McDonald's Germany will not renew it partnership with the German Football Association (DFB), which is German's governing body for soccer. Rather than sponsor DFB, McDonald's in January of this year, announced that it would be the official partner for the ESL Meisterschaft, the company responsible for holding the national championship in Germany for Counter-Strike, League of Legends, and FIFA.
McDonald’s had been partners with DFB since 2004. A spokesman for McDonald’s Germany emphasized that the decision to no longer sponsor German soccer is not reflective of the company's commitment to German soccer, but rather part of the brand’s greater strategy to closer connect with teenagers and young people. With their move into Esports sponsorship, McDonald's joins other major brands such as Intel and Mercedes-Benz as sponsors of the ESL.
This article was written with contributions from Tim Piscatelli.
