June 7 – Manchester City, one of the first English Premier League clubs to embrace esports with the signing of professional gamers to play under the club banner in tournaments, have taken a step deeper into the competitive video gaming sector with the set up of an EA Sports FIFA Online team in Beijing, China.
The team will play in Tencent’s Online Star League (FSL) which kicks off a new season on June 15.
“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,” said the club in a statement.
The two remaining spaces on Manchester City’s team will be filled by supporters who will earn their place by taking part in a nationwide competition in China. To enter the competition, players must register at Manchester City’s WeChat account, ‘mcfcofficial’, which will give more detail of the selection process over the coming weeks.
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.
The team was officially unveiled at a 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.
Tencent Executive Shulun Gao said: “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 club to sign a professional esports player and the digital content and fan experiences they have created since then have been unparalleled.”
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