Is EA SPORTS FC 27 Open World? The Grounds Explained
Not a sandbox open world: The Grounds is a walkable hub with three districts, kickabouts, 1v1s and Clubs. It only runs on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 and PC.
Not in the sandbox sense. EA SPORTS FC 27 is still a football simulation.
What it does add is the first walkable shared space in the series. The Grounds lets you explore districts, play kickabouts, take on 1v1s, try minigames and join Clubs with friends.
The hard limit is platform. The Grounds only runs on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. PS4, Xbox One and Switch cannot enter.
Three districts and one hub
| Area | Inspiration |
|---|---|
| Montclair | Paris |
| Zeiza | Buenos Aires |
| Parkside | Suburban Britain |
| The Terrace | The central hub linking all three |
The Terrace is the core social space. It connects the three districts and holds the social areas, the Clubhouse, stores and activities.
Each district borrows the street football culture of its inspiration. EA treats them as three slices of the wider football world.
What you can actually do there
Kickabouts: informal quick matches, the easiest way to get used to the feel.
1v1s: head-to-head matches that test individual control.
5v5 Rush: small-team matches with a much faster rhythm than 11v11.
Minigames such as Bucket Ball: casual football-themed modes with their own rules and rewards.
Amps: temporary boosts earned and used inside activities.
Challenges and seasonal objectives: The Grounds gets seasonal updates with new events and goals.
Mentor interactions: talk to football mentors, improve your abilities and customise your player.
How Clubs fits inside the world
Clubs used to sit in its own menu. It is now integrated into The Grounds.
You reach Clubs matches and activities through the different areas, including 11v11 and Rush. The Clubhouse acts as the social space where club members gather and prepare.
This is where the platform limit bites hardest. On older hardware you do not just lose an explorable space. You lose the whole environment that Clubs now lives in.
Who appears in The Grounds
EA confirmed this mentor line-up:
- Alex Hunter, the protagonist of The Journey, appearing in an EA SPORTS FC game for the first time
- Kylian Mbappe
- Chloe Kelly
- Paulo Dybala
Ted Lasso and AFC Richmond also return, this time with the club’s women’s team included.
The mentors guide you through the districts and help you develop your player.
Rewards are tied to the platform limit
The Grounds is not just a mode. It is also a source of rewards.
Season 1 cosmetics include a black and green FC tracksuit, a Mbappe-inspired Tier 3 Amp and two 10-match double AXP consumables. The first EA Play FC 27 reward is also a The Grounds Chapter 0 vanity item.
The problem is that EA states The Grounds rewards only arrive on supported platforms. So players on PS4, Xbox One and Switch see that content listed in their edition and cannot collect it.
The platform breakdown is on the platform support page.
Why some players dislike it
The most common complaint is travel time.
One Reddit player asked why they should run around a city to find a court for a minigame when they could open it from a menu with one button.
That criticism points at a real trade-off. The Grounds replaces menus with space, which builds atmosphere but adds a step before every activity. For players who only want quick matches, that is friction.
Feedback is not one-sided. Creator videos generally treat The Grounds as the headline addition, and media coverage uses the same framing.
Both readings exist, and EA has not responded to the travel complaint.
Watch real footage before deciding
Whether The Grounds works for you depends on whether you enjoy browsing a space at walking pace. Text cannot replace seeing it.
The video below shows the entrance, the districts and the activity flow as they actually play.