EA has finally lifted the lid on EA Sports FC 27, introducing a heavily rumoured open world-style mode to the franchise for the very first time, as well as sweeping changes to Career Mode and Ultimate Team.

Borrowing from rival basketball game NBA 2K's The City, the new open world mode is called The Grounds – a new social playground where players can create their own footballer, explore different districts and dive into casual or competitive matches.

Kylian Mbappé returns as the game's cover star for the first time since Fifa 23, appearing on the Standard and Ultimate Editions. EA is also launching a new Ultimate Plus Edition, which sees Jude Bellingham join Mbappé on the cover after fronting FC 25 and FC 26.

FC 27 launches on 25 September, with up to seven days of early access from 18 September for anyone who pre-orders the Ultimate Edition or Ultimate Plus Edition of the game. Here's everything you need to know about FC 27, from all the new gameplay features to where you can pre-order every edition.

‘EA Sports FC 27’: What’s new?

EA Sports FC 27 seems to stick to EA’s well-trodden formula. As with many iterations of EA’s beloved game, it’s a fairly iterative version of the game you know and love.

The biggest new feature is The Grounds. EA calls it a social playground. You’ll be able to create your own footballer and freely explore a series of football-themed districts, meet up with friends in The Grounds, challenge others to casual or competitive games, complete skill-based activities and earn rewards as you develop your character. Fans have been clamouring for a shared social hub for years, so it’s nice to see it finally coming to the game.

EA also says that it has improved how dribbling, passing, shooting, defending and its goalkeeper AI work to make matches feel more responsive and realistic. As with FC 26, players can choose between two gameplay presets. Competitive is designed for Ultimate Team and Clubs, while Authentic slows down the pace of the game and tweaks player behaviour to better reflect real-world football in Career Mode.

Speaking of Career Mode. EA has partnered with TransferRoom, the real-world transfer marketplace that’s used by hundreds of professional clubs, to make Career Mode even more realistic. The transfer system has been designed so clubs now compete more naturally for players, with negotiations changing and adapting over time. Deals are also influenced by a player's ambitions, wage demands and club interest. EA is also introducing new live scenarios based on real football storylines, letting players experience the same managerial challenges that actual football managers face during the season.

Lastly, Ultimate Team. EA is rolling out a new FUT Gallery – a permanent collection of your biggest achievements in Ultimate Team. It will include special player items, trophies and other milestones. There are also new Live Events, as well as a refreshed progression system and additional tournament formats so you can earn rewards throughout the year in different ways. Clubs will also gain new progression features and social improvements.

Where to pre-order ‘EA Sports FC 27’

‘EA Sports FC 27’, Ultimate Plus Edition

EA has launched a new Ultimate Plus Edition aimed squarely at dedicated Ultimate Team players, though it's only available until 31 August.

As with the Ultimate Edition, you'll get up to seven days of early access from 18 September, an untradeable 85+ International Icon Player Item, an additional Football Ultimate Team Player Evolution slot, a range of Career Mode bonuses, The Grounds cosmetic items and bonus content for EA Sports FC 26.

The exclusive bonuses for the Ultimate Plus Edition include 10,000 FC Points delivered over five monthly drops, Premium Passes for Seasons 1 to 5, a Hall of FUT Player Pick featuring five former stars and a Physical Evolution that boosts any player's physical attributes to 99 in FC 26.

Just by pre-ordering, you'll also get a range of Career Mode bonuses, including three Icons or Heroes, a Dynamic OVR Pre-Season Boost, a five-star coach, five-star youth scout, five-star senior scout and five additional Manager Live Challenge creation slots. Pre-ordering also unlocks The Grounds Signature Sweatsuit, a Tier 3 Mbappé-inspired AMP, Double AXP consumables for 10 matches and exclusive pre-order challenges.

It’s essentially the Ultimate Edition, but with more bonuses and a higher price tag. The Ultimate Plus Edition costs £139.99 and is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC. If you have an EA Play subscription, you can pick it up with a 10 per cent discount, taking it down to £125.99 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

‘EA Sports FC 27’, Ultimate Edition

The Ultimate Edition is the best edition of the game for players who want early access and extra in-game content without paying for the new Ultimate Plus Edition. You'll get up to seven days of early access from 18 September, 6,000 FC Points delivered over three monthly drops, the Season 1 Premium Pass, an additional Football Ultimate Team Player Evolution slot and a range of Career Mode bonuses. The latter includes a Dynamic OVR Pre-Season Boost, a five-star Senior Scout and five extra Manager Live Challenge creation slots.

If you pre-order by 31 August, you'll also receive an untradeable 85+ International Icon Player Item in FC 27, plus bonus items for FC 26, including a 93+ Icon Player Pick and a Dribbling Evolution that boosts any player's dribbling attributes to 99. Like the Ultimate Plus Edition, you'll also get The Grounds cosmetic items, three ICONs or Heroes for Career Mode, a five-star coach and youth scout, and Double AXP consumables to help level up Archetypes faster.

All pre-orders come with Career Mode bonuses, including a Dynamic OVR Pre-Season Boost, The Grounds Signature Sweatsuit, a Tier 3 Mbappé-inspired AMP, Double AXP consumables for 10 matches and exclusive pre-order challenges. You’ll get three Icons or Heroes, a five-star coach, five-star youth scout, five-star senior scout and five additional Manager Live Challenge creation slots, too.

It costs £99.99 and is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC. If you have an EA Play subscription, you can get the Ultimate Edition for £89.99.

‘EA Sports FC 27’ Standard Edition

Just want the cheapest way to play your favourite football game? The Standard Edition is for you if you don't mind waiting until the full launch on 25 September. Unlike the Ultimate and Ultimate Plus editions, it doesn't include early access, FC Points, Premium Passes or the additional Ultimate Team and Career Mode content.

That said, if you pre-order, you'll still receive a selection of bonus items, including a Dynamic OVR Pre-Season Boost for Career Mode, The Grounds Signature Sweatsuit, a Tier 3 Mbappé-inspired AMP, Double AXP consumables for 10 matches and exclusive pre-order challenges. You'll also unlock three Icons or Heroes for Career Mode, a five-star coach and five-star youth scout.

The Standard Edition costs £69.99 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, or £59.99 on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

‘EA Sports FC 27’ release date: When will the game come out?

EA has confirmed that EA Sports FC 27 will launch worldwide on Friday 25 September 2026.

As with previous years, anyone who pre-orders the Ultimate Edition or the new Ultimate Plus Edition will get up to seven days of early access, with the game unlocking on Friday 18 September. EA Play members will also be able to play up to 10 hours of the game from the same date through the EA Play trial.

‘EA Sports FC 27’ platforms

EA Sports FC 27 will launch on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The new Ultimate Plus Edition is only available digitally on PlayStation, Xbox and PC. The Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 will only get the Standard Edition.

As with FC 26, cross-play is expected to return on compatible platforms, letting players compete against friends on other consoles and PC. EA is yet to confirm the full cross-play compatibility list for FC 27, but more details are expected ahead of launch.

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