Table of Contents
EA Sports FC 27 Gameplay Changes Focus on Manual Control
Electronic Arts has shared a detailed gameplay deep dive for EA Sports FC 27, outlining a broad set of changes aimed at giving players more direct control on the pitch.
The main message is clear: EA wants this year’s game to feel less automated. Across defending, attacking movement, set pieces, crossing, passing, dribbling, and PlayStyles, the team says community feedback has pushed it towards a more skill-based experience where player decisions matter more in key moments.
That could make EA Sports FC 27 one of the more important gameplay resets in recent years, especially for competitive players who have often criticised the series for over-reliance on AI assistance.
AI Defending Is Being Pulled Back
One of the biggest changes is to AI defending in Competitive gameplay. In previous entries, AI-controlled defenders could automatically attempt to win the ball when a dribbler moved close enough. In EA Sports FC 27, AI defenders will instead focus more on positioning and support, with the player expected to manually switch, jockey, and choose when to tackle.
AI teammates can still recover loose balls or react if an attacker runs directly into them, but they should no longer feel like they are winning possession on the player’s behalf as often.
To support that shift, manually controlled defenders will have faster jockey movement and improved stand tackle range compared to EA Sports FC 26. EA says the goal is to reward players who read the attacker, switch to the right defender, and time their challenge properly.
Corners and Crosses Are More Manual
Set pieces are also being reworked. For direct corners, players will now get a brief window to control attacking players in the box before the ball arrives. During that moment, they can move, switch players, shield, and use a new Avoidance mechanic to slip through crowded areas.
Players will also need to manually attack space rather than relying on automatic movement into the best heading position. The same philosophy applies to crossing. Crosses will now be delivered into space more often instead of locking directly onto a teammate, with aim and power having a larger impact on where the ball lands.
That means poorly placed crosses can miss everyone, but good delivery and strong movement should feel more rewarding in EA Sports FC 27.
Attacking Runs Should Feel Smarter
Attacking movement is getting several changes as well. AI attackers should now read space more effectively, making more contextual curved runs instead of moving predictably into crowded areas. Players can also manually trigger curved runs and Pass & Follow Runs, giving them more control over how teammates bend around defenders or continue movement after releasing the ball.
However, manually triggered runs will no longer continue indefinitely. After travelling a limited distance, players will stop and return to their positional responsibilities unless the run is triggered again. That should reduce some of the more unrealistic attacking patterns from previous games while making off-ball movement more intentional in EA Sports FC 27.
Passing and Dribbling Raise the Skill Ceiling
Passing is being adjusted to follow player input more strictly. Ground and lobbed through passes will no longer heavily steer into open lanes away from the player’s aim. Dinked ground and through passes are also moving to a fully manual system, with success depending more on direction and power.
There is also a new off-balance dribbling feature for elite dribblers. Players with the right Balance, Agility, and Dribbling Attributes can ride bumps or shoulder challenges while still keeping some control of the ball in EA Sports FC 27.
This feature will only be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.
PlayStyles Are Being Rebalanced
EA is also adjusting several PlayStyles to make base Attributes matter more. Finesse Shot, Technical Dribbler, Intercept, Rapid, Quick Step, Pinged Pass, Tiki Taka, Jockey, Precision Header, and Low Driven are all being changed in some way. The broad goal is to reduce situations where a PlayStyle feels too powerful compared to a player’s actual Attributes.
That could be important for Ultimate Team and competitive balance, where small mechanical advantages can quickly become dominant meta choices.
EA Sports FC 27 Is Trying to Answer Player Feedback
The deep dive shows EA is listening to some of the community’s biggest gameplay complaints. Less AI defending, more manual crossing, stricter passing direction, smarter attacking movement, and more balanced PlayStyles all point towards a game that wants to give players more agency. The challenge will be whether those changes feel fair under real online pressure.
On paper, EA Sports FC 27 is making the right noises. Once Early Access begins on September 18, players will find out whether more control also means a better game.
