# EA SPORTS FC 26 EA SPORTS FC™ 27 | Gameplay Deep Dive - Product: EA SPORTS FC 26 (https://whatsnew.fyi/product/ea-sports-fc-26) - Vendor: EA Canada - Date: 2026-07-30 - Original notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/3405690/view/697645818486719237 - Permalink: https://whatsnew.fyi/product/ea-sports-fc-26/releases/2026-07-30-ea-sports-fc-27-gameplay-deep-dive What's New is an index, not a publisher: every entry below links to the vendor's own release notes, which are the authoritative source. Entries are labelled where they are hand-curated sample data, pre-releases, or drawn from a secondary source such as a developer blog. Reuse: the summaries, labels and curation here are © What's New. Quote freely with attribution and a link back; wholesale republication of the corpus is not permitted — terms: https://whatsnew.fyi/terms. The vendors' own release notes remain their publishers'. --- - **changed** — Reduce the influence of AI-controlled defenders so they no longer automatically attempt to win the ball when a dribbler comes close, requiring manual player intervention to tackle - **changed** — Increase jockey speed for manually-controlled defenders compared to FC 26 to help them keep up with quick attacking movements - **changed** — Increase the range of manually-triggered stand tackles compared to FC 26 to better reward reading the dribbler and positioning - **changed** — Reduce AI defensive reach for interceptions so manually-controlled defenders can reach further than AI-controlled defenders - **changed** — Adjust Teammate Contain so AI teammates mark the ball carrier from a longer distance, requiring manual player intervention to press more effectively - **added** — Add a new Avoidance mechanic during corner kicks that allows controlled attackers or defenders to become more evasive and move through crowded areas without getting blocked - **changed** — Give players manual control over attacking player positioning and runs during the window before a corner kick ball arrives in the box - **changed** — Remove automatic positioning for players contesting corner kicks so they must manually time runs and attack space to make first contact - **changed** — Deliver crosses into space more often rather than directly onto specific players to allow for more attacking variety Welcome to the EA SPORTS FC™ 27 Gameplay Deep Dive. My name is Gilliard Lopes, Principal Gameplay Designer for EA SPORTS FC™. On behalf of our entire team, I am thrilled to share the new Gameplay features and improvements coming to FC 27. Let's dive in! Across every game mode, greater gameplay control is at the heart of EA SPORTS FC™ 27. Community feedback consistently highlighted a desire for less automation and greater control over key moments, so we've made a series of gameplay updates that reward player skill and decision-making on the pitch. EA SPORTS FC™ 27 creates more opportunities for you to be the difference. That means you will be able to experience more manual defending, smarter attacking movement, and more attacking variety from corner kicks and crosses, all of which have been driven by your feedback. **Defending** **AI Defending (Auto-Tackles) ** _The following changes to AI Defending only apply to Competitive gameplay. For more information about changes to Authentic Gameplay, stay tuned for our Career Mode Deep Dive coming soon._ One of the most significant gameplay shifts in FC 27 is to AI Defending. We’re reducing the influence of AI-controlled defenders, putting more power into the hands of the manual defender. Previously, AI-controlled defenders could automatically attempt to win the ball when a dribbler came close enough to them. In FC 27, defenders will now rely more on their positioning and support the play until you take control and choose when to make a tackle. AI-controlled defenders can still gain possession when a loose ball comes within reach or when a dribbler runs directly into them. In some cases, the trapping animation may involve the defender extending a leg, but the defender is reacting to the ball rather than initiating a tackle. With this change, we want tackling to be an intentional player-led action, while your AI teammates will now support the play instead of winning possession outright for you. We’ve also reduced AI defensive reach for interceptions. A manually-controlled defender will be able to reach further than an AI-controlled defender, encouraging you to switch to the player actively defending instead of relying on AI teammates to win possession. AI defenders will now play more of a supporting role through their on-pitch positioning, giving you more opportunities to step in and defend manually. **Manual Defending Improvements** Reducing the impact of AI defending is only one part of the defensive changes coming in FC 27. Improving the effectiveness of manual defending is the other crucial piece we’re focusing on in order to create more rewarding defensive experiences. In FC 27, manually-controlled defenders have increased jockey speed compared to FC 26, helping them keep up with quick attacking movements more effectively. Additionally, we’ve also increased the range of manually-triggered stand tackles compared to FC 26. We want to better reward you for reading the dribbler, switching to the optimal defender, and positioning yourself well so you feel more capable of winning the ball. Our goal with this game is for players who manually switch, jockey, time tackles, and position themselves effectively to increase their chances of winning possession. These improvements put greater emphasis on manual defending and the decisions you make throughout a match – which is something we aim to preserve throughout the FC 27 life cycle. **Teammate Contain** Teammate Contain has also been adjusted to match our new approach to defending. When performing Teammate Contain, AI teammates will mark the ball carrier from a slightly longer distance than before, requiring the user to switch to them and manually defend if they want to press the dribbler more effectively. **Corner Kicks and Crossing** **Corner Kick Improvements ** Corners in FC 27 are designed to give you more control over the moments before the ball arrives in the box. Previously, players had fewer ways to influence d _[Truncated at 4000 characters — full notes: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/3405690/view/697645818486719237]_