need to be smart with buying and selling players, focusing on free agents, loans, and selling players for profit. Developing young talent is key – they can either make your team stronger or be sold for big money.
Keep a close eye on how much you’re spending on wages and transfers. Look for creative ways to make more money, like arranging friendly matches that pay well or getting better sponsorship deals. Remember, one bad money decision could undo seasons of hard work!
12. The Ultimate Challenge: Combine Them All!
For the real Football Manager fans out there, why not try combining several football manager challenges? Create a club, use only players from your country, use a new and different tactic, and try to win Champions Leagues on five continents – all while following strict money rules! It’s the ultimate test of your management skills.
This mega-challenge will need careful planning and lots of patience. You’ll need to be great at every part of management – tactics, transfers, developing young players, finances, and more. It might take decades of game time to finish, but you’ll feel amazing when you do it.
Use every tool FM24 offers to succeed in this huge task. From the Data Hub to development centers, from staff roles to keeping fans happy – mastering every part of the game is crucial. Good luck, manager – you’re going to need it!
Ready to Rise to the Challenge?
There you have it – 12 epic Football Manager challenges to keep you entertained for ages! Remember, the key to any FM challenge is patience and not giving up. Don’t get upset if things don’t go well at first – that’s part of the fun!
Happy managing!
Read our full Football Manager 2024 review here