Summary

The sports management genre has expanded for many years, thanks to the continuous release of many titles across different franchises. If you have a favorite sports team and believe you may do a better job than the real-life manager, then a management sim is the best way to test your skills.

Whilesports games with couch co-opsupport are known for being entertaining, sports management games also have the reputation for keeping players engaged for several months during a particular save. Although there are many sports management sims to choose from, these offer the best value.

A screen displaying Danny Kanyon’s profile page in Pro Wrestling Sim.

10Pro Wrestling Sim

Allows You To Step Into The Shoes Of A General Manager

If you’ve played WWE 2K25’s MYGM mode and felt it lacked a few options, then it’s worth looking into Pro Wrestling Sim. This text-based sports management sim lets you take control of a wrestling promotion and decide who wins and who loses every match before the show starts.

Aside from booking matches, you get to create storylines and determine how they play out. you’re able to also build feuds between wrestlers, throwing in fresh twists in the story to keep it fresh. Perhaps the most amazing thing about this game is that you get to customize the wrestler database, thereby bringing real-life or fictional names to your promotion.

Aerial view of a race in Motorsport Manager.

9Motorsport Manager

Put Your Skills As Team Principal To The Test

Motorsport Manager places you in the position of a race team principal, presenting the opportunity to make several huge decisions for the team. Although it bears a huge resemblance to the F1 franchise, this game’s developers smartly evaded any license issues by using fictional team names instead of real ones. Feel free to recruit the best drivers and pit crew to boost your team’s chances of success, provided there’s enough money in the team’s account.

While adhering to in-game rules in the Motorsport world, you can also vote for new in-game rules to be implemented or rejected. The game also allows you to explore diverse career save options, like managing a regional team until it gets promoted to the big leagues.

Basketball players squaring up against one another in Pro Basketball Manager 2024.

8Pro Basketball Manager 2024

Run The Basketball Team Of Your Dreams

Pro Basketball Manager 2024 stands out from the otherbasketball gamesby making it possible to either manage every aspect of your team or simulate a whole season and leave the engine to decide your fate. While the in-game player graphics are nothing like the NBA 2K series, the joy of most sports management games lies in the strategy, not looks.

you may develop different playstyles to use at various points of the game to make a comeback, dominate the opposing team, and lots more. The game offers hundreds of hours of engaging gameplay by allowing you to choose a team from a roster of 2,000 teams that span 90 officially licensed men’s and women’s leagues across the world.

A screen displaying players in the New York Yankees in Out Of The Park Baseball 26.

7Out Of The Park Baseball 26

Guide Your Team To The Championship Like A Pro

Out Of The Park Baseball 2026 builds on the successes of the series by offering a deep simulator experience for baseball fans. You get to control your team in the dugout or from your office. The game’s improved graphics make the outdoor game look more appealing than ever.

Out Of The Park 26 features officially licensed teams, making your gameplay feel more realistic as you get to manage real teams and players. You can choose to dominate an entire season or build a memorable legacy by starting a career, your choice.

A screen displaying the stats of a player in Hockey Legacy Manager 25.

6Hockey Legacy Manager 25

Become An Unforgettable General Manager

Hockey Legacy Manager 25 allows you to nurture your players and challenge for championship gold. Known for its layered gameplay options, expect to handle contract negotiation, match-day lineups, team training sessions, and tons more.

Unlike other sports management games, this one offers some unique game modes. You get the regular Career Mode with 32 teams to manage, along with a History Mode where you may choose a particular season and play through it, and a Challenge Mode that makes you attempt to win the league with every NHL team.

Two tennis players having a match on a grass court in Tennis Elbow Manager 2.

5Tennis Elbow Manager 2

Create The Next Grand Slam Champion

You get to pick between managing a male or female tennis player with over 400 tournaments to play in. If you think you’ve got the bandwidth, feel free to add up to 8 new players to your team as the game allows you to coach up to 9 players. The fact that you can also compete with friends inlocal multiplayermakes this game harder to resist.

4Pro Cycling 2022

Take Your Team To The Podium In Style

Pro Cycling 2022 places you in the position of a sporting director charged with leading your cycling team to victory. The game demonstrates its versatile nature by offering a range of modes. In Career Mode, you can control a team and strive to come out on top at the end of each race.

Pro Cyclist Mode does things differently, as you can develop a new player and customize their attributes based on your preferences. Feel like challenging friends or random folks online? Pro Cycling 2022 comes with an onlinemultiplayer mode, giving you the chance to take on human opponents and see who dominates the leaderboard.

Several cyclists competing in a race in Pro Cycling 2022.

3World Of Mixed Martial Arts 5

Build The Best MMA Promotion In The World

While UFC is arguably one of the best MMA fighting games out there, World Of Mixed Martial Arts 5 is a great option for times when you feel like building an empire of fighters. The game is fully customizable, allowing you to create a promotion or base yours on any of the many real-life promotions. You can also freely edit other aspects of the game.

As the MMA show owner, you’re responsible for negotiating fighters’ contracts, scouting the globe for talent, and booking thrilling matches. The game features a morale system whereby your decisions can affect a fighter’s morale positively or negatively. It’s a perfect game for MMA lovers to sink plenty of hours into, as there’s no shortage of excitement.

An image displaying the stats of an MMA fighter in World Of Mixed Martial Arts 5.

2F1 Manager 2024

1Football Manager 2024

Coach Your Club Or National Team Your Way

Considered one of the best football management games out there,FM24offers a realistic match engine, a highly intuitive UI, among other amazing features. With the opportunity to manage a club from dozens of leagues across the world, this game is a football enthusiast’s delight.

Whether you’re a newcomer or a regular player, the game offers tutorials for various aspects of management life. From helpful insights into set pieces to providing you with in-depth scouting knowledge, FM24 contains almost everything you’d ever seek in a sports management game. If you’re up for a real challenge, the game allows you to manage a club and a national team simultaneously.

A racecar about to corner the track in F1 Manager 2024.

A screenshot of Steve Hitchen’s profile page in Football Manager 2024.