LOS ANGELES (Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022) – The LA Galaxy today announced that the club has partnered with FaZe Clan, the lifestyle and media platform rooted in gaming and youth culture, to build out its roster for the upcoming 2023 eMLS season and EA SPORTS™ FIFA 23 Global Series. In addition to the competition in the FIFA space, the two global brands will look to expand their relationship across retail collaborations, events and community giveback in Latin American communities and their local Los Angeles markets.
The 2023 LA Galaxy eMLS and EA SPORTS™ FIFA 23 Global Series roster includes FaZe Clan esports pros Rodrigo Ulibarri aka UL1BARRI, Javier Álvarez aka Voncita and Luis Fernando Villanueva aka VillaMore3. Álvarez and Villanueva will represent their countries of Costa Rica and Mexico, respectively, in international play. Ulibarri will train and mentor Álvarez and Villanueva and will also create evergreen video content for FaZe Clan and the LA Galaxy.
“We are thrilled to be doing something of this magnitude with the LA Galaxy and have the opportunity to bring in UL1BARRI, Voncita and VillaMore3 to build out what is sure to be an unstoppable eMLS and FIFAe team,” said Erik Anderson, FaZe Clan’s Head of Esports.
FaZe Clan’s partnership with the LA Galaxy marks the organization’s exciting return to the EA SPORTS™ FIFA title. The recruitment of UL1BARRI, Voncita and VillaMore3 for the Galaxy’s roster build out of the 2023 eMLS season and EA SPORTS™ FIFA 23 Global Series will bring an exciting expansion to Latin American audiences and reach those communities in new ways.
Álvarez, who was born and raised in San Jose, Costa Rica, became the first-ever player from Central America and the only player to date who has qualified for the FIFAe World Cup back in 2016. Last season, Álvarez led the Costa Rica National Team to a top-three finish in the eNations Series Qualifiers.
Villanueva, a Monterrey, Mexico native, has been a constant force on the Mexican National Team since making his debut in 2018. Along the way, he accomplished a top 8 finish in the FIFA eNations World Cup, won multiple national tournaments and finished his FIFA’22 season as the LatAm North Champion in the last qualifier of the season. In 2019, he secured a top 16 FUT Champions Cup finish, knocking out the then-current World Champion on the Swiss stage.
A native of Mexico City, Mexico, Ulibarri is a multiple national champion who has represented Mexico in five World Cup appearances and one World podium. Since 2018, he has been an analyst for ESPN eSports.
LA Galaxy partner JLab is a proud Official Partner of the club’s eMLS and eSports initiatives.
About Faze Clan
FaZe Clan (Nasdaq: FAZE) is a digital-native lifestyle and media platform rooted in gaming and youth culture, reimagining traditional entertainment for the next generation. Founded in 2010 by a group of kids on the internet, FaZe Clan was created for and by Gen Z and Millennials, and today operates across multiple verticals with transformative content, tier-one brand partnerships, a collective of notable talent, and fashion and consumer products. Reaching over 500 million followers across social platforms globally, FaZe Clan delivers a wide variety of entertainment spanning video blogs, lifestyle and branded content, gaming highlights and live streams of highly competitive gaming tournaments. FaZe Clan’s roster of more than 100 influential personalities consists of engaging content creators, esports professionals, world-class gamers and a mix of talent who go beyond the world of gaming, including NFL star Kyler "FaZe K1" Murray, Lebron “FaZe Bronny” James Jr., Lil Yachty aka "FaZe Boat", Offset aka "FaZe Offset” and Snoop Dogg aka "FaZe Snoop." Its gaming division includes 12 competitive esports teams who have won 35 world championships. The content of any website referenced or hyperlinked in this communication is neither incorporated into, nor part of, this communication. For more information, visit www.fazeclan.com, investor.fazeclan.com and follow FaZe Clan on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch.
*
About eMLS:*
eMLS is the esports and gaming property of Major League Soccer. Built around the EA SPORTS™ FIFA franchise, its goal is to utilize gaming to reach global audiences, raise the profile of MLS, and grow its next generation of fans. eMLS has grown from 19 MLS clubs in 2018 to 26 clubs participating in the upcoming 2023 season. For more information, visit www.mlssoccer.com/eMLS.
