Manchester City has added a Chinese FIFA Online team to its club.

The team will compete in the professional Online Star League.

The soccer club joins a growing trend of European clubs engaging their Asian fans through esports.

Soccer club Manchester City has announced a move into the Chinese esports market through the signing of a FIFA Online 4 team. The team will compete in China’s professional FIFA league, the Online Star League (FSL).

FIFA Online is a version of Electronic Arts’ FIFA series built specifically for the Asian market. It is free-to-play and was developed by a South Korean division of Electronic Arts, EA Spearhead. In 2013, the rights to distribute FIFA Online 3 in China were secured by Chinese tech giant Tencent , which also organizes the FSL. Tencent also distributes the game’s Android version.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Manchester City has been active in esports since signing its first FIFA player in 2016.[/perfectpullquote]

Regional director of China at Manchester City David Tang said:

“We are delighted to enter the exciting world of gaming in China, the biggest market in the world for esports…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.”

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Manchester City has been active in esports since signing its first FIFA player in 2016. In 2017, the club expanded its esports efforts by adding a FIFA tournament to its United States pre-season tour. Manchester City is part of City Football Group, a holding company that also owns shares in New York City FC, and Melbourne City FC—both of which have also signed professional FIFA 18 players.

There is a large fanbase for many European soccer clubs in Asian markets, and clubs like Manchester City have recognized that esports presents them with a unique opportunity to grab a foothold in the region. Olympique Lyonnais signed a FIFA Online team in 2017. In April, French club Paris-Saint Germain partnered with Dota 2 team LGD Gaming, which now competes under the name PSG.LGD.

This is not Manchester City’s first effort to engage with soccer fans in an Asian market through FIFA Online. Earlier this year, the club partnered with Korean developer Nexon, who publishes FIFA Online 4 in Korea.