Football Manager Pro – FAQ

Football Manager Pro (FMP) is a free online football manager game. You take over a real club, guide it through a full season, and compete against managers from all over the world.

You buy and train players, set your formation and tactics, negotiate contracts, expand your stadium, secure sponsors, and play in league, cup, and international competitions. Matches are simulated live on matchdays, so you follow the action in real time.

FMP is permanently free to play - success depends on your decisions, not your wallet.

Getting started is free and only takes a few minutes:

1. Create an account at play.footballmanager.pro - with manager name, email, and password.
2. Alternatively, register via Google, Twitter/X, or Discord.
3. Confirm your email - after registration you will receive a welcome email with an activation link. Only then is your account fully activated.
4. Log in and choose a free team under All Teams (Office menu).
5. Select a country, click a club, and confirm the manager contract - from that point on you are officially in charge.

You can take over a new team at any time if a club has no manager - e.g. after a dismissal due to inactivity or poor financial planning.

FMP offers a large European football universe:

• 54 countries - from Albania to Wales, including Germany, England, Spain, Italy, France, Turkey, Austria, and Switzerland.
• Each country has 3 leagues (1st, 2nd, and 3rd division), each with 18 teams - a total of 54 clubs per country.
• That means more than 2,900 teams in the database - each with its own squad, stadium, and finances.

1.3.1 Select a team

• In the All Teams menu, first choose your preferred country.
• Teams without a manager can be selected (highlighted) - occupied clubs are already taken.
• You can see league position and team strength (Goalkeeper, Defense, Midfield, Attack, Overall), so you can find the right club to start with.
• Whether top division or an underdog in division 3 - you decide which club you start with.

FMP is playable in 21 languages - the interface, menus, and system messages are fully translated:

Arabic, Chinese, German, English, French, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Cambodian (Khmer), Korean, Dutch, Persian (Farsi), Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese.

1.4.1 Change language

• In the main menu (sidebar), tap Language and choose the desired flag - also available under Settings.
• On your first visit, the browser language is detected automatically if supported - otherwise FMP starts in English.
• For logged-in managers, the language selection is saved to the account.

A season in FMP includes 60 matchdays - the full calendar including league, cup, international competitions, match-free weeks, and season finale.

1.5.1 Time schedule

• Matchdays take place in the rhythm Wednesday - Friday - Sunday - around three matchdays per week.
• 60 matchdays divided by 3 = 20 match weeks - so a season lasts just under 5 months.
• The league has 34 matchdays; in addition there are cup matches, Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, friendlies on match-free days, and possibly relegation playoffs.

At the end of the season, league position, cup success, and the country coefficient decide promotion/relegation and international spots for the new season.

Matchday calculation - meaning the simulation of all matches on the current matchday - always takes place on:

• Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
• always at 17:30 (Europe/Berlin)

1.6.1 What happens then?

• All matches of the matchday are simulated live one after another - goals, cards, substitutions, and injuries in real time.
• After that, tables, statistics, and finances are updated (salaries, loans, sponsorship, stadium income, cup prizes, ...).
• The matchday counter moves to the next week - then you can see the new calendar and upcoming tasks.

1.6.2 What you should do before that

• Set lineup and tactics (including planned substitutions) in time - on matchday, at about 12:30 (Europe/Berlin), auto-lineup is applied otherwise.
• Use training daily (reset around noon) - unused sessions expire.
• On match-free matchdays, schedule a friendly if your team has no competitive match.

FMP keeps running even without you - but managers who play regularly have a clear advantage. You should keep an eye on these areas:

• Team - lineup, tactics, training, transfer market, contracts, training camp
• Season - standings, results, cup, CL/EL/CC, friendlies
• Office - finances, bank, stadium, sponsorship, sports betting

1.7.1 Regular tasks

• Daily: assign training, check sponsor offers if needed (new offers daily from 13:00 Europe/Berlin)
• Before every matchday: check lineup and tactics, pay attention to injuries/suspensions
• On match-free days: organize a friendly - ideally against a strong first division opponent
• Continuously: monitor finances and forecast before making expensive transfers or salary increases

1.7.2 Stay active!

FMP expects regular activity - a club without a manager is dead:

• 7 days without login: you receive a warning (email and in-game message).
• 14 days without login: you are dismissed as manager - your team becomes free again and can be taken over by another manager.
• A short login is enough to stay active. After a dismissal, you can choose a new free team at any time.

