EA FC 27’s The Grounds is an independent open-world mode introduced by the official team. It combines street football, character customization, player social interaction, and various other functions.
This is a bold attempt for EA FC series, but it can hardly be called innovative. The City in NBA 2K series was the true pioneer. However, that does not mean The Grounds is copying The City. The two share some similarities, but they also have many differences. Below, IGGM.com compares the similarities and differences between the two.
Features
In terms of functionality, The Grounds and The City are undoubtedly very similar. Both provide open areas where players can socialize or take part in casual matches. Beyond this basic function, however, both modes are also integrated with other game systems.
FUT 27 The Grounds is designed as the central hub for Clubs. Once inside, players can control their Avatar and move between different areas, find Kickabout activities, challenge other players, or enter official Clubs matches.
The City, meanwhile, serves as the core online hub for MyPLAYER in NBA 2K, with various types of basketball matches forming its main gameplay. These include street games on Park courts, 5v5 matches in Rec Center, and more. It is also closely connected to MyCAREER.
From a functional perspective, The City in NBA 2K series is more deeply tied to the game’s core systems, while The Grounds in EA FC 27 is relatively lightweight and currently focuses mainly on social interaction and Clubs.
However, this may simply be because The Grounds is making its debut. The official team could potentially connect more modes to it in the future, increasing its overall importance.
Avatar
Neither The Grounds nor The City has players directly controlling real NBA or football stars. Instead, players create their own virtual character and take that character into the online world.
In EA FC 27 The Grounds, players can create or import their own Avatar and use the character to explore areas such as Parkside, Montclair, and Zeiza. By completing matches and activities, Avatar can earn progression resources such as Archetype XP and become stronger over time.
It is worth noting that currency used in The Grounds are not the same as FC coins. The mode has its own separate currency, which can be earned through gameplay within The Grounds.
MyPLAYER in The City goes a step further, because MyPLAYER itself is the central character of NBA 2K MyCAREER. Everything from position and attributes to Badges and other progression systems revolves around the same character, requiring players to develop their character over a long period of time and make careful progression choices.
Map Structure
The Grounds divides its space into three main areas: Parkside, Montclair, and Zeiza. Each area adopts a different football culture and environmental theme, allowing players to take part in matches and mini-games or discover activities in different locations.
NBA 2K26’s The City includes Park, Rec Center, Pro-Am, Street Kings, training facilities, MyCAREER quest areas, MyCOURT, shops, and various activity zones.
Moving around the city essentially means moving between different game systems. NBA 2K26 even redesigned the layout of The City to make it easier for players to travel from one area to another.
The City used to be much larger, but bigger does not necessarily mean better. Having to travel back and forth between different areas could be extremely time-consuming, and the recent trend has been toward reducing its overall size.
In the view of IGGM.com, maps like The Grounds – which are relatively compact yet imbue each area with a distinct character – may be more readily accepted by players.
Competitive Modes
NBA 2K’s The City has already developed a relatively mature competitive structure. Players can take part in casual Park games, enter Rec for 5v5 matches, or move into Pro-Am for more organized team competition. There are also different competitive formats such as Proving Grounds, Theater, and Pro-Am Summit.
NBA 2K26 even added Crews Leaderboards, giving teams another form of ranked competition.
The Grounds’ main structured competitive content currently revolves around Clubs. It is more like bringing together content that was previously scattered across Clubs into an open environment, allowing players to transition naturally from casual activities into official matches.
If you want to experience more professional competitive content, Ultimate Team remains the recommended choice for now. You can use coins to obtain stronger players and build a powerful squad, or create a team based around the national team you support.
When you encounter a coin shortage, a simple method is to buy cheap FC 27 coins at IGGM.com. You can use them to directly buy players or invest in fodder cards to recoup your investment.
Microtransactions
The City contains a large amount of character customization, clothing, and other personalization content, while the city itself also serves as a showcase and access point for these systems.
This is also the part that worries players the most. The City is filled with various forms of in-game monetization, which can become frustrating. It is impossible to say that The Grounds will follow exactly the same model as The City, but it could potentially follow a similar path.
Seasonal Content
The City in NBA 2K has become highly dependent on seasonal content. The Park in 2K26 changes with each season, while there are also Daily, Seasonal, and Lifetime Challenges, leaderboards, Pro-Am Summit, and other content.
The information currently available for The Grounds does not indicate a long-term seasonal content system on the same scale as The City. This will be one of the most important aspects to watch after FC 27 launches.
Although EA FC 27’s The Grounds is very similar to The City in NBA 2K series, The Grounds also contains many original elements. IGGM.com believes that calling it a copy would not be accurate, although there is little doubt that the mode draws considerable inspiration from The City.