Key takeaways
- The Grounds holds up to 100 players around a central Terrace and three districts, Montclair, Zeiza and Parkside, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Switch 2 (EA The Grounds Pitch Notes)
- All Archetypes are unlocked by default, and resets no longer cost coins or a consumable (EA The Grounds Pitch Notes)
- Masteries add permanent attribute points to every build, for example Level 10 Finisher adds +1 Finishing and +1 Composure (EA The Grounds Pitch Notes)
- EA reset Archetype Attribute Points by October 22 after fixing AP costs, and gave affected players 5,000 Club Coins and a 1.75x AXP Multiplier (EA Archetypes Update)
- Small-sided matches last three minutes with manual shooting and fully assisted passing (EA The Grounds Pitch Notes)
The Grounds is FC 27's social hub: a shared football playground for up to 100 players where Clubs, Small-sided matches, Rush and party-style Kickabouts all live in one world. You start on the Terrace, which links three districts (Montclair, Zeiza and Parkside), the Clubhouse for Clubs and two stadium entrances for 11v11 Drop In and Rush. Every player Archetype is unlocked from the start, resets are free, and Masteries add permanent attribute points across all your builds. This guide covers the map, the mentors, every mode and Kickabout, how Archetypes and Masteries work, and the October Archetype rebalance.
Checked against EA's FC 27 The Grounds and Clubs Pitch Notes, The Grounds Developer Archetypes Update and the Title Update v1.2.0 Pitch Notes on November 12, 2026.
The Grounds and Clubs are only available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2, not on last-generation consoles. All rules and numbers below come from EA's posts.
What is The Grounds in FC 27?
It is an open social space that puts Clubs, Rush and small-sided football into one shared world, and it will change through the year with seasons and campaigns. You walk between areas, join games at pitches and kiosks, and meet up with friends or Clubmates.
| Area | What you find there |
|---|---|
| The Terrace | Starting point linking every district, info kiosks and The Grounds Store |
| The Clubhouse | Clubs Leagues, Playoffs and Club Tournaments; the stadium updates with your Club's identity |
| Montclair | French urban football with cage pitches |
| Zeiza | Argentina's potrero street football style |
| Parkside | Working-class UK football heritage |
| 11v11 Stadium | 11v11 Drop In |
| Rush Stadium | Ranked Rush and Rush Tournaments |
Who are the mentors?
- Alex Hunter (from The Journey) runs player improvement challenges.
- Kylian Mbappe leads Small-sided play, agility and creativity activities.
- Chloe Kelly covers Kickabouts and grassroots activities with friends.
- Paulo Dybala handles Clubs and Stadium events built around teamwork and loyalty.
What modes can you play in The Grounds?
The Grounds mixes competitive football with casual minigames. Stadium modes take you out of the world into normal matchmaking against players of similar skill.
| Mode | Format | Key rules |
|---|---|---|
| Clubs Leagues and Playoffs | 11v11 with Clubmates | Entered through the Clubhouse |
| Club Tournaments | 11v11 Live Events | House Rules such as Mystery Ball, King of the Hill, No Rules, Headers and Volleys, Survival, Long Range |
| Stadium Drop In | Stadium Rush, Rush Live Tournaments, 11v11 Drop In | Skill-based matchmaking |
| Small-sided | 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 and in-world Rush | Three-minute matches; manual shooting, fully assisted passing |
| Kickabouts | Two to four players or teams | Football mixed with other sports, see below |
In Small-sided, 1v1 matches give each side a CPU goalkeeper, while 2v2 and 3v3 use small goals and no keepers. Fouls are on: a foul outside the box means the fouled player must shoot from that exact spot, a foul inside the box means a penalty, and passing and dribbling are disabled during the free kick.
How do Kickabouts work?
Kickabouts are short minigames that blend football with dodgeball, basketball, bocce and racing. Each has its own scoring.
| Kickabout | Players | How to win |
|---|---|---|
| Bocce Ball | 3, free-for-all, three 1-minute rounds | Land balls in targets that split from Large to Small; Small Target Bullseye is worth 2,000 points, a ring 300, a Dead Zone costs 150 |
| Team Keepaway | 3v3, one 3-minute round | 5 points per second on the ball, 20 per pass, 40 per first-time pass, multipliers after 5 and 10 passes; a 1,000-point lead wins instantly |
| The Big Race | 4, free-for-all, three tracks | Dribble through gates and past Lava Floors; 9, 6, 3 and 1 points for first to fourth |
| Attacking Scenarios | 2v2, four 1-minute rounds | Score goals that meet the round's scenario, worth 1 to 3 points (up to 6 for Ball Hog) |
| Bucket Ball | 2v2, 3 minutes plus 1-minute overtime | Lob or spike the ball through the hoop: 2 inside the line, 3 beyond it, +2 for a spike |
| Balloon Ball | 4, free-for-all, three rounds | Pop rivals' three balloons with hard shots; golden balloon power-ups give Invincible, Tyres or Boomerang Ball |
| Goal Control | 1v1, three 1-minute rounds | Score to claim goals; 1 point per second per goal held, 2 when you hold all eight |
| Drop Kick Targets | Solo, around the world | Spawn a ball and break Circles, Rings and Pentagons for weekly Objectives |
Kickabouts need enough players online in the queue. EA said in October that Kickabouts can be slow to start because of player availability and that it is looking at matchmaking queue improvements, so go in with a party when you can.