• National leagues - 1st, 2nd, and 3rd divisions in many European countries, 34 matchdays, promotion/relegation plus playoffs
• National cup - knockout system across multiple rounds with participation prizes
• Champions League - 64 teams, group stage and knockout rounds
• Europa League - second international competition, same structure
• Conference League - third international competition
• Friendlies - on match-free matchdays, for experience, match practice, and income
• Sports betting - free prediction game with prize money for your club (50,000 per matchday, 500,000 for the season)

Spots for CL, EL, and CC depend on the country coefficient and your league position - details can be found under Season.

Many managers focus only on transfers and tactics - and fail because of the economy.

• Salaries are deducted every week - contracts that are too high ruin your budget faster than a defeat.
• Sponsorship and stadium income are your most important regular income sources - build both early.
• Friendlies on match-free days provide experience and can generate high income with a good stadium.
• Loans help in the short term, but burden you every week - use only for emergencies.

At an account balance of -500,000 you receive a warning, at -3,000,000 you are dismissed. Starting budget: around 4,500,000 (1st division), 3,000,000 (2nd division), or 1,500,000 (3rd division).

For questions, issues, or feedback, you can reach us through several channels - you can also always find the links in the footer (bottom of most pages in the game):

• Email: info@footballmanager.pro
• Facebook: facebook.com/fmptokens
• Twitter / X: x.com/fmptoken
• Telegram: t.me/fmptoken
• WhatsApp: Join WhatsApp group

For technical problems or account questions, email is the best option - include your manager name and team if possible. On Telegram and WhatsApp, managers also exchange tips and news.

The FAQ is divided into three main sections - just click the section that fits:

• Team - lineup, training, tactics, transfer market, training camp, contracts
• Season - standings, matchdays, cup, Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, friendlies
• Office - finances, bank, stadium, sponsorship, sports betting

Each point explains a feature in detail - with rules, tips, and concrete numbers from the game.

Here you build your team for the next match: 11 starters on the field and up to 9 substitutes on the bench.

2.1.1 How it works

• Click a player in the list, then select a position on the field or bench.
• Click an occupied position again to remove that player.
• Choose a formation (e.g. 4-4-2, 3-5-2) - optionally with auto-lineup, which sets the strongest available players.

2.1.2 Important

• Injured or suspended players cannot be selected.
• Condition (C) and Fitness (F) below 90 weaken the player in the match.
• If you change the lineup, planned substitutions can become invalid and must be set again.

2.1.3 Green table

Before kickoff, the referee checks whether both teams are eligible to play. If a goalkeeper is missing or fewer than 7 outfield players are selected (maximum 11 players total on the field), the Green table decision is applied: the match is not played regularly - the affected team loses 0:3.

• Typical causes: too few available players due to suspensions or injuries, missing goalkeeper in the lineup, or incorrect auto-lineup.
• Even during the match, a team can be reduced by too many red cards (and injuries) so there are no longer enough outfield players on the field - so pay attention to bench depth, substitutions, and discipline.

2.1.4 Experience

Every player starts with an experience value of 1.000 (range 0,800 - 1,200). After each matchday, the value adjusts depending on whether the player was in the squad and how he was used:

• On the field: +0,002
• Substituted in from the bench: +0,002
• On the bench, not substituted in: +0,001
• Not in the squad (neither field nor bench): -0,001

Experience affects a player's strength in matches, training performance, and market value - the higher the value, the more valuable and effective the player usually is.

Once per day, you assign training units (balls) to improve your team. The countdown shows when the next training is available.

2.2.1 Skills (20 units, max. 10 per area)

• Endurance - Pace, Mentality
• Ball play - Passing, Ball control, Tackling, Possession, Marking
• Shooting ability - Shooting, Heading, Set pieces
• Tactical ability - Vision, Tactics, Teamwork

More units on one area = stronger improvement of related skills. A player's average value (Technique) is derived from these individual attributes.

2.2.2 Positions (10 units, max. 4 per position)

• Goalkeeper, Defense, Midfield, Attack - determine how strongly each position benefits from training.

2.2.3 Intensity

• Low intensity: better for Fitness, worse for Condition.
• High intensity: better for Condition, worse for Fitness.
• Pro tip: Intensity 5 and 6 (out of 10 balls) are ideal to strengthen Fitness and Condition specifically - 5 balanced, 6 with focus on condition.

Plan training regularly - unused units expire at the next daily reset.

Here you define how your team should play - independently from the lineup on the field.

2.3.1 Playing style

• Effort (50-150 %, 100 % = normal): high effort boosts condition but puts more strain on fitness - and vice versa.
• Tactical options via checkbox, e.g. possession, counterattack, high pressing, wing play, defensive style, time wasting. Several can be combined.

2.3.2 Substitutions

• Up to 5 substitutions can be planned: minute, player out (starter), and player in (bench).
• Substitutions only apply if both players are still available at match time (not injured/suspended, correctly set in lineup).

