The new leisure activities in The Grounds

Alongside traditional small-sided football, EA Sports FC 27 introduces eight standalone leisure activities in the new game world The Grounds. These combine core football mechanics with elements from other sports and party-style gameplay. Each activity rewards Archetype experience points and Club Coins, directly contributing to the development of the player-controlled Pro.

Boccia Ball

Boccia Ball is a free-for-all format for three players, played over three one-minute rounds. Each round becomes progressively more challenging as new obstacles are introduced and direct paths to objectives become shorter.

The pitch is divided into a Pro Zone, where new balls continuously spawn, and a gameplay zone containing targets, rings, obstacles, and inactive areas.

Points are earned by passing or shooting balls into targets. Once a ball lands in a target, a timer begins. When the timer expires, the target splits into progressively smaller scoring zones (large, medium, small). Each ball still inside the target after the split generates points, with additional bonus points awarded for shots landing in the center.

Balls removed from a target before the timer expires do not count. Additional points can be earned by shooting balls through rings, including situations where an opposing ball indirectly assists the shot into the target.

After three rounds, the player with the highest total score wins.

Team Distance

Team Distance is a 3v3 format played on a medium sized, boarded pitch over a three minute round. The objective is pure possession: the ball must be retained by the team for as long as possible. At the start, the ball appears in the center circle, where all players initially compete for possession.

While in possession, any passing is allowed. Defensive play allows any type of tackle, although fouls are penalized.

The winner is determined by the highest score at the end of the time limit. A lead of 1,000 points results in an immediate win.

The Great Race

This free-for-all format for four players consists of three races on the same track, each featuring different obstacle variations and requiring completion within two minutes.

Gameplay is limited exclusively to dribbling. The ball must be carried through gates, past lava fields, around moving barriers, and through defensive zones to reach the finish line.

Once the first player crosses the finish line, all remaining players have 15 seconds to complete the course. Points are awarded based on placement in each of the three races, and the highest total score determines the winner.

Attack Scenarios

Attack Scenarios is a competitive 2v2 format played on a medium sized, boarded pitch. A match consists of four one-minute rounds, each featuring a randomly selected scenario from a pool of ten possible setups.

There is no goalkeeper Pro and no fouls, offside rules, or comparable restrictions. Only the conditions of the current scenario apply.

A goal that does not meet the scenario conditions is not counted, and a new ball is immediately introduced. When the round timer expires, the ball is removed from play and no further goals can be scored.

If the score is level after four rounds, a fifth one minute round is played using one of the remaining unused scenarios. The first goal decides the match.

Basket Ball

Basket Ball is a 2v2 team format played on a medium sized pitch with a match duration of three minutes. In the event of a draw, a one minute golden goal extra time is played.

At kickoff, the ball appears in the center of the pitch, where players initially compete for possession.

There are three scoring methods available: a precision lofted pass, a precise header performed while the ball is in the air, and spike shots executed using the shoot button on airborne balls. Higher jumps can be triggered with the shoot button to improve spike attempts or defensive actions.

After a goal, play restarts for the opposing team. Following a foul, a free shot is awarded, giving the affected player ten seconds to score using a lofted pass. The team with the higher score after three minutes wins.

Balloon Ball

Balloon Ball is a four player free-for-all format played over three increasingly difficult rounds, with more obstacles appearing over time. Each player starts with three balloons floating above their head.

The objective is to pop opponents’ balloons using powerful shots while protecting your own, with the last remaining player winning the round. Only high power shots can pop balloons, while slow rolling balls have no effect.

Throughout the match, golden power ups appear at irregular intervals. These grant one of three random abilities: temporary immunity to balloon hits, projectiles that trip opponents, or a boomerang ball that hits multiple opponents before returning to the shooter.

Thirty seconds before the end of each round, a sudden death phase begins. The power up turns red and can no longer be collected, while a ball is automatically fired every three seconds at a random remaining player.

Points are awarded based on placement in each round, with the total score across all rounds determining the winner.

Goal Control

Goal Control is a competitive 1v1 format played on a medium sized pitch featuring eight goals, rearranged across three one minute rounds.

At the start of each round, all goals are neutral. Scoring a goal captures it, indicated by the goal changing to the player’s color. If the opponent scores in a neutral or already controlled goal, possession immediately switches.

The objective is to control more goals or score more points than the opponent during the round. An optional golden goal modifier awards a bonus for controlling all eight goals simultaneously. If the match is tied after the final round, a sudden death decides the winner.

Kick Target

Kick Target is a solo activity distributed throughout the entire game world. On command, a ball appears and must be shot at a target, with shot power determined by the timing of the release.

Different target types are placed across the world. Weekly objectives encourage players to explore multiple areas and hit targets to unlock additional rewards.

Context

With eight distinct formats, EA Sports FC 27 in The Grounds covers a wide range of gameplay experiences, from pure skill challenges such as Kick Target to tactical possession and control modes, as well as more chaotic party formats like Balloon Ball.

What all activities share is that they operate independently of traditional 11v11 football, while directly contributing to the progression of the player-controlled Pro through Archetype XP and Club Coins. This creates a varied mix of party-style experiences designed to bridge downtime between competitive matches.