The new features in FIFA 17 include new attacking techniques, physical player overhaul, active intelligence system and set piece rewrite. EA also announced at Gamescom 2016 that Squad Building Challenges and FUT Champions will be in FIFA Ultimate Team, but not in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions of the game.[5]

Commentary is once again provided by Martin Tyler and Alan Smith with Alan McInally (in-game score updates), Geoff Shreeves (injury reports), and Mike West (classified results for major leagues). Commentary in other languages (such as Spanish and French) is also provided.[6]

EA Sports announced at E3 2016 that they will have all 20 Premier League managers' likenesses in the game.[7] New goal celebrations, such as Paul Pogba’s ‘Dab’ and Mesut Özil’s ‘M’ celebration, feature in the game.[8][9]

On 23 June 2016, EA Sports announced that the J1 League and J.League Cup will be featured in the game for the first time.[10] On 4 September 2016, EA Sports announced at Brasil Game Show 2016 that 18 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A teams will be featured in their respective league (Corinthians and Flamengo, who signed an exclusivity deal with Konami for Pro Evolution Soccer, do not appear). Five Série B teams are also in the game. The Brazilian teams in the game have generic player names which the user cannot change.[11] Women's teams, who were introduced in FIFA 16, also return, with the Norway women's national football team being added to the series.