McDonald's signed a long-term naming rights agreement with Chicago Fire FC for the team's $750 million soccer-specific stadium under construction in The 78 development along the Chicago River. The venue will be called McDonald's Park when it opens in 2028. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The deal marks McDonald's first professional sports stadium naming rights agreement in the United States. The company is headquartered in Chicago and operates more than 13,400 U.S. locations, but until now has avoided venue naming in its home market. The Fire's stadium will anchor The 78, a 62-acre mixed-use development in the South Loop. McDonald's will also open a flagship restaurant on-site, its second Chicago flagship after the downtown location closed in 2018.
The naming rights package arrives as MLS stadium economics tilt toward integrated real estate plays rather than public subsidy. The Fire are privately funding construction through owner Joe Mansueto, who bought the team in 2019 for a reported $400 million. The stadium replaces the Fire's tenancy at Soldier Field, where attendance averaged 14,019 in 2025, below the league median. The new venue seats 23,000 and sits inside a development projected to generate 24,000 jobs and 13,000 residential units over two decades. McDonald's gains brand presence in a neighborhood without established retail anchors and ties its Chicago legacy to a visible infrastructure project.
MLS teams increasingly monetize stadium naming through non-endemic partners willing to pay for long-term urban visibility rather than short-term fan activation. BMO paid an estimated $7 million annually for Los Angeles FC's stadium naming rights in 2018. Audi pays roughly $4 million per year for D.C. United's venue, signed in 2017. McDonald's deal likely falls in that range or higher given the Chicago market size and the company's headquarters proximity, though the Fire declined to confirm figures. The package also includes jersey patch rights, currently held by WinTrust Bank through a deal expiring after the 2027 season. If McDonald's takes the patch, the combined value could exceed $10 million annually, which would rank among the top five MLS sponsorships.
The flagship restaurant component adds complexity. McDonald's closed its Rock N Roll flagship in 2018 after 30 years of operation. The new location will serve as a prototype for design concepts and menu testing, similar to the company's global flagship in Times Square. The Fire's stadium development agreement with the city includes retail incentives tied to anchor tenants. If McDonald's qualifies, the restaurant could receive property tax abatements worth an estimated $1.2 million over ten years, according to public filings reviewed by the *Chicago Tribune*. The restaurant square footage and design details have not been finalized, but the company confirmed it will be "significantly larger" than a standard unit.
Watch for McDonald's to announce additional MLS activations before the 2028 stadium opening. The company sponsors the U.S. Soccer Federation and has global naming rights for youth tournaments, but lacks a direct MLS presence beyond individual player endorsements. The Fire are also expected to announce a new jersey sponsor by October 2027, when WinTrust's deal expires. If McDonald's does not take the patch, the team will likely seek a financial services or healthcare partner in the $6 million to $8 million annual range. Construction timelines show the stadium steel frame completion in Q4 2026, which will trigger the next wave of premium seating sales and founding membership packages.
The 2028 opening coincides with the U.S. hosting the FIFA World Cup, though Chicago was not selected as a host city. The Fire's new venue positions the franchise for Cup-adjacent events and international friendlies that Soldier Field's NFL configuration made difficult to schedule. McDonald's global footprint and World Cup sponsorship history create optionality for co-branded activations even without official tournament involvement.
The takeaway
McDonald's first U.S. stadium naming deal anchors Chicago Fire's privately funded $750M venue, likely valued above $7M annually with jersey patch upside.
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