The Football Association and McDonald's have agreed an ambitious new four-year partnership to raise standards and increase participation across every aspect of English grassroots football

Over the next four years the new partnership will see The FA and McDonald's focusing on achieving specific targets to support 200,000 coaches and 400,000 volunteers through the McDonald's and FA networks. The partnership will also work towards the objective of ensuring that 75% of all youth clubs are awarded FA Charter Standard status - which in turn will help to deliver 150 Charter Standard Leagues before the end of 2014.

As The FA's Community Partner for the last eight years, McDonald's has helped drive the training and recruitment of over 10,000 community coaches and one in four of its restaurants supports a local football club through the restaurant and club-twinning programme launched earlier this year. The new partnership will focus on improving standards at grassroots level to help those coaches play an even greater role in their local communities through the FA Charter Standard League programme.

McDonald's will also continue as the presenting partner of The FA Community Shield and will work with The FA to make the weekend into a celebration of grassroots football as the new 2010/11 season kicks-off. McDonald's will continue to reward clubs and volunteers with tickets to the event to thank them for their contribution to the game.

Speaking for McDonald's, Chief Executive Steve Easterbrook said: "We are excited to have committed to another four years in our partnership with The FA. It means we will directly support the clubs at the heart of our communities and the people who volunteer their time and energy to make the clubs safe, supportive and fun places for people to enjoy playing football. In particular, we see great value in investing in The FA's Charter Standard Programme and look forward to playing a part in improving the standard of the game at the grassroots level."

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