Football Manager 2020 shipped on 18 November 2019 with a database frozen on the 2019/20 season, and that database is the main reason anyone still loads it: Erling Haaland starts at Red Bull Salzburg, and every squad predates the pandemic. FM20's own additions were the Development Centre, Club Vision and the Playing Time Pathway, all of which behave differently from the systems that replaced them in later editions. Sports Interactive can only sell each edition while its club and player licences hold, so FM20 has been pulled from sale and cannot be bought new; the Stadia version died with Stadia in January 2023.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your role's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
English Premier League
Key resources: Full licensing, deepest scouting coverage, the strongest transfer budgets in the game Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Development Centre hub upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
German Bundesliga
Key resources: Licensed German national team, strong youth intakes, competitive but affordable squads Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Development Centre hub upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Italian Serie A
Key resources: Undervalued young Italian talent, tactical variety, tighter budgets than England Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Development Centre hub upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
English National League
Key resources: Full promotion ladder to the Premier League, meaningful infrastructure objectives, free transfer market Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Club Vision board objectives max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Gibraltar National League
Key resources: New to FM20, European qualification from a minimal league, extreme squad-building constraints Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Club Vision board objectives max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (English Premier League to German Bundesliga)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Development Centre hub once accessible
Mid Game (Italian Serie A)
- Push Development Centre hub to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Club Vision board objectives
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (English National League to Gibraltar National League)
- Max out Club Vision board objectives. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Italian Serie A farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Open Club Vision before your first transfer window and read all three layers. The five-year plan sets season-by-season targets and the culture objectives constrain how you are allowed to sign players, so a transfer that looks smart can breach an objective you never opened.
- Farm Italian Serie A during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Football Manager 2020 Guides
- Football Manager 2020 Football Manager 2020 Overview
- Football Manager 2020 Best Builds
- Football Manager 2020 Tier List
- Football Manager 2020 Walkthrough
- Football Manager 2020 Beginner's Guide
- Football Manager 2020 Tips & Tricks
- Football Manager 2020 Weapons Guide
- Football Manager 2020 Combat Guide
- Football Manager 2020 Boss Guide
- Football Manager 2020 Maps & Locations
- Football Manager 2020 Classes & Characters
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