Football Manager is owned by Sega Sammy (Japan, TSE: 6460), which acquired the brand in 2006.[1][2] Football Manager was founded in 2004 in London and was independent until 2006.
This ownership is reported in official statements but has not yet been matched to a regulatory filing.
Football Manager simulates running a football club in extraordinary statistical depth, and its player database is detailed enough that real clubs have used it in scouting. It has been cited in divorce proceedings more than once. Its developer Sports Interactive previously made the Championship Manager series and kept the database and code when that partnership ended, which is why the two series diverged so sharply.
Sega made Sports Interactive a wholly owned subsidiary in 2006. The London studio had split from its previous publisher two years earlier, losing the Championship Manager name in the process and rebuilding the same game as Football Manager. Sega bought the studio and the new name together. Sega Sammy records the year but not the day, and has never published a price.
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Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of Football Manager?
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The parent company of Football Manager is Sega Sammy, a publicly listed company headquartered in Japan.
Is Football Manager British or Japanese?
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Football Manager originated in the United Kingdom in 2004, but it is owned today by Sega Sammy, which is headquartered in Japan. So Football Manager is a British-origin brand under Japanese ownership.
When did Sega Sammy buy Football Manager?
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Sega Sammy completed its acquisition of Football Manager in 2006. The price was not disclosed.
Who owned Football Manager before Sega Sammy?
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Football Manager was an independent company from its founding in 2004 in London until Sega Sammy acquired it in 2006.
Is Football Manager still owned by Sega Sammy?
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Yes. As of 16 September 2026, Football Manager is still owned by Sega Sammy. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Sources (2) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.