A franchise that constantly endures, EA Sports has been dominating the world of football games for decades. Boasting a vast range of licenses which continues to prove a huge draw for fans, it’s always on top of trending UK and Europe gameplay charts.FC 26 saw a number of key tweaks made, including the introduction of ‘Competitive’ and ‘Authentic’ gameplay modes, the addition of Live Challenges in Manager Career mode, and slight changes to Ultimate Team. The different gameplay modes were arguably the biggest changes from FC 25, but as has been the case for a little while now, EA continues to refine rather than revolutionise its football games.And that always provides a point of contention. For some, the games are absolutely great as they are, providing a strong experience and feel out on the pitch, whereas others would like to see sweeping changes made to the way the game plays, with some feeling as though the game is too arcade-like. So, with FC 27 news expected soon, what will be different? When will it be announced? And when could it release? Here’s everything you need to know. ‘EA Sports FC 27’ release date: When could the game come out?EA recently released it's 'The World's Game' update for FC 26 to tie in with the FIFA World Cup (EA Sports)This one is actually quite straightforward to predict because, since the mid-2000s with the launch of Fifa 06, EA has released its annual football title on the final Friday of September.With that in mind, EA Sports FC 27 is likely to launch on Friday 25 September 2026. There’s also usually a week of early access for those who pre-order and purchase an Ultimate Edition of the game. There’s nothing to indicate so far EA will deviate from this.When could ‘EA Sports FC 27’ be announced?It’s a bit tougher to pinpoint exactly when FC 27 is likely to be announced. However the last five games, back to and including Fifa 22, were all announced in mid-July.EA Sports FC 26 was revealed on 16 July 2026 so news about FC 27, perhaps a gameplay trailer, could be on the way very soon.‘EA Sports FC 27’ featuresWhile nothing has been officially confirmed at the time of writing, the big, heavily speculated new feature understood to be coming to EA Sports FC 27 is the inclusion of a new open-world mode. If it happens, it’s expected to be called ‘The Grounds’.It’s rumoured this mode will operate in a similar way to the one found in the NBA 2K series, where players can jump in and out of minigames, explore an open world and build up their player. It’s understood EA has previously playtested this feature, but nothing has yet been confirmed.Other rumoured features are the inclusion of a better replay system, so players can more easily analyse their performances. There could also be dynamic weather during matches. That means a game could start out dry, but then rain in the second half, affecting how the ball behaves on the pitch.Aside from that, expect the usual graphical upgrades, updated teams and squads, gameplay tweaks and slight changes to modes such as Ultimate Team, Career Mode and Clubs, plus further quality of life updates. We’ll be bringing you all the latest FC 27 news and rumours as they launch. ‘EA Sports FC 26’, PS5: Was £44.99, now £21.99, Amazon.co.uk (Amazon)If you’ve not yet picked up a copy of FC 26, now is a great time to do so with the business end of the Fifa World Cup approaching and EA Sports having launched ‘The World’s Game’ update, it’s take on unofficial World Cup content. The PS5 disc version has been slashed by half price at Amazon. Buy nowFor more on all things gaming, check out our review of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced