RB Leipzig on FM26 - From the 5th Division to the Top of Europe
Founded in 2009. German 5th division. 7 YEARS to reach the Bundesliga. Runners-up in 2017, CL semi-finals in 2020. 3rd in Bundesliga 2025-26 (65 pts), CL qualified. Martín Demichelis arrives for 2026-27. Red Bull Arena (47,069 seats, Germany's largest in the East). THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL — and most EFFECTIVE — model in German football.
Why choose RB Leipzig?
Because RB Leipzig is THE MOST VERTIGINOUS ASCENT IN EUROPEAN FOOTBALL. Founded by Red Bull in the German 5th division in 2009, the club reaches the Bundesliga in 7 YEARS (2016), finishes 2nd in their first season, reaches the Champions League semi-finals in 2020 (beating Atlético!), wins their first DFB-Pokal in 2022. In 2025-26: 3rd in Bundesliga (65 pts), Champions League qualified. Martín Demichelis arrives for 2026-27. Timo Werner (developed and sold, then returned), Joshua Kimmich (developed here!), Emil Forsberg — the Red Bull gems. The Red Bull Arena (47,069 seats, Germany's largest stadium in the East) is ultra-modern. BUT: ultra-controversial club in Germany — the statutes limit members to a few dozen to maintain Red Bull control, rival ultras refuse to shake their hands. In FM26, this is the continent's most ambitious project — and the most polarizing.
The Red Bull model: press and run
Red Bull imposes the same philosophy across all its clubs (Salzburg, New York, Leipzig): young fast players (22-year average age), ultra-intense pressing, direct vertical play. In FM26, maintain this style: 4-3-3 with 100% pressing, immediate transitions, pacey wingers. The tactical identity is non-negotiable at Red Bull.
Tactics: the Red Bull press
HIGH pressing, high defensive line, high ball recovery, immediate forward transition. That's the RED BULL FOOTBALL BIBLE. In FM26: compact lines, pressing always activated, players with maximum stamina and speed. No squad aging — regularly reinvest in young, fast profiles.
Objectives: CL as permanent horizon
Maintain top 3 in Bundesliga. Progress in the Champions League (the 2020 semi-finals remain the peak — surpassing that would be HISTORIC). Long term: Bundesliga title — the 1st time would be a revolution in German football.
Leipzig is the REVOLUTION. From a Red Bull can to the Champions League in 11 years. In FM26, perpetuating this miracle means writing the most EXTRAORDINARY story in German football. Rasenball!