On the transfer market, you buy, sell, or loan players.

2.4.1 Sell / loan out players

• List your own player - your squad must still have at least 17 available players afterwards.
• Loan players cannot be sold or loaned out again.

2.4.2 Submit bids

• Purchase or loan (2-6 weeks) is possible.
• Transfer fee/loan fee must fit market value (not too low, maximum about double).
• Salary and contract duration (1-5 years) are offered together - if the player rejects, the deal fails.

Training camps improve your entire team at once - for payment from the club budget.

2.5.1 Available camps

• Switzerland - 1,000,000 (5 stars)
• Austria - 800,000 (4 stars)
• Spain - 600,000 (3 stars)
• Portugal - 400,000 (2 stars)

The more expensive the camp, the stronger the training effect. Before booking, you can view details (endurance, shooting, tactics, intensity). Injured players do not benefit.

2.5.2 Fitness & Condition

Important: A training camp noticeably improves Fitness (F) and Condition (C) for all healthy players - in addition to skill improvements. The bonus depends on the star rating:

• 2 stars (Portugal): +5 each to fitness and condition
• 3 stars (Spain): +10 each
• 4 stars (Austria): +15 each
• 5 stars (Switzerland): +20 each

2.5.3 Important

• After one visit, you must wait 5 matchdays before booking another camp.
• You need enough money in the club account - otherwise booking is not possible.

Here you negotiate salary and duration with your players.

2.6.1 Contract offer

• Propose new salary and contract term (1-5 years).
• The player can accept or reject - unrealistic salaries will be rejected.
• Players who announced retirement cannot sign a new contract.

Keep salaries under control: fixed costs that are too high put long-term pressure on your club budget.

The league tables by country and division (1st-3rd division) with points, goals, and ranking. Color markings directly show who becomes champion, qualifies for international competition, gets promoted, has to play playoffs, or is relegated.

3.1.1 Relegation playoff (promotion and relegation)

• At season end, teams from neighboring divisions play a first and second leg for staying in the league or promotion.
• Typical pairing: 16th in the higher division vs 3rd in the lower division - aggregate result from both matches decides.
• If level after both matches, extra time and penalties may occur.

The standings show in advance which places are directly promoted/relegated and which place leads to playoff.

3.1.2 Card rules (league)

Each competition has its own card counter. League cards are independent from cup and international competitions.

• Yellow cards (accumulation): on the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, and 25th yellow card - each time 1 match suspension in the league.
• Second yellow/red: 1 match suspension in the league.
• Straight red: 2-4 matches suspension in the league (random).
• The suspension decreases by 1 on each league matchday in the season calendar.

Important: A league suspension only applies in the league - suspended players can still play in cup and international competitions. Cup or international suspensions, on the other hand, only block their respective competition.

If teams are level on points, cards can affect ranking as a fair play criterion.

All season results - filterable by country, division, and matchday (1-34).

• Click matches for live ticker, statistics, and lineups.
• Suspense mode hides results until you reveal them intentionally.
• At season end, relegation playoff matches (first and second leg) also appear separately here.

The national cup competition of your country (e.g. DFB Cup, FA Cup) - knockout system over multiple rounds up to the final.

• Select country and round (1st round to final).
• Elimination means the end of your cup run - there is no way back into the cup.
• The cup winner is marked in the table with a cup icon.

3.3.1 Participation prizes

For each cup match, both teams receive the prize for that round. In the final, the cup winner additionally receives a winner bonus.

Round	Prize
1st round	100,000
2nd round	200,000
Round of 16	300,000
Quarter-final	400,000
Semi-final	500,000
Final	600,000
Winner bonus	+ 600,000

3.3.2 Card rules (cup)

In the cup there is a separate card counter - independent from league and international competitions.

• Yellow cards (accumulation): on the 2nd, 4th, and 6th yellow card - each time 1 match suspension in the cup.
• Second yellow/red: 1 match suspension in the cup.
• Straight red: 2-4 matches suspension in the cup (random).
• The suspension decreases by 1 on each cup matchday.

A cup suspension only prevents the player from cup matches - he can still play in the league (unless also suspended there).

The top international competition - 64 teams, group stage (A/B), and knockout rounds up to the final.

3.4.1 Who can participate?

• The number of spots per country depends on the country coefficient (results of all clubs from that country over 5 years). Strong countries (rank 1-8) receive 2 CL spots, weaker countries usually 1.
• The best teams in the 1st division after season end take these spots - marked with colors in the table.
• The previous season's CL winner and EL winner automatically qualify for CL - independent of league position.

