Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo joins a group of investors who have committed more than $40 million into the development of UFL, a new free-to-play soccer video game.
In addition to his financial commitment, Ronaldo will help shape the game’s development, according to the company.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of this project as UFL can become the new breed in football (soccer) gaming,” Cristiano Ronaldo said in a statement.
Strikerz Inc., the brand behind UFL, is owned by parent XTEN Limited, an international gaming company founded in 2016.
“Having Cristiano Ronaldo join us as a partner and investor is a significant step forward and an endorsement of our vision to create the world’s leading game for [soccer] fans,” Eugene Nashilov, CEO of Strikerz Inc., said in a statement.
Ronaldo is one of the most successful soccer players in the world. He has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, winning a plethora of cups and titles with all three teams, including five total Champions League titles. He now plays for the Saudi Pro League’s Al-Nassr FC.
He ranks fifth in Sportico’s most recent ranking of the highest-paid athletes of all time.
No official release date has been announced for UFL, but the company said the testing phase will start in autumn. The game will be available for free with new features and updates added regularly with no mandatory payments or yearly fees.
Once released, the game will be available across the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S consoles as a competitor to EA Sports FC, the world’s most popular soccer video game, for which Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi is an ambassador.