Manchester City will be the first Premier League club to have a FIFA Online team in China.
It will play in the Online Star League (FSL) which kicks off a new season on 15 June 2018.
The 5 players include Zhang Jun, last season’s Most Valuable Player, as well as Aruya and Liu Chao, who have both excelled in the FSL over the past two seasons. However, the 2 remaining spots will be filled by supporters who’ll earn their place through an online competition.
This will be run in China through its WeChat account. The league itself will push traffic to its Sina Weiba channel, which will contain all the latest news and updates.
“We are delighted to enter the exciting world of gaming in China, the biggest market in the world for esports. Our new FIFA Online team comes in addition to our dedicated esports players at Manchester City, as well as at our sister clubs New York City and Melbourne City, highlighting Manchester City’s and the wider City Football Group’s commitment to both esports and our growing fanbase in China,” said David Tang, regional director of China at Manchester City.
Tencent executive Shulun Gao added:
“FIFA Online is incredibly popular across China, and it is an exciting prospect for us to have an esports team in China, which supporters can identify with the reigning Premier League Champions. The new season starts very soon, and we cannot wait to see what the future holds for FIFA Online.”
