Ligue 1 looks to be getting a new league sponsorship deal as RMC Sport has reported the top French league is close to teaming up with McDonald’s.
The league’s current name is actually Ligue 1 Uber Eats. The food delivery service has had the sponsorship name since 2020 and the naming deal runs until the end of the 2023-24 season.
McDonald’s is reportedly set to ink a deal with Ligue 1 worth $65 million over the next three seasons.
The deal isn’t confirmed yet but has already generated quite the storm online.
Ligue 1 McDonald’s
No more 'Ligue 1 Uber Eats' ‼️
It will now be called 'Ligue 1 McDonalds' and will pay the French league €20m-per-year, reports @DanielRiolo. pic.twitter.com/afmk1M1CiU— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) March 5, 2024
Eden Hazard coming out of retirement to join Ligue 1 again, after the name change pic.twitter.com/6npi1qVwFO https://t.co/CQ32D0LT27
— ️ (@masiglory) March 5, 2024
POV: You’re watching players walk out in the Ligue 1 McDonalds League pic.twitter.com/exA2KUZTvQ
— Alice ✨ (@CFC_Alice) March 5, 2024
Having a league or competition named with a brand is nothing new. Many fans will remember that England’s top flight was called the Barclays Premier League until 2016. In the U.S. Major League Soccer calls the playoffs the Audi MLS Cup.
There’s no shame in having a sponsor as a name, but wow does having McDonald’s as the sponsor open Pandora’s box of jokes.
It’s a shame that Kylian Mbappé is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer. Could you imagine all the McBappé jokes?
The French league has often been thought of as the least dominant of Europe’s “big five” (England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France). Having the league named after a fast food chain won’t help the reputation.
That being said we have some really great alternative name ideas for the league.
- McLigue 1
- Ligue Big Mac (No. 1 on the menu)
- McNugget Ligue
There are so many options. The league should also reimagine the trophy into a burger at this point. We’d pay good money to see PSG lift a golden Quarter Pounder.
If a team manages to win the league and the French Cup, we can say that they did the McDouble that season.
For the sake of comedy, we at The18 are keeping our fingers crossed that the Ligue 1 McDonald’s deal goes through.
