Cristiano Ronaldo is part of group investing $40 million into new football game to rival EA FC

Cristiano Ronaldo will play a "significant role" in enhancing a new free-to-play football game after the Al Nassr forward became an investor in the much-anticipated title.

Last year, it was announced that a brand new football simulation would attempt to compete with the likes of EA Sports FC and eFootball.

UFL, a game developed and published by Strikerz Inc, has branded itself as a free-to-play experience where the online matchmaking will ensure that players will only go up against those of a similar skill level.

IGN report that 'fair to play' online divisions will be linked by promotions and seasons will take place over a full year. At the end of that year, a single player will be crowned UFL champion.

Strikerz Inc will focus on the online aspect of the title but they have also confirmed offline play, 2v2 and 3v3 matches.

The company made a huge statement last year when they made former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo its cover star.

And ahead of its upcoming release that was previously set for late 2023, the Al Nassr forward has become an investor in UFL.

In fact, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is part of a group of investors that has recently committed to invest more than $40 million into developing the new title.

Ronaldo will be involved in shaping UFL’s development to set a new standard for immersive football gaming, according to a press release.

Speaking about his new partnership with UFL, Ronaldo said: “I’m thrilled to be a part of this project as UFL can become the new breed in football gaming.”

Eugene Nashilov, who is the CEO of Strikerz Inc., opened up on bringing the 38-year-old on board to be involved.

“Having Cristiano Ronaldo join us as a partner and investor is a significant step forward and an endorsement of our vision to create the leading game for football fans in the world," he said.

"UFL is committed to innovation, technology and entertainment and we see significant potential to do things differently in the gaming industry.

"This is an ambition shared by Cristiano and we are excited to be working together, while continuing to engage with future investors, to create a game that fills a gap in the football gaming market by unifying a rich gaming experience with continuous progress and a fair approach.”