McDonald’s FootballPlus For Kids series kicks off on Sunday

The Malta Football Association is again teaming up with the Youth Football Association and McDonald’s (Malta) Limited to launch the third series of The McDonald’s FootballPlus For Kids educational programme for boys and girls.

The McDonald’s FootballPlus For Kids is one of grassroots initiatives organised by the Malta FA. The principal objectives of these festivals are:

  • Growth and retention among the younger generations;
  • Promotion of local football;
  • Improve the image of the game;
  • Development of better football players

The McDonald’s FootballPlus For Kids series runs between March and May with the Youth FA playing a crucial role in the organisation of five regional festivals for children aged under 11.

This year’s festivals, which kick off this Sunday with the first event at the Żejtun Football Ground, were launched during a news conference held at the Trophies Lounge on Friday.

The press conference was addressed by Dr Angelo Chetcuti, the Malta FA General Secretary, Adrian Grech, Events Co-Ordinator at the Youth FA, and Paul Dragan, General Manager of McDonald’s (Malta).

Eight to 10 football nurseries participate in each festival which provides the perfect setting for the young footballers to enjoy playing football while also offering other activities such as educational and cultural tours, and football health and safety tips. Moreover, every football festival adopts a social theme.

Over 2,000 boys and girls have participated in the 10 McDonald’s FootballPlus For Kids festivals held over the past two years.

The dates and venues of this year’s festivals are:

Sunday, 18th March, 2018 at the Żejtun Football Ground
Sunday, 25th March 2018, at the Żebbuġ Football Ground
Sunday 15th April, 2018 at Żurrieq Football Ground
Sunday 29th April, 2018 at Mġarr Football Ground
Sunday 6th May, 2018 at Marsaxlokk Football Ground

This year’s programme has an added value as it encompasses the McDonald’s Player Escort Campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, being held in Russia this summer.

A final event for the shortlisted applicants is planned for the weekend of the 12th and 13th May, 2018.

McDonald’s Player Escort Programme for FIFA World Cup

McDonald’s is giving a lucky child the opportunity of a lifetime to escort a football star onto the pitch at the FIFA World Cup 2018 Final in Moscow in July.

The McDonald’s Player Escort Program is open to all children aged between six and 10 and is part of McDonald’s initiative to improve children’s well-being through sport.

The prize consists of transfers, accommodation, family activities and two tickets for a selected 2018 FIFA World Cup match.

Children must take part in one of the football festivals in March and May organised by the Malta Football Association (MFA) and McDonald’s FootballPlus for Kids. Alternatively, an application form can be downloaded from www.mcdonalds.com.mt/player-escort or collected from a McDonald’s restaurant and sent to Premier Restaurants Malta Ltd, Nineteen Twenty Three, Valletta Road, Marsa, MRS 3000 by April 30, 2018.

A random draw will determine the 61 participants who will take part in the final tournament on Saturday May 12, 2018 when a winner will be selected by random draw to redeem the prize. The 60 runners up will take part in the locally held UEFA Nations League matches.

“There really is no better place to experience a big game than at the stadium! Now imagine the thrill of standing beside a football star, in the FIFA World Cup Final Match before turning 11-years-old! This is a magnificent, once in a life time opportunity that the Player Escort Programme offers to all Maltese children”, said Paul Dragan, General Manager of Premier Restaurants Malta.

McDonald’s has been a major sponsor at the World Cup for many years and the Player Escort Programme is a highlight of its campaign. Almost 1,500 children accompanied their idols onto the pitch at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.