EA Sports FC 27 once again finds Electronic Arts trying to answer the same annual question: how much can be changed without disrupting a football formula that already works? The answer this time is a little more interesting than usual, mainly because The Grounds gives the series a genuinely different space in which to play. The new social hub does not transform EA Sports FC into an entirely different game, but it does broaden the experience beyond the familiar cycle of matches, Career and Ultimate Team. At the same time, much of the underlying package remains recognisably the same, making this another difficult recommendation for players who already own last year’s edition purely on the strength of its incremental improvements.
The Grounds is easily the most successful new idea in the package. Its three neighbourhoods, inspired by football cultures in France, Argentina and England, give the mode a distinct personality, while the mixture of traditional matches, small-sided street football and more playful Kickabout activities provides a welcome change of pace. The 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 games in particular capture some of the carefree appeal associated with FIFA Street, while the various mini-games are at their best when played with friends rather than treated as serious competitive experiences. The integration of Clubs also gives the space a practical purpose rather than making it merely a decorative open-world area.
There are, however, some obvious limitations to The Grounds. The map itself is relatively small and can feel strangely empty, with exploration quickly becoming little more than a way of travelling between activities. Matchmaking is another weak point, since some activities require players to wait for others within the same instance rather than simply finding participants across the wider player base. The social aspect therefore feels more like a promising foundation than a fully realised virtual football community. That could change with future updates and additional content, but at launch the mode does not quite justify its open-world ambitions. Its strongest quality is ultimately the way it provides a relaxed alternative to the more demanding competitive side of EA Sports FC.
On the pitch, FC 27 is more successful at refining the existing formula. The biggest change is the increased emphasis on manual control, particularly when defending. The reduced defensive assistance means that positioning, timing and switching to the right player matter more, giving the player greater responsibility for stopping attacks rather than relying on the AI to do the difficult work. Passing also demands more precision, while attacking runs have been adjusted to create more natural movement and space. The changes initially require some adjustment, but they make individual input feel more consequential and reduce some of the feeling that matches are being decided purely by player statistics.
Set pieces receive some additional attention as well, with corners allowing more direct control over attacking positioning and crosses requiring more consideration of both direction and timing. These mechanics can make attacking play more rewarding once mastered, although they also occasionally slow the rhythm of matches. There are still familiar shortcomings elsewhere: some passing remains inconsistent, certain types of shots appear disproportionately effective, and the balance between different finishing techniques is not always convincing. Most noticeably, the goalkeepers remain a recurring problem. Their reactions and positioning can be surprisingly poor, producing saves and concessions that undermine otherwise convincing physical interactions and animations.
The Manager Career is arguably the other major beneficiary of this year’s changes. The transfer market has been substantially reworked, with competing clubs becoming more active during negotiations and player valuations responding more dynamically to factors such as form, morale and fitness. Additional clauses also make negotiations more interesting, while smaller clubs can find themselves losing targets to wealthier or more prestigious teams even after apparently successful negotiations. These systems give recruitment a greater sense of uncertainty and make squad building feel less mechanical. The Player Career receives fewer meaningful changes, although additional events and objectives provide some extra variation to what remains a largely familiar mode.
Ultimate Team is more evolutionary. The core loop of collecting players, completing objectives and continually improving a squad remains firmly intact, but some of the more tedious elements have been streamlined. Simplified Squad Building Challenges are a particularly useful improvement, reducing the amount of artificial team construction required for certain challenges, while the new FUT Gallery gives collected cards a greater sense of permanence and purpose. The economy is somewhat more generous in places and solo content has been expanded, but the fundamental monetisation structure remains. Spending money can still accelerate progression considerably, meaning the mode continues to carry the baggage that has accompanied it for years.
Presentation is similarly a case of refinement rather than reinvention. On PS5, the matches remain visually impressive, with detailed player models, convincing stadiums and a large animation library helping the action look and feel authentic. Physical interactions and movement have received attention, and the atmosphere benefits from strong crowd work, chants and match-day audio. The Grounds also runs well overall, although its streets expose some of the limitations of the presentation, including repetitive NPC models and comparatively dated-looking crowds. The interface remains another sore spot, with menus that can be unnecessarily awkward to navigate using a controller. Occasional graphical bugs were also seem, although nothing suggests a fundamental performance problem on PS5 – which was nice after experiencing a strange slow-down bug on FC 26.
Ultimately, EA Sports FC 27 is not the annual revolution that its marketing might suggest, but it is a solid football game with a few changes that genuinely improve the experience. The Grounds is the most interesting addition because it gives the series a more social and playful side, even if its relatively empty world and restrictive matchmaking leave plenty of room for expansion. The shift towards more manual gameplay is arguably even more important in day-to-day play, rewarding players who take responsibility for defending and building attacks, although inconsistent passing, questionable shooting balance and troublesome goalkeepers prevent the on-pitch experience from being completely polished. Add a stronger Manager Career, some welcome FUT streamlining and the usual wealth of licences and presentation quality, and FC 27 remains an easy recommendation for football fans. For owners of FC 26, however, the question is harder: this is a better package, but The Grounds and the gameplay refinements may not be enough on their own to make another full-price annual upgrade feel essential.
Score: 8.0/10