The most convincing addition is the expanded transfer system. Deals can reportedly include instalments, sell-on arrangements, buy-back clauses and performance bonuses, giving managers more ways to structure realistic squad-building moves.
That matters because modern transfers rarely rely on one simple upfront payment. However, the review says clubs often remain reluctant to accept anything beyond an immediate fee. The options improve the framework, even if the artificial intelligence does not always appear ready to use them convincingly.
The new Grounds social hub brings 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 matches alongside mini-games, including a football-inspired basketball format. It offers a welcome change of pace after a difficult Ultimate Team session and recalls the lighter, arcade-style appeal associated with Street.
Its open-world setting appears less successful. The environments reportedly lack personality, while several activities could have been delivered through standard menus. The Grounds adds variety, but it does not yet look like a decisive reason to buy the game.
Corners now require players to choose direction and power before selecting a target in the box. Crossing is also less forgiving, placing greater emphasis on timing and positioning rather than automatic assistance.
Yet goalkeeper behaviour remains a major concern. The review describes keepers parrying routine efforts into the six-yard box, creating simple follow-ins. Defending contributes to the problem, but repeated rebounds make the goalkeeping system feel unreliable.
The interface compounds that frustration. Slow, cluttered menus and glitches make routine administration unnecessarily demanding, while Ultimate Team’s Gallery adds rewards without changing its broader reliance on microtransactions.
The next test for EA Sports FC 27 will be its early updates. If patches improve goalkeeper reactions and menu performance, the new systems could form a stronger foundation; otherwise, the familiar flaws may remain the game’s defining story.