At a glance:
Controls: Classic layout, PlayStation / Xbox
Skill moves: Right stick, star-rated 1 to 5
New in FC 27: Off-Balance Dribbling
Dribbling in FC 27 rewards timing more than button-mashing. This guide covers the basics, the moves worth learning first, and the new Off-Balance Dribbling.
Before you start:
Inputs are for the Classic layout. Right-stick directions are relative to the way your player is facing. Xbox equivalents: L1/R1/L2 are LB/RB/LT. Sources disagree on exactly which skill moves are new this year, so I've only listed moves whose controls are confirmed.
Jump to: Dribbling basics · Off-Balance Dribbling · Skill moves · How to learn them
Dribbling basics
- Sprint: R2 (RT) plus a direction. Controlled Sprint: R1 (RB) — the ball stays closer to your feet.
- Strafe dribble: hold L1 (LB) while moving the left stick, to keep facing goal while you shift sideways.
- Body orientation matters. Approach with normal dribbling or Controlled Sprint, and react to the defender rather than firing off random moves.
- Skill moves work best when the defender is already moving. A standing defender is harder to beat.
Off-Balance Dribbling (new)
When a dribbler with the right attributes is hit by a bump or shoulder challenge, they stumble but you keep control: you can still move and take a touch in your chosen direction to keep the ball. It's driven by three attributes — Balance, Agility and Dribbling — so it shows most on elite dribblers such as Yamal and Dembélé, who both have 93 dribbling. Don't try to force it: keep moving instead of assuming the ball is lost. It's only on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 and PC.
Skill moves to learn first
Each player has a skill-move rating from one to five stars and can only perform moves at or below it. You don't need to hold L2/LT for every move. These are confirmed for the Classic controller layout:
| Move | PlayStation | Xbox / PC | Stars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body feint right / left | R flick → / ← | R flick → / ← | 2★ |
| Stepover right / left | R rotate ↑→ / ↑← | R rotate ↑→ / ↑← | 2★ |
| Reverse stepover right / left | R rotate →↑ / ←↑ | R rotate →↑ / ←↑ | 2★ |
| Ball roll left / right | R hold ← / → | R hold ← / → | 2★ |
| Drag back | L1 + R1 + L flick ↓ | LB + RB + L flick ↓ | 2★ |
| Big feint left / right | Hold L2 + R flick ← / → | Hold LT + R flick ← / → | 2★ |
| Heel flick | R flick ↑↓ | R flick ↑↓ | 3★ |
| Fake right and go left | R rotate →↓← | R rotate →↓← | 3★ |
| Four touch skill | Hold L2 + R flick ↓↓ | Hold LT + R flick ↓↓ | 4★ |
Which moves are the most effective? One guide picks Open Up Fake Shot, Reverse Stepover, Ball Roll Cut Left, Drag Back, Heel Flick and Four Touch Turn. A stepover is best used at the edge of the box before a shot, to freeze the defender for half a yard.
How to learn them
- Go to the practice arena, not a match. Pick one move and repeat it around fifty times: walking first, then sprinting.
- Add a defender once it's automatic, and only then take it into a game.
- Master two or three moves. They don't need to be five-star — many of the best dribblers just use one ball roll and accelerate.
- Check the player's skill-move rating before you build an attack around a move.
Found a better tip, or something that changed after a patch? That’s what the comments are for — this section connects to your comment system of choice (Disqus, giscus, etc.) once the site is live.