EA FC 27 on Switch 2: what you get that Switch 1 misses
EA FC 27 on Switch 2 gets The Grounds and Clubs, which Switch 1 lacks. Price, file size, 30fps and how it compares with PS5 and PC, so you pick right.
Source-based. Written from the documents, reporting and reviews linked in the text. Nothing here was tested hands-on by The Ruling Desk. How we work
EA Sports FC 27 came out on September 25, 2026, on both Nintendo consoles, and the two versions are not the same game. EA FC 27 on Switch 2 includes The Grounds, the new social hub, and Clubs, EA's team mode where friends each control one player; the original Switch version has neither. This guide covers what else separates them, how the Switch 2 version stacks up against PS5 and PC, what it costs, how much space it takes and which platform fits you.
Key takeaways
- The Grounds, including Clubs, is only on the Switch 2 version among Nintendo's consoles. EA also offers it on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
- On Nintendo's US store, the Switch 2 version costs US$69.99 and needs 75.6 GB; the Switch version costs US$59.99 and needs 32 GB (checked September 26, 2026).
- Nintendo Life's reviewer found the Switch 2 version still runs at 30fps, with no crossplay and a separate, smaller Ultimate Team transfer market.
- The same review struggled to find regular matches in The Grounds during early access, so its population on Switch 2 is the open question.
- Buy on PS5, Xbox Series X|S or PC if online modes are your main reason to play; buy on Switch 2 if you want Career mode or portable play.
What the EA FC 27 Switch 2 version adds over Switch 1
The difference is written into the fine print. Nintendo's store listings for both versions carry the same footnote: "The Grounds mode, including Clubs, only available on Nintendo Switch 2 version". EA's own FC 27 page says the mode is available only on the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Switch 2 versions, which leaves out the Switch, PS4 and Xbox One.
Everything else in the feature list is shared. Both Nintendo listings describe the same rebuilt Manager Career transfer market, the same new negotiation tactics (performance and buy-back clauses), the same Dynamic OVRs that move with a player's form and the same FUT Gallery in Ultimate Team.
| Switch | Switch 2 | PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Grounds and Clubs | No | Yes | Yes |
| Career and Ultimate Team | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| US price, Standard Edition | US$59.99 | US$69.99 | US$69.99 on Steam |
| Storage needed | 32 GB | 75.6 GB | 100 GB on PC |
One detail matters if you own a Switch 2 and see the cheaper listing: Nintendo lists the Switch version at 32 GB on either console, so it will install on a Switch 2, but it's still the Switch version, without The Grounds or Clubs.
What The Grounds and Clubs are
The Grounds is an online space where your custom player moves between districts and joins small matches. EA's deep dive on the mode describes three districts, each modeled on a football culture:
- Montclair, French urban football with cage pitches.
- Zeiza, Argentina's potrero, the informal neighborhood pitch.
- Parkside, the UK's working-class football heritage.
A central hub called The Terrace connects them. EA lists 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 matches, Rush, nine Kickabout minigames and stadium events, with up to 100 players sharing a space. Four mentors run activities: Alex Hunter, Kylian Mbappé, Chloe Kelly and Paulo Dybala.
Clubs now lives inside The Grounds, with customizable stadiums for each club. Nintendo Life's Chris Scullion notes in his Switch 2 review that Clubs teams can have up to 11 human players, and that The Grounds is online-only. On Switch 2, online play also needs a Nintendo Switch Online membership, according to Nintendo's listing.
How the Switch 2 version compares with PS5 and PC
Feature parity is real; performance parity is not. Scullion, who reviewed the European version during early access and gave it 8 out of 10, found that the EA FC 27 Switch 2 version runs at 30 frames per second with no performance mode. He adds that anyone moving from PS5, Xbox Series X|S or PC will "notice the difference immediately," though the game stays playable once you adjust, especially in handheld mode. EA's Steam requirements estimate 60fps on PC, at 720p on the Low preset and 1080p on Medium.
