The massively multiplayer online football simulation will hit shops earlier than expected with a release date of January 23rd confirmed today by SEGA.

Football Manager Live is a brand new and exciting concept, which if done well, could open up the world of football to a brand new audience and of course might even take our football sim addiction to another level. Divorce courts anyone?

Like many MMOs, Football Manager Live will sport a subscription based model and SEGA is obviously hoping to tempt us to stick around for the long term, saying that “the longer you’re part of the game world the more skills your gain as a manager and the better you’ll become.” In short: those who commit and put in the hours will be those who’ll pick up the trophies and achieve recognition with its global audience.

The pricing scheme is as follows:

3 months : £22.99
6 months : £43.99
12 months : £72.99

Football Manager Live looks all set to create some fierce competition amongst its loyal fan-base and newcomers alike.

We'll have a full review of Football Manager Live in the new year.