Key Takeaways:
- McDonald’s secures naming rights to Chicago Fire FC’s $750 million privately-funded stadium, opening in 2028 as McDonald’s Park at The 78 in Chicago’s South Loop.
- The Chicago Fire P.L.A.Y.S. Program will scale from 70 Chicago Public Schools today to more than 280 schools long-term, reaching over 125,000 students.
- McDonald’s becomes presenting partner of P.L.A.Y.S. beginning in 2027, with co-branded Soccer Starter Kits delivered to under-resourced CPS elementary schools.
- This is McDonald’s first naming rights deal for a major U.S. professional sports stadium.
- Ronald McDonald House will receive year-round support through stadium Round-Up donations, dedicated family seating, and an annual Family Night.
A $750 Million Stadium with a Quick-Service Anchor
Chicago Fire FC and McDonald’s announced today a long-term naming rights partnership for the club’s new $750 million privately-funded stadium, which will open in 2028 as McDonald’s Park. The venue will sit at The 78, a riverfront site in Chicago’s South Loop, and will seat more than 22,000 fans for soccer matches and up to 31,000 for concerts and special events.
The agreement marks McDonald’s first naming rights deal for a major professional sports stadium in the United States. The brand will play an active role in shaping the fan experience, including a flagship McDonald’s restaurant inside the stadium and brand activations integrated into matchdays and year-round programming.
“Together, we are creating more than a stadium,” said Chris Kempczinski, Chairman and CEO of McDonald’s. “We are building a place that serves up joy, brings together community, delivers impact, and is designed to serve generations to come.”
For Chicago Fire FC, the deal anchors the most significant infrastructure investment in club history. The team currently plays at Soldier Field and trains at the $100 million Endeavor Health Performance Center, which opened in 2025. The Fire returned to the MLS playoffs in 2025 and won their first postseason match since 2009, framing the stadium build against a competitive on-field rebound.
Quadrupling P.L.A.Y.S. Reach Across Chicago Public Schools
At the center of the partnership is a multi-year commitment to expand the Chicago Fire’s P.L.A.Y.S. Program (Participate, Learn, Achieve, Youth, Soccer), a school-based youth soccer curriculum focused on academic performance and social-emotional development.
The program currently operates in 70 Chicago Public Schools and reaches approximately 31,000 students. The expansion will roll out in phases tied to the stadium build:
- By stadium opening in 2028, the P.L.A.Y.S. footprint will double from 70 to roughly 140 schools, with student reach growing from 31,000 to more than 60,000.
- Long-term, the partnership commits to expanding P.L.A.Y.S. to 100% of CPS elementary schools identified with elevated need, totaling more than 280 schools and over 125,000 students.
That represents a four-fold increase in school footprint and roughly four times the student reach. The club has positioned the initiative as one of the most comprehensive free youth soccer programs in a major U.S. city.
McDonald’s will serve as the presenting partner of P.L.A.Y.S. beginning in 2027, a year before the stadium opens.
Soccer Starter Kits and the Equipment Access Question
Beginning in 2027, the partnership will deliver co-branded Soccer Starter Kits to under-resourced CPS elementary schools. The kits will include balls, goals, cones, and training materials, with the stated goal of reaching more than 280 schools.
The equipment commitment addresses one of the most frequently cited barriers to youth soccer participation in lower-income communities. Schools often lack the foundational materials needed to introduce or sustain consistent programming, and curriculum delivery alone tends to underperform when equipment is missing on day one.
By bundling free curriculum with co-branded equipment, the program removes both cost and access friction at the school level. It also creates a measurable distribution milestone, the number of schools reached with starter kits, that operates independently of subjective participation metrics.
Ronald McDonald House at the Center of Community Activation
Ronald McDonald House Charities, already a Premier Partner of the Chicago Fire Foundation, becomes a central charitable focus of the partnership with year-round integration across matchday and community platforms.
Activations include a stadium-wide Round-Up program at concessions, where fans can round up purchases to support Ronald McDonald House. The stadium will also feature a dedicated Ronald McDonald House seating section for families navigating serious illness, pre-match meet-and-greets and special experiences for RMH families, and an annual Family Night featuring a 50/50 raffle and on-field recognition.
Beyond Ronald McDonald House, the partnership includes an annual stadium-hosted meal-packing event addressing food insecurity. The effort will bring together McDonald’s employees, Fire players, and community volunteers to assemble and distribute meals.
“As we take the next step on our journey to build a world class Club, our commitment to Chicago is at the center of everything we do,” said Joe Mansueto, Chicago Fire FC Owner and Chairman. “That’s why McDonald’s is the perfect partner, an iconic global brand with deep Chicago roots and shared values in supporting our community.”
