McDonald's and Chicago Fire Football Club Announce Landmark Stadium Naming Rights Partnership: McDonald's Park to Open in 2028 as a New Destination for Soccer, Culture, and Community in Chicago

PRNewswire 13-May-2026 5:30 AM

• Marks McDonald's first-ever naming rights partnership for a major professional sports stadium in the U.S.
• Long-term partnership between two iconic Chicago based brands to create a new year-round destination for soccer, culture, and community
• Partnership will expand Chicago Fire FC's P.L.A.Y.S. Program fourfold - reaching more than 280 under resourced CPS schools and more than 125,000 students
• McDonald's Park will feature immersive fan experiences, including a flagship McDonald's restaurant and year-round programming
• Stadium will support community impact initiatives, including a stadium-wide Round-Up for Ronald McDonald House

CHICAGO, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- McDonald's and Chicago Fire Football Club today announced a historic naming rights partnership that will see the Major League Soccer club's new $750 million privately-funded stadium named McDonald's Park, opening in 2028. Located in The 78, a premier riverfront location in the heart of Chicago, McDonald's Park will serve as a world-class sports and entertainment destination, anchoring year-round programming and creating a new gathering place for fans, families, and communities.

In its first-ever naming rights partnership for a major professional sports stadium in the U.S., McDonald's will play an active role in shaping the experience at McDonald's Park - from the design of a flagship restaurant to the ability to bring the McDonald's brand to life through fan experiences, creative elements, and in-game moments - bringing together sport, food, culture and community in a way that reflects Chicago and extends far beyond matchdays.

At their core, McDonald's and the Chicago Fire are rooted in the same belief: joy and belonging bring people together. From everyday moments shared over a meal to the energy of matchday or a concert, both brands connect people across cultures, generations, and neighborhoods.

Designed as a year-round destination, McDonald's Park will feature – in addition to all Chicago Fire home matches and concerts and special events throughout the year – a permanent McDonald's flagship restaurant, immersive fan and culinary experiences throughout the stadium, and programming that brings people back for concerts, cultural moments, community events, and celebrations all year long.

• "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."

• "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. McDonald's Park will be the stadium that Chicago deserves."

Our Promise to Chicago: Expanding Youth Soccer Access Through Chicago Fire Foundation's P.L.A.Y.S. Program

At the center of the partnership is a landmark expansion to youth soccer access across Chicago.

Beginning in 2027, McDonald's will serve as the presenting partner of the Chicago Fire's P.L.A.Y.S. (Participate, Learn, Achieve, Youth, Soccer) Program, supporting a multiyear expansion of free, school-based soccer programming across Chicago Public Schools – with a priority placed on elementary schools with limited access to the sport.

P.L.A.Y.S. focuses on strengthening academic performance and social/emotional development through a soccer-based curriculum. Today, the program operates in 70 Chicago Public Schools. Through this partnership, McDonald's and the Chicago Fire have committed to a phased expansion designed to remove barriers to play and dramatically increase access:

• Community impact: Beginning in 2027, the partnership will remove equipment as a barrier to participation by delivering co-branded Soccer Starter Kits – including balls, goals, cones, and training materials—with the goal of growing to reach more than 280 under-resourced CPS elementary schools, ensuring each school has the foundational tools needed to introduce and sustain soccer programming.
• By stadium opening (2028): The P.L.A.Y.S Program footprint will double, expanding from 70 schools to approximately 140 schools (reaching more than 60,000 students, up from 31,000 today), providing free, structured after-school soccer programming that combines physical activity with social-emotional learning.
• Long-term vision: Over the life of the partnership, McDonald's and the Chicago Fire are committed to expanding P.L.A.Y.S. access to 100% of CPS elementary schools identified with elevated need – representing a four-fold increase in reach (from 70 to more than 280 schools, and from 31,000 to more than 125,000 students) and one of the most comprehensive free youth soccer initiatives in a major U.S. city.

Local Impact Beyond Matchdays

McDonald's Park will serve as a hub for community impact extending far beyond the game. Together, McDonald's and the Chicago Fire will support hands-on initiatives addressing food insecurity, including an annual meal-packing and distribution effort hosted at the stadium – bringing together employees, players, and community volunteers to support families in need.

Ronald McDonald House at the Heart of the Partnership

Ronald McDonald House, Premier Partner of the Chicago Fire Foundation, will be a central charitable focus of the partnership, with year-round integration across matchday and community platforms.

Key elements include:

• Stadium-wide Round-Up for Ronald McDonald House donation opportunities across concessions.
• A dedicated Ronald McDonald House seating section at McDonald's Park for families.
• Pre-match meet-and-greets and special experiences for RMH families.
• Annual Family Night, featuring a 50/50 raffle benefitting RMH and on-field recognition in support of families navigating serious illness. 

Over the next two years, fans will be invited into the journey – through design reveals, construction milestones, and behind-the-scenes storytelling that brings McDonald's Park to life. When McDonald's Park opens in 2028, it will stand as more than a stadium. It will be a place where Chicago comes together—where soccer sparks joy, community thrives year-round, and a new generation finds opportunity through play.

More about McDonald's Park

Located along the Chicago River at The 78, the Fire's new stadium will be a centerpiece of a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood and a catalyst for continued economic development and significant job opportunities in the South Loop. The riverfront location will integrate public plazas, activated outdoor spaces, and connectivity to surrounding retail and residential development, positioning the stadium as both a matchday destination and a year-round city asset.



The stadium will seat more than 22,000 fans for soccer matches and up to 31,000 for concerts and special events and has been thoughtfully designed to deliver exceptional sightlines and memorable entertainment experiences. Featuring a wide range of seating options, the venue will create an unparalleled home atmosphere for Chicago Fire fans and eventgoers alike.



As a dynamic, year-round community destination, the stadium will serve as a true community asset, hosting a wide variety of sports and entertainment events beyond Fire matches, including international soccer, rugby, concerts, festivals, trade shows, and corporate conferences.

About Chicago Fire Football Club

Chicago Fire Football Club (Chicago Fire FC) is a professional soccer club that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS). One of the league's first expansion teams – founded on Oct. 8, 1997 (the 126th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire) – the Club has earned six major domestic trophies, including four U.S. Open Cups and the 2003 Supporters' Shield, and returned to the playoffs in 2025, winning its first postseason match since 2009.

The Club recently broke ground on its privately-funded, soccer-specific stadium in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood, a transformational new home set to open in 2028. The team currently plays at historic Soldier Field and trains at Chicago's Endeavor Health Performance Center, a $100 million state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2025.

The Club's development pathway includes Chicago Fire II, which competes in MLS NEXT Pro, and the Chicago Fire Academy, featuring five teams from U-13 to U-18. Off the field, the Chicago Fire Foundation – internationally recognized, including as ESPN's 2019 Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year – has made significant contributions to enhance the lives of disadvantaged youth throughout Chicagoland, providing more than $10 million back to the community. For more information, visit chicagofirefc.com.

About McDonald's

McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with over 45,000 locations in over 100 countries. Approximately 95% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business owners.

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SOURCE McDonald's Corporation