EA FC 27 is getting an open world. And yes, you can finally just hang out

EA Sports FC is stepping off the pitch and into the open world.

EA Sports FC 27, launching on September 25, 2026, is introducing The Grounds, a new social open-world mode designed to make FC feel like more than a series of matches and menus.

And this could be one of the franchise’s biggest changes yet.

Welcome to The Grounds

Instead of immediately jumping into a match, The Grounds gives players a shared space where they can explore, meet other players and experience football culture together.

Think less Ultimate Team menu. More football playground meets social gaming world.

Players will be able to move around the environment with their avatars, interact with other people and take part in different football-related activities.

The idea is to make FC feel like a place you actually hang out in, rather than a game you simply log into for another match.

EA FC is getting social

And that’s probably the most interesting part.

Games like Fortnite and Roblox have completely changed what younger players expect from online games. They’re not only places to compete anymore , they’re places to meet friends, customize characters, explore and basically exist online.

The Grounds looks like EA Sports’ answer to that shift.

For FC players, that could mean the moments between matches become almost as important as the matches themselves.

Football culture could finally become part of the game

There’s another reason this concept makes sense for FC.

Football has never just been about what happens during 90 minutes.

It’s kits, boots, music, street football, celebrations, fashion, rivalries and community — especially for younger fans.

Creating an open social environment gives EA a much bigger playground to bring those elements into the FC universe.

And for Moroccan players?

For Moroccan players, where football is already a whole lifestyle, The Grounds could make FC feel less like a game you log into and more like a place you actually hang out with your friends..

The big question is whether The Grounds will actually feel alive —or just become another place to wait before starting a match.

We’ll find out when EA Sports FC 27 drops September 25.

FC is officially entering its open-world era.