FC 27's The Grounds Revives Alex Hunter as a Mentor

Alex Hunter is back. The fictional footballer who starred in FIFA's The Journey mode across FIFA 17, 18, and 19 hasn't appeared in the series since, but EA's deep dive into The Grounds confirms he'll serve as one of four mentors in FC 27's new social hub. It's a surprising callback that should land well with anyone who played those story campaigns nearly a decade ago.

The Grounds itself is FC 27's biggest structural addition, replacing the standalone Clubs mode with a connected online world split across three themed districts. Monclair draws from French cage football culture, Zeiza channels Argentina's Potrero spirit, and Parkside represents UK football. Each district has its own mentor: Kylian Mbappé for France, Paulo Dybala for Argentina, and England's Chloe Kelly for the UK. Hunter sits above all three as a guide across the entire experience, pushing players toward activities ranging from 11v11 club leagues to casual kickabouts.

The mode offers a wide spread of match types. On the competitive end, there are 11v11 live tournaments with house-rule modifiers like King of the Hill, Survival, No Rules, and Mystery Ball. Stadium drop-ins let you queue into classic 11v11 or Rush formats. Smaller-sided options include 1v1 matches with AI goalkeepers, plus 2v2 and 3v3 games on smaller pitches with no keepers at all. Casual activities like Bocce Ball, The Big Race, and Team Keepaway round out the offering.

Player customisation revolves around a system called Amps, which apply stat boosts and PlayStyles inspired by real footballers. Equipping Mbappé as an Amp, for instance, grants his signature attributes for as long as he's selected. Amps come in Standard and Signature categories across four tiers each. Every Archetype is now unlocked from the start, and developing within one grants permanent upgrades across all of them.