With over 2,500 real clubs to manage and over 500,000 real footballers and staff to sign, Football Manager 2017 elevates you into a living, breathing world of football management with you at the centre.

You’ll have full control of transfers and decide who plays, and who sits on the bench. You're in complete control of tactics, team-talks and pitch-side instructions, and you’ll follow the match live with our acclaimed 3D match engine. You’ll also deal with real football media, solve player-happiness problems and the board will watch your every move.

If you're one of the few football fans who has yet to experience Football Manager 2017 then now's your chance, as the latest incarnation of the smash-hit football management simulation will be available this weekend on a short-term loan. Throughout the weekend beginning Thursday March 23rd, Football Manager 2017 will be available to play through Steam (on PC, Mac and Linux) completely free of charge.

This is the full Football Manager 2017 experience, available to play at no cost for 72 hours from 5:00pm on Thursday, March 23rd until the final whistle blows at 8:00pm on Sunday, March 26th (all UK times). What's more, for those who decide they want to keep the game, it will be available for a fantastic 50 per cent off SRP throughout the free weekend and for a further 24 hours afterwards (until 8:00pm on Monday, March 27th). Any progress you make in your management career over the course of the free weekend will carry through if you do decide to make the loan deal permanent.

So why wait? You have nothing to lose but your weekend.