I am sorry to say
take it up with apple or firemonkeys
This forum is provided by EA but is designed as Player helping Player, in this case we can not do much for you
'recently' implies this year
it has been known to take weeks or months or never for game center to connect players in freeplay
report back in May, if it still hasn't connected by then, contact apple or firemonkeys
it still have a better chance than connecting through google play
firemonkeys say freeplay do not need another connection, gc, gp and fb is enough (according to them)
i have repeatedly told them another, more reliable, connection, like EA accounts, is needed but they won't hear it
Contact Firemonkeys support: https://help.firemonkeys.com.au/hc/en-us/requests/new or get there in game: green ... button at the bottom of the screen; Talkbubble with ?
Or contact support via FB or Twitter, links are at the bottom of the page
