Football Manager 2023 launched on 8 November 2022 and was the first entry to carry official UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League branding, complete with the music, scoreboards and redrawn draws. Sports Interactive rebuilt recruitment around the Squad Planner and Recruitment Focus, and added Supporter Confidence, which splits your fanbase into Hardcore, Core, Family, Fair Weather, Corporate and Casual segments that judge you separately from the board. Match engine work went into goalkeeper distribution, spread blocks and aerial defending.
Football Manager 2023 features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UEFA Champions League | Elite clubs | Prize money, reputation, the presentation upgrade FM23 is remembered for | Inverted Wing-Back |
| 2 | Premier League | Top tier England | The deepest transfer budgets in the database | Inverted Wing-Back |
| 3 | Bundesliga | Top tier Germany | Correct branding throughout, strong youth intakes | Sweeper Keeper |
| 4 | cinch Scottish Premiership | Top tier Scotland | The full Scottish pyramid, European qualification on a small wage bill | Sweeper Keeper |
| 5 | Major League Soccer | Top tier United States | A distinct ruleset, Designated Player signings | Sweeper Keeper |
UEFA Champions League: Starting Area
Fully branded in FM23 for the first time, with official music, scoreboards, kit badges and reworked draws, alongside the Europa League, Europa Conference League, Super Cup and Youth League.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Elite clubs |
| Key Rewards | Prize money, reputation, the presentation upgrade FM23 is remembered for |
| Recommended Role | Inverted Wing-Back |
| Key Equipment | Pass Into Space |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Squad Planner. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Premier League.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Premier League: Early Game
Playable but not licensed as a competition. Sports Interactive has never held the Premier League licence, so it appears generically while individual clubs such as Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion are licensed.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Top tier England |
| Key Rewards | The deepest transfer budgets in the database |
| Recommended Role | Inverted Wing-Back |
| Key Equipment | Pass Into Space |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Recruitment Focus. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Pass Into Space if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Bundesliga.
Bundesliga: Mid Game
Fully licensed through 2. Bundesliga and 3. Liga, with the DFB-Pokal and Supercup included. German clubs also run on comparatively tight wage structures, which changes how a rebuild works there.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Top tier Germany |
| Key Rewards | Correct branding throughout, strong youth intakes |
| Recommended Role | Sweeper Keeper |
| Key Equipment | Pass Into Space |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Play Out Of Defence becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Supporter Confidence for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
cinch Scottish Premiership: Late Game
Licensed under its sponsor name along with the Championship, League One, League Two, the Premier Sports Cup and the SPFL Trust Trophy. A common low budget save start outside England.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Top tier Scotland |
| Key Rewards | The full Scottish pyramid, European qualification on a small wage bill |
| Recommended Role | Sweeper Keeper |
| Key Equipment | Play Out Of Defence |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Play Out Of Defence should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Role and duty familiarity mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Major League Soccer.
Major League Soccer: Endgame
Licensed and modelled with its own rules, including salary constraints and Designated Player slots that behave nothing like a European league. Squad building there is a separate skill.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Top tier United States |
| Key Rewards | A distinct ruleset, Designated Player signings |
| Recommended Role | Sweeper Keeper |
| Key Equipment | Play Out Of Defence |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Pressing Forward for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: UEFA Champions League → Premier League → Bundesliga → cinch Scottish Premiership → Major League Soccer. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Football Manager 2023 Guides
- Football Manager 2023 Football Manager 2023 Overview
- Football Manager 2023 Best Builds
- Football Manager 2023 Tier List
- Football Manager 2023 Walkthrough
- Football Manager 2023 Beginner's Guide
- Football Manager 2023 Tips & Tricks
- Football Manager 2023 Weapons Guide
- Football Manager 2023 Combat Guide
- Football Manager 2023 Boss Guide
- Football Manager 2023 Crafting Guide
- Football Manager 2023 Classes & Characters
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