Today, Xbox and Sky Sports, with Football Manager are announcing the launch of Missing Managers, a nationwide search for the next generation of female football coaches.
The campaign aims to address the stark gender gap in professional coaching, where women currently make up just 9% of managers in England. To help close this gap, Xbox, Football Manager and Sky Sports have joined forces with US women’s national team coach, Emma Hayes, to inspire and support aspiring female coaches.
Emma Hayes, USWNT Coach and Campaign Ambassador, said:
“I’ve spoken many times about the need to come up with creative ways to address the lack of female coaches in football. This campaign is a great example of how we can reach more women, giving them the education and confidence to pursue their dreams. With the right opportunities, we will see female coaching flourish at the top level in the years to come.”
Passionate female FM26 players are invited to complete the ‘First Victory’ qualification – an in-game achievement celebrating the first-ever integration of women’s football into the series.
Up to eleven competition winners who complete the qualification will receive scholarships to earn their UEFA coaching licenses. They will also gain hands-on work experience at a professional club to develop real-world coaching skills. The programme will be provided and overseen by The Powerhouse Project, an organisation dedicated to empowering women and girls to get involved in sport.
In a first for FM, each winner will also be added to the next edition in the series as a coach, with their in-game stats reflecting their performance – allowing players worldwide to hire them and further championing women’s representation in the sport.
Mohan Gehlot, Senior Marketing Manager at Xbox, said:
“What better way to celebrate the much-anticipated debut of the women’s game in Football Manager than by harnessing players’ passion and supporting them to take the first steps on their real-life coaching journey? We want to see the momentum that’s behind women’s football reflected in better representation across all levels of the sport. That’s why we’re looking forward to finding our Missing Managers.”
The steps to apply to become a Missing Manager are:
- Complete the “First Victory” achievement in Football Manager 26 on Xbox Game Pass.
- Use the campaign webpage and enter the competition.
Football Manager 26 is available now on Xbox, PlayStation and PC.
