2017/18 Premier League Champions Manchester City officially announce the establishment of their EA Sports FIFA Online team in Beijing to compete in Tencent’s Online Star League (FSL).
Manchester City, are expanding their global esports presence by becoming the first Premier League club to launch a FIFA Online team in China. The team will play in the competitive Online Star League (FSL) which kicks off a new season on 15 June 2018.
The team will consist of five players, including 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.
The team was officially unveiled at an exclusive launch event held at the Star Alliance Esports Center in Beijing, which was attended by representatives from Manchester City, Tencent, and the Chairman of the Assocation for Chinese Esports (ACE), Xu Ye.
Commenting on the team, David Tang, Regional Director of China at Manchester City said: “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.
“We are looking forward to watching the team play in the FSL as they strive to become Champions and add to the success we have enjoyed on the pitch this season.”
Tencent Executive Shulun Gao added: “It’s great to see Manchester City’s commitment to esports grow with their entry into the Chinese gaming market. Manchester City have already made a significant contribution to the esports industry.
“They were one of the first Premier League clubs to sign a professional esports player and the digital content and fan experiences they have created since then have been unparalleled.
“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.”
