What are the best FM24 challenges? Whether you’re new to the series or a seasoned fan, sometimes you need a bit of a project, or a long-term save, to get stuck into the intricacies of the original (and best) sports management simulator. These challenges are guaranteed to keep you playing ‘just one more game’ again and again.
Adding self-imposed rules and restrictions should throw some extra drama into your Football Manager 2024 save, giving you more satisfaction when results start going your way. Once you’ve picked a challenge, you can choose one of the best FM24 tactics and formations for the task ahead and get on the road to glory. So if you’ve read our best FM24 bargains and want to get started, check out our compilation of the best Football Manager 2024 challenge saves to put your management skills to the test.
Here are the best FM2024 challenge saves:
- Youth Academy
- Glory Hunter
- The ‘Dafuge’
- The Pentagon
- Director of Football
Youth Academy
The youth academy challenge asks managers to take an unplayable team, one that has been promoted into the game after one season, from the bottom of the pile to win the top division and the Champions League. To add some extra spice to the challenge, you can only sign players generated through the youth academy.
This youth-only restriction means you can’t rely on paid transfers or signing wonderkids, but also no free transfers and no loans either. Selling and buying back players is also forbidden.
You need to pay close attention to your youth facilities, coaching, and head of youth development to generate the best possible youngsters coming through the club. Thankfully, no signings should leave a healthy bank balance, letting you upgrade these as you climb through the leagues.
You can view the official FM forum thread for detailed rules, inspiration for your save, and to keep up with fellow youth academy managers.
Glory Hunter
Glory Hunter is a long-term save project, with a looming time restriction. Popularised by renowned FM streamer and Youtuber DoctorBenjy, Glory Hunter requires managers to win the league title and domestic cup in the top five European leagues (England, Germany, Spain, France, and Italy). If that wasn’t enough, you need to win the Europa League and Champions League. You’ll ALSO need to get an international management job and win the European Championship and the World Cup. Phew.
You get a free choice on where to start and can select the best clubs in FM24, or opt for fallen giants. Job hopping is an essential part of the Glory Hunter challenge, and after every season, keep an eye on the job listings to see if you can move to a new country.
Glory Hunter’s most frustrating twist is the 20-year time limit to complete it. Of course, you can choose to play a more relaxed quest for glory if you don’t achieve it, but hardened players have found that with a few attempts, it can be beaten. Taking risks such as leaving countries unfinished, and vowing to return later adds a bit of spice to the project.
Ben’s FM20 Glory Hunter setup perhaps gives the best introduction to the rules of Glory Hunter.
The ‘Dafuge’
Named after the Sports Interactive forum member ‘Dafuge’ who put it together for FM08, the Dafuge challenge is a long-term project that is not for the faint-hearted.
You start with a team that gets promoted into Vanarama North/South by holidaying for one season. The goal is to take them literally from the bottom of the football pyramid to winning the Champions League. This is a long-term save for the ages, and it’s not impossible but will stretch your management skills to their limit.
Full setup rules can be found on the Sports Interactive forum thread dedicated to the challenge. Conveniently, fans of the project upload pre-setup games with listed eligible teams, so if one of the clubs takes your fancy, you can download their save file and get cracking.
The Pentagon
True global domination in Football Manager requires you to visit almost every corner of the world and win the five continental titles.
- UEFA Champions League, Europe
- CONMEBOL Libertadores, South America
- CONCACAF Champions League, North/Central America
- CAD Ligue Des Champions, Africa
- AFC Champions League, Asia
You must start unemployed in this challenge, with attribute masking on, and no coaching badges. It’s easiest to start in Africa, where the game’s database has only one playable league, or in Asia. Don’t get too attached to your clubs, as the goal is to climb up to the top jobs. Getting sacked is fine, you just need to find a new job, and don’t forget to move on instantly once you’ve won a continental trophy.
You need more than the minimum FM24 system requirements to load that amount of clubs and players, or you can add and remove leagues from each continent as you move through the challenge to reduce processing speed.
Director of Football
The director of football challenge in FM24 is unlike any other we’ve listed. It relies on you appointing a DoF and handing over every transfer and contract responsibility across your club to them, leaving you to coach the team and manage them on match days.
Your DoF might sign world-beating players that mean you can manage your way to glory, or they might sell your star player for pennies, leaving you in the lurch. You’ll have to work with the cards you’re dealt. Football fans love transfers, and wheeling and dealing is such a key part of FM gameplay, so only brave souls will give that up to the AI in the name of the challenge.
No rules apply here, it’s more of a playstyle. A rich club might be an easier ride, or it might be more painful to see big money spent!
So that’s our pick of the best FM24 challenges, if you’re looking for a long-haul management job. Don’t forget to check out our guide on how to install Football Manager 24 kits and logo packs to add the things FM doesn’t include. We also have a list of the best football games if you want to think more like Lionel Messi and less like Mikel Arteta.