Athletic Bilbao on FM26 - The ULTIMATE Challenge
ONLY Basque players can play. Since 1912. NEVER relegated from La Liga. 24 Copas del Rey — 2nd all-time. Copa del Rey 2024 winners, Supercopa 2024. San Mamés (53,331 seats), dubbed the 'Cathedral' — with an expansion in the works announced in 2026. And Valverde is now LEAVING after his 3rd stint. It's your time.
Why choose Athletic Bilbao?
Athletic Club is the most UNIQUE CLUB ON THE PLANET. Since 1912, one immovable principle: recruit ONLY players of Basque origin or developed in Basque academies. No imports. No mercenaries. And yet, this club has NEVER been relegated from La Primera División. NEVER. Only Real Madrid and Barcelona can say the same. 24 Copas del Rey — 2nd best record behind Barcelona's 31. Copa del Rey 2024 (beating Mallorca), Spanish Super Cup 2024 — trophies still coming in 2024. San Mamés (53,331 seats, 'the Cathedral', opened 2013) is one of the most beautiful and atmospheric stadiums in Europe — and an expansion is being studied for 2026. Ernesto Valverde (3rd stint!) leaves the club at the end of the 2025-26 season — a page turns. In FM26, you arrive at this moment of transition and must maintain THE ABSOLUTE IDENTITY while winning trophies.
The Basque policy: your ABSOLUTE constraint
Only players born in the Basque Country (Biscay, Guipúzcoa, Álava, Navarre on the Spanish side, Labourd, Soule, Basse-Navarre on the French side) or developed in Basque academies can play. An informal but ABSOLUTE rule for 110 years. In FM26, that's your unique challenge: build a competitive team — IN EUROPE — with only this pool of approximately 3 million people.
Tactics: Basque intensity and directness
Athletic plays a 4-2-3-1 with one of the highest pressing intensities in Spain. The Basque style: total physical commitment, winning duels, directness. No tiki-taka — direct play, winning second balls, getting in the opponent's face. In FM26, maximize intensity, play direct transitions, and bet on physical attackers capable of creating chaos.
Objectives: Copa and Europe
Never get relegated (PRIORITY). Target the Copa del Rey (24 already — why not 25?). Maintain Europa League presence. And if history gets carried away, why not a 9th Liga title?
Athletic Bilbao is AUTHENTIC football. No dirty money, no mercenaries — just Basque pride since 1912. You want to prove that development can beat billionaires? This is where. ¡Aupa Athletic!