Three online limits stand out in the review:
- No crossplay. The Switch 2 version doesn't match you with players on other platforms.
- A separate Ultimate Team market. Switch 2 has its own, much smaller transfer market, which Scullion says makes the new FUT Gallery harder to fill with rare cards.
- A thin population for The Grounds. He "struggled to find regular matches" there during early access and expects its player base to stay a fraction of the crossplay pool on other formats.
His conclusion is still positive: it plays "a fantastic game of football" and remains the best football option on Switch 2, where he says single-player, Career mode above all, is its strongest side. He also points to eFootball Kick-Off, which runs at 60fps on Switch 2, as the smoother-looking rival.
For context, Game Informer's weekend picks described The Grounds as a hub that steers players toward multiplayer, and called FC 27 a modest step from last year's game rather than a big departure.
Price, editions and file size
On Nintendo's US store, checked September 26, 2026, the Switch 2 version is US$69.99 and the Switch version is US$59.99. The Standard Edition on Steam is US$69.99 in the US. Prices in other countries vary; check your local store.
EA's editions FAQ says the Standard and Ultimate Editions are sold on both Nintendo consoles, while the Ultimate Plus Edition, an early pre-order bundle, was not offered on Nintendo consoles. The same FAQ offers a free upgrade only from PS4 to PS5 and from Xbox One to Xbox Series X|S; neither it nor Nintendo's listings mention an upgrade from the Switch version to the Switch 2 version.
Storage is where the Switch 2 version hurts. At 75.6 GB, the EA FC 27 Switch 2 download takes almost a third of the console's 256 GB of built-in storage, part of which the system reserves. If you're short on space, our Switch 2 SD card guide explains which microSD Express cards work and what fits.
Which platform to buy EA FC 27 on
- You play Ultimate Team, Clubs or The Grounds most. PS5, Xbox Series X|S or PC. You get the same modes at 60fps on PC per EA's estimates, plus the larger crossplay player pool Nintendo Life says Switch 2 lacks.
- You mostly play Career mode or want to play on the go. Switch 2. The single-player modes are complete, and the reviewer found 30fps easy to adjust to in handheld mode.
- You only own an original Switch. The Switch version is US$10 cheaper and 32 GB, but it has no The Grounds or Clubs.
- You want The Grounds on Switch 2. Nintendo Life suggests waiting until the mode has been out a while and its population is clearer.
One date if you played last year's game: EA's Club Membership rewards require playing both FC 26 and FC 27 before November 1, 2026, per Nintendo's listing, and EA's terms include both Switch consoles.
More Nintendo coverage lives in our video games section and on the Nintendo Switch 2 tag.
Bottom line
EA FC 27 on Switch 2 is the full game, The Grounds and Clubs included, which the original Switch version is not. What it lacks against PS5 and PC is smoothness and company: 30fps, no crossplay and a smaller Ultimate Team market, based on one review so far. If your football is mostly Career mode or handheld play, the Switch 2 version is the Nintendo one to buy. If you live in online modes, a PS5, Xbox Series X|S or PC serves you better. Watch how busy The Grounds gets on Switch 2 in the coming weeks.
FAQ
Is The Grounds on the original Switch?
No. EA and Nintendo both say The Grounds, including Clubs, is only in the Switch 2 version among Nintendo's consoles. It's also on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, but not on PS4 or Xbox One.
Does EA FC 27 have crossplay on Switch 2?
Not according to Nintendo Life's review, which found the Switch 2 version doesn't match players with other platforms. Its Ultimate Team transfer market is also separate from other platforms' and much smaller.
How big is EA FC 27 on Switch 2?
Nintendo's US store lists 75.6 GB for the Switch 2 version and 32 GB for the Switch version, as of September 26, 2026. Updates can change those numbers.
Does EA FC 27 run at 60fps on Switch 2?
No. Nintendo Life's reviewer found it runs at 30fps with no performance mode, the same as last year's Switch 2 version.