What the Deal Structure Means for Corporate Youth Sports Investment
The Chicago deal reflects a pattern that has become more visible in recent stadium naming rights announcements: major consumer brands are tying naming rights to substantive youth sports infrastructure commitments, not just signage and matchday hospitality.
The structural pieces are worth flagging for operators across the youth soccer landscape. The deal pairs equipment delivery with curriculum-based programming, ties expansion milestones to a capital project timeline, and positions a global QSR brand as the named gateway to youth soccer access in the third-largest U.S. media market. The phased rollout, with P.L.A.Y.S. presenting sponsorship activating in 2027 and full scale tied to the 2028 opening, also gives both partners a clear two-year storytelling runway as construction progresses.
For McDonald’s, the partnership extends a Chicago-rooted brand into year-round community programming and locks in permanent flagship retail presence at a new entertainment destination. For the Chicago Fire, it provides long-term funding visibility for the foundation’s flagship community program and ties the club’s brand to a youth soccer initiative scaled at a level few MLS clubs have attempted.
It is also a reference point for how naming rights conversations may evolve. As stadium deals increasingly include community impact commitments, the McDonald’s Park structure offers a template that pairs hard numbers (280 schools, 125,000 students, four-fold expansion) with a phased delivery schedule tied to construction milestones. Whether other clubs and brands replicate that structure will be one of the more interesting things to watch across MLS stadium deals over the next 24 months.
Source: Chicago Fire FC Communications, May 13, 2026
YSBR provides this content on an “as is” basis without any warranties, express or implied. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability, or use of the information, including any images, videos, or licenses associated with this article. For any concerns, including copyright issues or complaints, please contact YSBR directly.
About Youth Sports Business Report
What is YSBR? Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR) is the largest and most trusted source for youth sports industry news, insights, and analysis in the United States. Founded by Cameron Korab, YSBR is the premier B2B publication dedicated to the $54 billion youth sports market. With over 50,000 followers and millions of monthly views and impressions, YSBR publishes daily across its blog, weekly newsletter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Substack.
What does YSBR cover? YSBR delivers original reporting, market intelligence, and business analysis across youth sports facilities, sponsorship and brand partnerships, private equity and venture capital investments, NIL policy and compliance, coaching development, sports technology platforms, equipment and apparel innovation, tournaments and events, community sports initiatives, and parent resources. YSBR is read by industry executives, facility operators and developers, institutional investors, league administrators, sports technology founders, and youth sports parents who rely on accurate, sourced reporting to make informed business decisions.
Who reads YSBR? YSBR is read by youth sports industry executives, institutional investors, facility operators and developers, brand and sponsorship professionals, league administrators, youth sports parents, and sports business professionals shaping the future of youth athletics.
Subscribe to Youth Sports HQ, the largest and most trusted newsletter covering the business of youth sports. Thousands of industry leaders rely on Youth Sports HQ for curated news, analysis, and business intelligence delivered weekly. Youth Sports HQ is the most-read newsletter in the youth sports business space.
Looking for your next role in youth sports? Visit the YSBR Youth Sports Job Board, the most comprehensive job listing destination for careers in youth sports. Browse open positions across facility management, league operations, coaching, sports technology, marketing, and more from organizations hiring across the $54 billion youth sports industry.
Follow Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR) across platforms: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | Substack
Are you a brand looking to tap into the world’s most passionate fanbase… youth sports?
Introducing Vertical Sports, an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level.
About Vertical Sports
Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Our mission is to simplify and navigate the ecosystem for clients. Complete visibility. Optimal paths. Maximum efficiency. EVERY FAN. EVERY LEVEL.
Why Sponsor Youth Sports?
Youth sports represents one of the most engaged and passionate audiences in sports marketing. With over 70 million young athletes and their families participating annually, the youth sports industry offers brands unparalleled access to motivated communities with strong purchasing power and loyalty. Youth sports sponsorship is one of the fastest-growing segments in sports marketing, giving brands the ability to connect with families at the local, regional, and national level.
Are you a brand looking to invest in youth sports? Please reach out to info@verticalsports.us.
Common Questions About Youth Sports Marketing
Where can I sponsor youth sports? How do I activate in youth sports? What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? How much does youth sports sponsorship cost?
We have answers. Reach out to info@verticalsports.us to learn how Vertical Sports can help your brand navigate the sports marketing landscape.
If you are a youth sports organization interested in sponsor or partnership opportunities please reach out to learn about our accreditation process.
