We investigate the a 0 (980) resonance within chiral effective field theory through a threecoupled-channel analysis, namely πη, KK and πη ′ . A global fit to recent lattice finitevolume energy levels from πη scattering and relevant experimental data on a πη event distribution and the γγ → πη cross section is performed. Both the leading and next-toleading-order analyses lead to similar and successful descriptions of the finite-volume energy levels and the experimental data. However, these two different analyses yield different πη scattering phase shifts for the physical masses for the π, K, η and η ′ mesons. The inelasticities, the pole positions in the complex energy plane and their residues are calculated both for unphysical and physical meson masses.