The most exceptional case at the 2026 World Cup.

Football Manager 26's World Cup mode is noteworthy for only allowing 47 out of 48 teams to participate, with Japan surprisingly being excluded due to copyright issues.

Japan does not appear in the football simulation game.

Football Manager 26 has just released its World Cup 2026 edition, allowing players to experience the role of manager at the biggest tournament on the planet, taking place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. However, it's worth noting that not all teams participating in the World Cup can be selected.

According to the developer Sports Interactive, 47 out of the 48 teams that qualified for the 2026 World Cup are included in the game mode. Japan is the only team excluded from the playable list in this update.

The reason stems from copyright issues. The Japan Football Association (JFA) currently has an exclusive agreement with Konami, the developer of the eFootball series, which prevents the Japanese national team from appearing in FM26's World Cup mode. Therefore, players cannot lead the "Samurai Blue" immediately upon the release of the 2026 World Cup version.

Meanwhile, the remaining 47 teams receive full support, including branding, kits, and official data, through a licensing agreement between Sports Interactive and FIFA. This is part of a long-term strategy to expand the experience of managing national teams in major tournaments.

The absence of Japan is considered a regrettable drawback, as they are a team that is making strong progress and are considered capable of causing an upset at the 2026 World Cup.

Despite licensing limitations, the World Cup mode in FM26 is considered a major step forward, offering the most comprehensive national team management experience ever in the football simulation genre.

Source: https://znews.vn/truong-hop-dac-biet-nhat-o-world-cup-2026-post1654776.html