Football Manager 25 has been officially canceled, but what if you could still enjoy its features while we all wait for FM26?

A groundbreaking FM24 upgrade is here, allowing you to experience FM25 in FM24 with updated squads, transfers, and even a new match engine, Footballrover reports.

This simple yet powerful mod pack transforms FM24 into a near-complete FM25 experience, ensuring you don’t miss out on the latest updates.

Today, we’ll guide you through using a simple FM24 mod to unlock FM25 features, allowing you to start a new save with any Top 5 League teams.

You’ll get updated leagues, squads, transfers, managers, fixtures, results, and, most importantly, a new match engine.

If you’ve been wondering how to play Football Manager 2025, we’ve got you covered with a step-by-step guide to unlocking FM25 features in FM24.

How to upgrade to FM25 in FM24 with updated squads and wonderkids

To bring FM25 into FM24, the first step is updating squads, transfers, and wonderkids.

This is made possible through the FM24 to FM25 DLC, a collection of data files replicating the official FM25 database.

Here’s how to get started:

Download the FM24 to FM25 DLC – Head over to FMscout and grab the latest version (updated as of February 7, 2025, v7.5).

What’s Included? – Updated squads, promotions/relegations, league format changes, new wonderkids, and player ability adjustments.

Installation – Place the downloaded files in:

Documents > Sports Interactive > Editor Data

But first, backup the folder, then delete every file in that folder and replace them with the new files you downloaded.

This upgrade ensures your FM24 save reflects the latest season, giving you a fresh start with all the latest football updates.

Note: 

Create new Save

When creating a new save, make sure you check all the DLC files you downloaded

But, uncheck

– All People 1 year older
-Z All contracts 1 year shorter

Choosing game mode

Make sure to choose Original only, else, the new match engine won’t work.

Enhancing gameplay with the new match engine in FM24

One of the biggest upgrades is the new match engine, which enhances in-game physics and player movements for a more realistic football experience.

This update comes in the form of the simatch.fmf file.

Follow these steps to install the new match engine:

Download simatch.fmf – The revised physics engine file is available on Reddit and Mediafire.

Locate Your Data Directory – On Windows, Mac, or Linux, find the “data” folder containing multiple FMF files, including simatch.fmf.

Finding Your Data Directory

This directory exists whether you’re playing on Windows, Mac, or Linux via Proton, and it’s separate from where your graphics and editor data files are stored.

You’ll know you’ve found the correct folder if it’s labeled “data” and contains FMF files like simatch.fmf, simatchshared.fmf, simatchviewer.fmf, etc.

Replace the Existing File – Copy the new simatch.fmf file and overwrite the existing one.

Backup Your Original File – Always keep a copy of the original in case you need to revert changes.

It’s crucial. Save a copy in a different folder and note its location. If something goes wrong, you can easily revert to the original.

But what I did was just to rename mine and left it there.

For Epic Games users, navigate to: Local Disk > Program Files > Epic Games > Football Manager 24 > data and paste the new simatch.fmf file there.

For Steam users, navigate to: Local Disk > Program Files > Steam > Common Files > Football Manager 2024 > Data and paste the new simatch.fmf file there.

If you’re unable to download the file, let me know, and I’ll find another way to send it to you.

Final Thoughts

With these simple modifications, you can turn FM24 into a near-perfect FM25 experience.

Updated leagues, new wonderkids, improved transfers, and a reworked match engine bring fresh excitement to your Football Manager journey.

Try it out and let us know how it works for you. If you encounter any issues downloading the files, reach out, and we’ll help you get set up.

Let’s transform FM24 into the game it was meant to be!

Like this post?
We’d be delighted to hear from you. Please leave a comment in the box below!

Last Updated on February 18, 2025 1:23 pm by footballrover