UFL: Release date, price & features for new football game

We are getting increasingly close to the release of United Football League (UFL), the newest name on the football video game market and one that is set to challenge FIFA and eFootball.

EA Sports and Konami have long held a monopoly over the football video game industry but they now face a battle to retain their loyal followers with a Cristiano Ronaldo-backed release that is sure to appeal to many.

Details on UFL are emerging all the time, so here's a look at everything we know so far...

What is UFL?

UFL is a brand new football video game developed by Strikerz Inc. It was announced at gamescom in Cologne in August 2021 and anticipation has been building for its release ever since.

Strikerz Inc. have partnered with FIFPRO, an organisation that represents 65,000 professional footballers, as well as analytics company InStat, for the title.

When is UFL released?

Strikerz Inc. are yet to drop an exact release date for UFL, but the game will be dropping at some point in 2022.

An autumn launch seems likely given that's when major competitors FIFA tend to launch, and will also coincide the new 2022/23 season. Make sure to check back here for updates once UFL confirm the official date of release.

How much will UFL cost?

The unique and extremely appealing feature of UFL is that it is set to be a free-to-play title with some in-app purchases, going by Strikerz Inc. comments when announcing the game.

"The game will be available for free and we will regularly add new features and updates with no mandatory payments or yearly fees," a press release read. "The game is designed to be a fair-to-play experience that implies a skill-first approach and zero pay-to-win options."

Typically you're looking at parting with the best part of £50 if you want to buy copies of FIFA at the time of release, so this is potentially a huge development for the football gaming industry.

Which consoles will UFL be on?

Strikerz Inc. are yet to confirm what devices you will be able to play UFL on, but the initial press release said the game would be accessible on 'consoles'.

If that's the case, you can expect to see it available on the following:

• PlayStation 4
• PlayStation 5
• Xbox One
• Xbox Series X
• Series S
• Nintendo Switch

A PC version seems likely too.

What are UFL's main features?

UFL allows players to create their own football clubs made up of more than 5,000 licensed footballers.

Users will be able to compete with opponents from around the world in a range of game modes. These include 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 online and offline matches. There will also be a 'Missions & Challenges' mode, with further details to emerge soon.

UFL's Flagship Mode has also been compared to FIFA's Ultimate Team series.

What licensed clubs does UFL have?

The following clubs are fully licensed on UFL:

• West Ham
• Sporting CP
• Shakhtar Donetsk
• Borussia Monchengladbach
• AS Monaco
• Besiktas
• Celtic
• Rangers

What players are partnered with UFL?

As well as having eight fully-licensed clubs, UFL have also secured the endorsement of a string of top players.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kevin De Bruyne have all advertised the game on their social media, and they also appeared in the gameplay trailer that dropped in January.