EA FC 27 reveals The Grounds, an open world mode that promises to innovate the franchise By Bruna
5 min read
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With the recent boost from the World Cup, global football has once again captured the public’s attention, and EA has apparently noticed this trend. After the “World Game” update, the EA FC game reached a record number of connected users, which motivated the developer to seek new horizons. The company proposes “football fantasies”, allowing any player to experience their ideal team, career and football life. It was with this objective in mind that EA invited journalists to Vancouver, Canada, on July 29, 2026, to experience the innovations and gameplay of EA FC 27, with a special focus on The Grounds, the franchise’s new open world mode.
The Grounds mode was designed with the purpose of becoming a central space for interaction between friends and communities, ranging from urban environments and neighborhood courts to professional football stages. The developer describes the modality as “a football playground made for you, your friends and the community”, although, for now, it does not feature “pay to win” elements, unlike other open world games, such as those from 2K. The main focus lies on customizing the avatar and virtual social interactions, offering different ways to play individually or in groups, and to consolidate the player’s identity within football culture.
One of the most valued modes in the series, Clubs, will be incorporated into the universe of The Grounds. In it, the player will create his avatar, go to his club’s area with friends and, only then, enter the field. In this environment, events such as 11 against 11 matches, Rush format games and 1×1, 2×2 and 3×3 clashes take place. There are also club objectives that reward both the team and individual players.
However, the open world is not just about formal matches. Kickabouts introduce diverse minigames, including basketball, obstacle races and even dodgeball, combining the style of Fall Guys with the aesthetics of EA FC. Dropkick Targets challenge the player to kick the ball to specific targets on the map, creating a dynamic similar to “hidden” challenges. To improve the avatar’s evolution, improved Archetypes and Amps were implemented, which are bonuses inspired by real athletes. There are four categories of Amps, and up to three can be equipped simultaneously, and they are earned in competitions, challenges and events exclusive to The Grounds. The Masteries system allows character evolution with points, and the advantage is the possibility of redefining the “build” as many times as necessary without losing progress, encouraging experimentation with different styles of play.
The visual and personalization component also gained significant weight. The avatar will be able to wear historic shirts, current uniforms and club travel attire, with partnerships already confirmed with brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma and New Balance. There are even gestures and reactions in the Forza Horizon style, where the character shows emotions when faced with victories, defeats and other moments during the game.
The game map is organized around a central area, known as the “bolona”, which represents your club’s headquarters. On the right is the region inspired by England; to the north, Argentina; and on the left, France. This raises curiosity as to whether, in the future, Brazil will be able to have its space in the south of the map. For now, four mentors act as non-playable characters (NPCs), roaming the streets and offering missions and rewards: Mbappé in France, Dybala in Argentina, Chloe Kelly in the English area and Alex Hunter, who makes his return and runs through the entire scenario. The experience is completed by secrets to be discovered, hidden narratives, chapters, seasons and themed campaigns, such as the Champions League and Halloween.
Despite some initial distrust regarding rumors about the new mode, the practical experience exceeded expectations. The Grounds proved to be fun, with moments that directly refer to the nostalgic Fifa Street, and minigames like dodgeball, which evoke the spirit of classics like Mario Party and Fuzion Frenzy, guaranteeing moments of relaxation and nostalgia.
Regarding the main gameplay, the changes are primarily aimed at the offensive sector. Spatial awareness has been improved, with contextual movements that become more decisive, representing an evolution of the famous “machete”. The players’ artificial intelligence now executes tables more intelligently, and shots depend more on the technique of the player executing the ball, with less assistance. In fact, the guided pass no longer covers the entire field as it did in the previous edition. On the defensive side, the game has become more dependent on human action: automatic bots have lost precision, and effective interceptions now require direct control over the defender, which contributes to more tactical and less automatic matches.
Corners were modified to a two-phase logic, with manual control both when crossing and when the ball arrives in the area, and crosses during the game follow the same principle. And for those who think this would simplify the game, tests carried out with other journalists in Vancouver indicated otherwise. Elite dribblers also gain a new skill, “stumble dribble”, which simulates the ability to “stick” the ball to the foot and dribble past opponents with agility, a feature reserved for players with a high dribbling “overall” (at least 85, for now).
In short, this is not a complete revolution. External observers may consider that few changes have occurred, especially in strategy and team building, areas that remain practically unchanged. However, those who actually play notice the difference, especially in the improved fluidity of the attack and the reduced dependence on artificial intelligence for defense.
This year’s big innovation is called The Grounds. EA is betting that this mode will make EA FC 27 one of the franchise’s greatest titles, not only for the gameplay itself, but for consolidating itself as a center of online football culture.
