Best teams to manage in Football Manager 2024

You can control every aspect of your club in Football Manager 2024, planning every step as you lead them to glory. However, many players can struggle with picking a club and knowing where to start, so here are the best teams to manage in Football Manager 2024.

Football Manager 24 is finally out, with several new features for their player base to engage with. Aspiring managers can start signing players from the Japanese league for the very first time in the latest iteration of Sports Interactive’s management sim, making use of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Inverted Full-Back role.

With Football Manager 2024 playable on PC and Xbox Game Pass, many fans have already planned which of the world’s best players they want to sign, but deciding which club to choose can be confusing, so here are our picks for the best teams to manage in Football Manager 2024.

Who to manage in Football Manager 2024

There are plenty of factors to consider when choosing a team in Football Manager 2024, but the main one is how much of a challenge you want to sign up for. Newcomers might prefer an established club with plenty of resources, while series veterans could go for a lower-league club that needs a complete overhaul.

Luckily, Football Manager 2024 features the biggest selection of teams from around the world, so there’s a destination to suit any and all playstyles. Here are the best teams to choose in Football Manager 2024.

Newcastle United

Starting out with an easy one, Newcastle United are the perfect club to manage in Football Manager 2024 if you’re still learning the ropes. The Magpies start off with a solid squad competing in Europe, but their wealthy investors mean you’ll have plenty of funds available to bring in top talent.

However, they start off just far enough behind giants like Manchester City and Real Madrid that there’s still a ton of work to be done to make Newcastle an elite side. All-in-all, taking over the Toon Army is a project that gives you all the freedom needed to build a squad and learn the game.

Union Berlin

Those looking to crank up the difficulty a notch in Football Manager 2024 should take the Union Berling job, as the German club finds itself in an interesting position. Despite a squad that, on paper, is way behind the likes of Bayern Munich, they secured a Champions League spot for the first time.

This presents managers with the difficult but rewarding task of using Union Berlin’s limited funds to quickly develop a team that can not only retain a European spot but even mount a real challenge on the biggest stage.

If you like Football Manager saves with high stakes, then Union Berlin are the team for you this season.

Ajax

Ajax might seem like a strange pick for the best teams to manage in Football Manager 2024, but the Dutch giants are in a difficult spot this season. After dominating the Eredivisie for many years, they slipped to a third-placed finish last year and most of their star players moved on.

So, to return the club to its usual heights, you’ll have to rely on key signings alongside the iconic Ajax youth system. This makes the legendary club a unique proposition in FM2024, putting your development skills to the test as well as your ability to read the transfer market.

Malaga

There’s nothing like restoring a club to its former glory in Football Manager 2024, and Malaga is one of the biggest rebuild jobs available this season. Since reaching the Champions League back in 2012, the former LaLiga staples hit financial difficulty and began to slide down the divisions.

The Boquerones now find themselves sitting in the third tier of Spanish football with tight budget constraints holding them back. Could you be the one to turn Malaga’s fortunes around and take them back to where they belong?

Maidenhead United

There’s nothing quite like a rags-to-riches story in Football Manager 2024, and that’s what makes Maidenhead United one of the best teams to manage. The Berkshire side have been in the National League, English’s fifth tier, since 2017, with dreams of reaching the Football League.

However, in FM2024, an incredibly low budget and poor facilities across the board mean that Maidenhead are more relegation battlers than promotion candidates. While it’ll certainly be a mountain of a task, guiding them up the divisions and into the Premier League would be one for the books.

Those were our picks for the best teams to manage in Football Manager 2024. We’ll be sure to update this page throughout the year with more fun saves.

In the meantime, if you’re a football fan who prefers to matters into your own hands on the pitch, check out our EA FC 24 guides:

Best strikers in EA Sports FC | Best midfielders in EA Sports FC | Best defenders in EA Sports FC | Best wingers in EA Sports FC | Best goalkeepers in EA Sports FC | Best EA FC 24 Career Mode teams: Most fun saves | EA FC 24 Career Mode: Best free agents & contract expiry players | EA FC 24 custom tactics: Best formations & player instructions