EA Sports FC 27 Adds NBA 2K-Style Social Hub Called The Grounds
EA Sports FC 27 is introducing The Grounds, an online social football playground for PS5 that draws clear inspiration from NBA 2K's neighborhood hubs, featuring shops, casual matches, and mentor figures like Kylian Mbappe.
EA Sports FC Borrows a Page from NBA 2K
For anyone who has spent time in NBA 2K’s roaming online neighborhood, the new mode announced for EA Sports FC 27 will feel immediately familiar. EA Sports is introducing The Grounds, described as “representing a side of football that’s never existed in EA Sports FC until now,” according to reporting by Push Square. The mode features a sandbox hub with shops where players can buy cosmetics, fields scattered around for casual and competitive play, and a progression system tied to your created player.
As Push Square editor Sammy Barker put it, the visual inspiration from 2K’s basketball franchise is pretty hard to miss. The Grounds is set across three unique locations, one of which carries what Barker described as a distinctly romantic, almost rustic version of London. Whether that reads as charming or a little idealized probably depends on your relationship with the actual city.
The mode promises to “expand the Clubs experience with casual, fast-paced kickabouts to top-tier competition,” and it will include guidance from a slate of well-known footballers. Kylian Mbappe, Chloe Kelly, Paulo Dybala, and Alex Hunter are all named as mentor figures players can interact with, according to the official description cited by Push Square.
One important caveat: The Grounds is a PS5 exclusive feature. PS4 owners picking up FC 27 will not have access to it.
What Else Is New in FC 27
The Grounds is the splashiest reveal, but EA Sports is also touting changes across several other parts of the game. On the pitch, the studio says it has reworked defensive AI, added offside-beating runs, and refined pass-and-move mechanics. Those are exactly the kinds of adjustments that get flagged every year, so how meaningfully they translate to actual gameplay remains to be seen.
Career mode is getting more substantial attention than usual. EA says the transfer market logic is being completely rebuilt, which could be significant for the players who treat Career mode as their primary reason for buying the game. Ultimate Team, meanwhile, is adding a Gallery mode that lets players browse and admire their card pulls, which Push Square called “pretty cool, somewhat unexpected.”
Reader sentiment in the Push Square comments was, as Barker predicted, mixed. One commenter summed up a common frustration around annual sports titles: Career mode has gone largely untouched for years while flashier new features get the development spotlight. Another took a more resigned stance, saying they would simply be glad if EA did not make things worse.
Dates and Editions
EA Sports FC 27 launches September 25, 2026. Players who pre-order the Ultimate Edition or Ultimate Edition Plus will get in a week early, on September 18. Pre-orders are open now, with EA saying more information will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Whether The Grounds finds a dedicated player base or becomes a well-produced ghost town will probably say a lot about how much appetite the FC community has for this kind of social experience. NBA 2K’s neighborhood concept has had its own turbulent history with players, swinging between beloved hangout space and monetization vehicle depending on the year. EA Sports now gets to find out if football fans respond any differently.
What is The Grounds in EA Sports FC 27?
The Grounds is a new social mode in EA Sports FC 27, exclusive to the PS5 version, that features an online hub with shops, multiple locations, and both casual and competitive football across a sandbox environment, according to Push Square.
When does EA Sports FC 27 release?
EA Sports FC 27 launches on September 25, 2026. Players who purchase the Ultimate Edition or Ultimate Edition Plus can access the game early starting September 18, as reported by Push Square.
Is The Grounds mode available on PS4?
No. According to Push Square, The Grounds is exclusive to the PS5 version of EA Sports FC 27 and will not be included in the PS4 edition.
Who are the mentor figures featured in The Grounds?
According to the official description cited by Push Square, The Grounds includes guidance from Kylian Mbappe, Chloe Kelly, Paulo Dybala, and Alex Hunter.