How do Archetypes and Masteries work?
Your Pro is built from Archetypes, and in FC 27 all of them are unlocked from the start. Resetting an Archetype no longer costs coins or a consumable, and you can adjust single attributes instead of resetting the whole build, from the in-world menu, the Clubhouse or a Clubs or Rush lobby.
Masteries are permanent: reaching set levels with an Archetype adds attribute points to every Archetype you use. EA's example is that Level 10 Finisher adds +1 Finishing and +1 Composure across all your builds.
| Archetype | Mastery attributes |
|---|---|
| Shot Stopper | GK Positioning, GK Reflexes |
| Sweeper Keeper | GK Handling, GK Diving |
| Progressor | Long Passing, Standing Tackle |
| Boss | Aggression, Strength |
| Marauder | Sliding Tackle, Sprint Speed |
| Disruptor | Stamina, Interceptions |
| Recycler | Defensive Awareness, Short Passing |
| Maestro | Reactions, Ball Control |
| Creator | Free Kick Accuracy, Vision |
| Spark | Crossing, Dribbling |
| Magician | Curve, Acceleration |
| Finisher | Composure, Finishing |
| Target | Balance, Jumping |
Because Masteries carry across builds, it pays to level a second Archetype whose Mastery covers your main build's weak spots. A Finisher who levels Spark, for example, gains Dribbling and Crossing on top of his own Composure and Finishing.
What changed in the October Archetype update?
EA found some attributes had the wrong Attribute Point (AP) cost and rebalanced costs for every Archetype, then reset AP for all Archetypes in an update deployed by October 22. Your level and total AP per Archetype stayed the same, but you had to spend your points again.
- Attacking Positioning is no longer a requirement for Archetype Specializations, which frees up AP.
- Players who had created a Pro received 5,000 Club Coins and a 1.75x AXP Multiplier for 6 matches as compensation.
- Examples: Finisher now pays more for Acceleration, Sprint Speed, Agility, Vision, Ball Control and Dribbling but less for Reactions, Composure, Finishing and Volleys. Target pays less for Jumping, Strength and Heading Accuracy. Shot Stopper pays less for GK Reflexes.
The pattern is clear: each Archetype's core attributes got cheaper and off-role attributes got pricier. If your Pro feels weaker since late October, re-spend points into the attributes that define the Archetype rather than spreading them.
How do Amps, Consumables and Club Objectives work?
Amps are temporary add-ons for your active Archetype, Consumables speed up Archetype progress, and Club Objectives reward Clubmates for shared play.
| Amp tier | Type | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Standard | Attribute increases |
| Tier 2 | Standard | Larger attribute increases |
| Tier 3 | Signature (inspired by football icons) | Larger attribute increases, PlayStyles and Perks |
| Tier 4 | Signature | Larger attribute increases, PlayStyles+ and Perks |
- Amp slots: equip up to three at once, two Standard and one Signature, from the Amps tab under Archetypes. They work in all stadium matches and in-world Rush, and each expires after a set number of matches.
- Consumables: AXP multipliers apply across all Archetypes, while new targeted Consumables give AXP directly to one Archetype or one position group. Each has its own level cap, which helps late starters catch up.
- Club Objectives: Club Milestones (Bronze, Silver, Gold) earn fans for your Club's reputation, Club Weeklies and Seasonals pay Amps, Consumables and Coins, and Elite Objectives give Elite Division Clubs extra rewards.
- Season Pass: playing The Grounds and completing objectives earns Season Points toward outfits, emotes, Amps, Consumables and Coins, with a Premium Pass for extra rewards.
Save your Signature Amps for Clubs or Rush matches that matter, since they run out by match count rather than by time.
What did Title Update v1.2.0 fix in The Grounds?
The November update was a bug-fix pass for The Grounds, rolling out from November 10.
- Goalkeepers no longer take too long to pass when you call for the ball from behind, and no longer sprint toward the other goal when a teammate shoots.
- Drop-In matches now respect your preferred positions, and queueing as a goalkeeper in Drop-In or Rush no longer puts you outfield.
- The emote wheel, radar player dots and Objective progress badges were fixed.
- Loading into matches and social spaces is faster.
For the on-pitch changes that also apply in Clubs and Rush, see the FC 27 gameplay tips guide.
Related guides
FAQ
What is The Grounds in FC 27?
A shared social world for up to 100 players where you access Clubs, Small-sided matches, Rush, 11v11 Drop In and Kickabout minigames. It is only on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2.
Are Clubs still in FC 27?
Yes. Clubs now live inside The Grounds through the Clubhouse, with Leagues, Playoffs and new Club Tournaments that use House Rules.
How do Masteries work in FC 27?
Reaching level milestones with an Archetype unlocks permanent attribute points that apply to every Archetype you use. Level 10 Finisher, for example, adds +1 Finishing and +1 Composure.
Why were my Archetype points reset in FC 27?
EA corrected wrong Attribute Point costs and reset AP for all Archetypes in an update deployed by October 22. Levels and total AP did not change, and affected players got 5,000 Club Coins and a 1.75x AXP Multiplier for 6 matches.
What are Kickabouts in FC 27?
Short minigames that mix football with other sports, including Bocce Ball, Team Keepaway, The Big Race, Attacking Scenarios, Bucket Ball, Balloon Ball and Goal Control.
Is The Grounds on PS4 and Xbox One?
No. EA lists The Grounds, including Clubs, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2 only.
Sources
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