EA Sports FC 27 The Grounds Revealed: All Mini-Games, XP Rewards, and Progression Details

EA Sports FC 27 The Grounds will launch globally on September 25, 2026, along with the highly anticipated new content. But did you know that The Grounds is essentially a kickabout game, blending elements of football with arcade-style gameplay from dodgeball, basketball, and other sports?

These mini-games aren't standard 11v11 matches. They're fast-paced, chaotic, and designed for pure fun, distributed across three areas within The Grounds.

This article provides a detailed explanation of all the kickabout games included in EA Sports FC 27 The Grounds.

About The Grounds

FUT 27 The Grounds is a vibrant world to explore, accommodating up to 100 players online simultaneously. It's a dynamic social space where you can meet other players, explore the world, and participate in various activities without leaving the game world.

Almost all your activities in The Grounds will affect your single-player pro player's unified progression system. Matches, kick-about games, and even exploration activities will reward you with Archetype XP and Grounds Coins, meaning these casual party games can directly boost your character's abilities.

Progression Across All Activities

The experience points and rewards you gain from each Kickabout activity are integrated into The Grounds' unified progression system. All Archetypes are unlocked by default from the start, allowing you to experiment freely without any resource investment.

Mastering skills provides permanent attribute bonuses that apply to all archetypes you own - for example, reaching Finisher Level 10 provides a permanent bonus.

In addition, there are Amps, consumables, available in four tiers (Standard Tiers 1-2 and Exclusive Tier 3-4). You can equip up to three enhancements simultaneously - two standard enhancements and one exclusive enhancement - which provide various bonuses in each match.

However, based on current information, Amps will likely require trading for FC 27 Coins; players should prepare accordingly.

Every Kickabout

Below are specific Kickabout gameplay elements in FIFA 27 The Grounds. Let's take a look!

Balloon Ball

Balloon Ball is a four-player free-for-all survival game. Each player's character is tied to three balloons, and the goal is to pop the opponents' balloons by kicking them.

You must kick with force; slow balls won't hit. When all three balloons are popped, the player is eliminated and teleported to the sidelines to spectate.

Various power-ups will randomly appear periodically during the game, adding more variables to the game:

• Invincible: Temporarily immune; balloons cannot be popped during this time.
• Tyres: Launches obstacles at opponents, causing them to trip or fall.
• Boomerang: The ball hits all other players on the field and then returns to the kicker.

At the end of each round, a Sudden Death mode will appear. Golden power-ups will turn red and become uncollectible. Afterward, every three seconds, a ball will be randomly launched at a surviving player. Ultimately, each round's score is based on the final ranking, with the last surviving player receiving the highest score.

Goal Control

Goal Control offers 1-on-1 duels. The field has 8 goals, arranged differently in three one-minute rounds. After a goal is scored, control of the goal changes to you. You gain one point per second for each goal you control, and an additional two points per second when controlling all goals.

A Golden Goal mode is activated in certain rounds, allowing you to control multiple goals after scoring. If the score is tied at the end of the final round, extra time is played, with the first player to score winning immediately.

Bucket Ball

Bucket Ball incorporates basketball elements into soccer, using a 2-on-2 format. Unlike traditional shooting, players must kick the soccer ball into the basket like a basketball to score more points. If the score is tied, extra time is played. This is one of the most team-oriented soccer games in FIFA 27, requiring precise passing and seamless teamwork.

Big Race

Big Race completely eliminates the goal-scoring aspect, replacing it with pure ball-handling skills. Four players navigate obstacle courses on a standard-sized field, dodging goalposts, lava surfaces, and defensive zones. Scoring is based on the final rankings of three independent matches.

Bocce Ball

Bocce Ball emphasizes player accuracy. The core gameplay involves getting your ball near the target ball, requiring precise control of power. Too light a kick will miss the target, while too much power might miss the optimal position.

Furthermore, the target balls gradually shrink, from large to medium, and then to small, with smaller targets worth more points. Obstacles are added each round, increasing the difficulty.

Team Keepaway

Team Keepaway prioritizes ball control. This is a 3v3 match played on the closed FC 27 field. Your team scores through consecutive passes and tackles; the longer you maintain possession, the higher your score. A 1000-point lead results in an immediate victory, making every pass crucial.

Attacking Scenarios

Attacking Scenarios is a 2v2 game consisting of four one-minute rounds where players score points in pre-set attack scenarios.

Each round throws different targets randomly. Each round's challenge randomly selects one target from ten, such as scoring by bouncing off a wall or completing three passes before shooting. Players are awarded bronze, silver, or gold medals based on their performance.

Drop Kick Targets

Drop Kick Targets is the only standard kick-about game in FIFA 27 The Grounds. Hidden targets such as circles, rings, and pentagons are scattered across the field. Players can use the ball at any time to try to hit these targets, controlling the power of their shots by adjusting the timing. The more targets hit, the more rewards the player earns.

This tiered progression system means that even the most casual kickabout activity can contribute to your long-term progress.

Based on current information, The Grounds will be designed as a vibrant, ever-evolving world, connecting various activities into a larger, more challenging path.

This concludes our introduction to all the kicking game elements in FUT 27 The Grounds. There are so many activities! Doesn't it sound exciting? Are you itching to play right now? The game is still a month away from its official release, so let's look forward to it together!