If a country still has missing spots up to 64 teams, the best remaining teams from countries with high coefficients are nominated.

3.4.2 Participation prizes

For each match, both teams receive the prize for that round. In knockout rounds with first and second leg, the prize applies per match. In the final, the CL winner additionally receives a winner bonus.

Round	Prize
Group stage (per match)	50,000
Round of 32	250,000
Round of 16	300,000
Quarter-final	350,000
Semi-final	400,000
Final	1,000,000
Winner bonus	+ 1,000,000

3.4.3 Card rules (CL / EL / CC)

Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League share the same international card rules - with a separate counter, independent from league and cup.

• Yellow cards (accumulation): on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, and 17th yellow card - each time 1 match suspension in international competitions.
• Second yellow/red: 1 match international suspension.
• Straight red: 2-4 matches international suspension (random).
• The suspension decreases by 1 on each international matchday.
• Reset: yellow-card accumulation is reset for all players after the group stage and again after the semi-final first and second leg.

An international suspension only applies in CL, EL, and CC - league and cup remain possible.

In the group stage, cards can decide ranking as a fair-play tiebreaker (fewer cards = better).

The second international competition - also 64 teams, same structure as CL.

3.5.1 Who can participate?

• Here too, the country coefficient determines the number of spots (rank 1-8: 2 EL spots, from rank 10 often only 1).
• The next best teams in the 1st division that are not already in CL take the EL spots.
• The previous season's CC winner starts automatically in EL. If already qualified for CL, a replacement team from the same country moves up.

3.5.2 Participation prizes

For each match, both teams receive the prize for that round. In the final, the EL winner additionally receives a winner bonus.

Round	Prize
Group stage (per match)	40,000
Round of 32	150,000
Round of 16	200,000
Quarter-final	250,000
Semi-final	300,000
Final	700,000
Winner bonus	+ 700,000

3.5.3 Card rules

Identical to the Champions League - separate international card counter, accumulation suspensions at 3/5/7... yellow cards, reset after group stage and semi-finals. See CL section for details.

The third international competition - 64 teams, group stage and knockout rounds like CL and EL.

3.6.1 Who can participate?

• Spots are again assigned via the country coefficient (strong countries up to 2 CC spots, weaker countries 1).
• Teams from the 1st division that qualify for neither CL nor EL take the CC spots according to league position.
• The CC winner qualifies for EL - not again for CC.

In the league table, you can see which places mean CL, EL, or CC - depending on your country's coefficient.

3.6.2 Participation prizes

For each match, both teams receive the prize for that round. In the final, the CC winner additionally receives a winner bonus.

Round	Prize
Group stage (per match)	30,000
Round of 32	100,000
Round of 16	150,000
Quarter-final	200,000
Semi-final	300,000
Final	400,000
Winner bonus	+ 500,000

3.6.3 Card rules

Identical to the Champions League - separate international card counter, accumulation suspensions at 3/5/7... yellow cards, reset after group stage and semi-finals. See CL section for details.

Test matches against other teams - without impact on league or standings.

3.7.1 Why use them?

• Give players experience - especially bench and rotation players.
• Test formations and tactics without competitive-match pressure.
• Influence Fitness and Condition in a targeted way (through effort in tactics).
• Play regularly so your team stays match-fit - injury risk is lower than in competitive matches.

3.7.2 How it works

• Search for an opponent (country, league, team), choose matchday and home/away, send request.
• The opponent can accept or reject - accepted matches appear in the schedule.
• Stadium income is shared fairly 50 % between home and away team - unlike competitive matches, where only the home club receives the income.

3.7.3 Match-free days - always schedule a match

In weeks without a competitive match (league, cup, or international), you should always schedule a friendly. If missing, the menu item is highlighted in the game.

• Choose a strong first division opponent whenever possible - ideally a well-known club your team can truly measure itself against.
• This keeps your players match-fit, gives them experience, and lets you test tactics against top opposition - without table pressure.
• If you have expanded to a larger stadium, schedule home matches against strong first division teams - this helps you profit from high stadium income (50 % for you) and attractive attendance.
• Cards are shown in the match, but do not count - there are no suspensions and no impact on league, cup, or international counters.

Your account balance and all income/expenses at a glance - the most important tool to survive as a manager.

4.1.1 What you see here

• Account balance - current club funds (green = positive, red = negative).
• Weekly overview - all bookings for the selected week (salaries, sponsorship, stadium income, transfers, loans, cup prizes, ...).
• Forecast - estimate for the coming week: expected income and fixed costs before matchday calculation.
• Season total overview - all items summed for the current season.

