EA SPORTS FC 27 Kicks Off Early Access After a Star-Packed NYC Premiere

EA SPORTS FC 27 threw itself a party before kickoff. On September 15 the World Premiere Event took over New York City, packing legendary footballers, creators, actors and musicians into one venue and putting the first-ever FC 27 gameplay on a livestream. With Early Access starting today and the full launch a week out, this was EA firing the starting gun on a new season.

A guest list that blurred sport and entertainment

The turnout was the point. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thierry Henry, Luis Figo and Daniel Sturridge shared the room with KSI, Lewis Capaldi, Odell Beckham Jr and the cast of Ted Lasso, among many more. EA has leaned into the idea that football is bigger than the match for a while now, and stacking a launch event with this mix of names is that pitch made literal.

The first FC 27 gameplay, live

The flagship livestream delivered the first real look at FC 27 in action through a set of celebrity matchups. The headline bout put Zlatan and Marlon against Thierry Henry and KSI, followed by Chad Ochocinco and Adebayo Akinfenwa taking on Daniel Sturridge and Lewis Capaldi. It was equal parts exhibition and marketing, but it did the job: the stream drove over 2.6 million accumulated views across platforms with a combined peak of 276,000 concurrent.

Those matchups doubled as the first showcase of gameplay changes EA says were shaped directly by community feedback, which is the message the publisher wants front and centre heading into a new edition.

The Grounds goes live

The event also switched on The Grounds, FC 27’s new social football playground built around squad customisation and creative expression. Top creators got hands-on with it during the show, and it is clearly meant to be one of the pillars EA pushes this year as it chases the community-driven angle that keeps Ultimate Team players coming back.

When you can play

FC 27 Early Access begins today, September 18, with the global launch following on September 25. If you want in early, the Early Access window is the usual head start ahead of everyone else next week.

Source: press release from Electronic Arts. Images courtesy of Electronic Arts.