4.1.2 Why this is so important

Most managers fail not in football, but in the economy. Every week, the following are deducted automatically:

• Salaries of all players (see Team -> Contracts)
• Loan installments, if you have loans (see Bank)

At the same time, you receive among others sponsorship income, stadium income from home matches, friendly income, and cup/international prizes. If you spend more than you earn, your account drops into the red.

Friendlies are often underestimated - but with a well-expanded stadium and an attractive opponent, they can bring quite high income (50 % of stadium income for both teams). Schedule them regularly on match-free days - this noticeably helps stabilize your budget.

4.1.3 Golden rules

• Check the forecast before every transfer and contract extension - does it still fit?
• Invest early in stadium and sponsorship before expanding the squad expensively.
• Keep salary costs under control - a strong but overpriced squad will eat your budget.
• Schedule friendlies on match-free days - especially home games against strong first division opponents.
• Use the bank only for emergencies, not as permanent financing - interest weighs on you every week.
• At an account balance of -500,000 you receive an email warning. At -3,000,000 you are dismissed due to poor financial planning.

Starting budget when taking over a club: around 4,500,000 (1st division), 3,000,000 (2nd division), or 1,500,000 (3rd division).

Here you can take out loans or repay existing loans early - if you need short-term liquidity.

4.2.1 Take out a loan

• Amount between 10,000 and 2,000,000.
• Different terms (in months/matchdays) with different interest fees.
• Maximum 3 active loans at the same time - after that, no additional loans are possible.
• The money is credited to your club account immediately.

4.2.2 Repayment

• Every week, the installment (principal + interest) is deducted from your account automatically.
• You can repay a loan early at any time if enough money is available - this saves ongoing interest costs.

4.2.3 Important

A loan does not solve a structural deficit. If your weekly salaries plus loan installments are permanently higher than sponsorship plus stadium income, debt will only keep growing. Plan loans as a bridge - not as a financing model.

Your stadium is one of your most important income sources. In home matches (league, cup, international), you receive stadium income.

You start with 12,000 standing places. The maximum total capacity is 120,000 seats - regardless of standing, covered standing, seated, or covered seated.

4.3.1 Ticket prices

• Four categories: standing, standing (covered), seated, seated (covered).
• Higher prices bring more per spectator - but generally reduce occupancy.
• The "Possible income" display shows your potential at full occupancy.

4.3.2 Expansion & comfort

• Increase capacity (standing and seated) - more spectators = more income per home match.
• Improve arena condition, comfort, floodlights, and scoreboard to increase attractiveness and attendance.
• Construction work takes several weeks and costs money - ongoing projects are shown under "Constructions".

4.3.3 What influences attendance

• Your own and opponent division and league position
• Ticket prices (lower = more spectators)
• Stadium comfort (condition, comfort, floodlights, scoreboard)
• Opponent attractiveness (weaker or lower-ranked teams attract slightly fewer fans)

Without a decent stadium, you miss income week after week - so invest early and strategically before buying expensive players.

Fixed weekly income - one of the safest pillars of your financial planning. The more sponsorship contracts you sign, the more stable your budget.

4.4.1 Sponsor types

• Shirt sponsor - highest income per week
• TV rights - second-largest item
• Perimeter advertising - up to 6 slots, each with its own contract

4.4.2 Negotiation

• Click empty slots via "Negotiate" - you receive an offer with weekly income and a one-time payment at contract signing.
• New offers appear daily (countdown "New offers in ...", reset at 13:00 (Europe/Berlin)).
• You can accept or reject offers - rejected slots remain free until the next offer.

4.4.3 What affects the amount

• Division - 1st division pays significantly more than 2nd or 3rd division.
• Previous season league position - top positions increase offers.
• International competitions (CL, EL, CC) - bonus on negotiation amount.

At the end of the season, all sponsorship contracts expire - at the beginning of each new season, negotiate all slots again immediately. Managers who rely only on transfers but neglect sponsoring usually have too little income for their squad.

Free prediction game for all managers - predict selected matches of the week and win prize money for your club. No stake needed, only your football knowledge.

4.5.1 How it works

• Interesting matches from top leagues and competitions are selected per matchday.
• Predict 1 (home win), X (draw), or 2 (away win) - as long as the match has not been calculated yet.
• You can change your prediction per match until matchday starts.

4.5.2 Prizes

• Matchday winner - whoever has the most correct predictions on a matchday receives 50,000 in the club account (multiple winners in case of tie).
• Season winner - best manager across the whole season (matchdays 1-56) receives 500,000.

Sports betting is a nice bonus - but it does not replace solid sponsorship, a good stadium, or proper salary planning. Predict regularly; prizes go directly into your finances.