McDonald’s Junior Sports Academy kicks off with a new season: Football and Cricket sign-ups now open

Press release

Published January 19th, 2026 - 07:57 GMT

It’s game time! The McDonald’s Junior Sports Academy is back, and registrations are now open for football and cricket sessions kicking off at the end of January. Running for eight weeks, the action-packed program invites children aged 8-12 to get moving, try new sports, make friends, and build confidence in a feel-good environment.

More than 1,500 kids across the UAE have already joined the McDonald’s Junior Sports Academy, which began as the Junior Padel Academy in 2023 and expanded last year to also include basketball, football, and cricket.

Led by professional coaches, the sessions take place at leading facilities across Abu Dhabi/Al Ain, Dubai, and Sharjah. Coaching, equipment, and kits are fully provided by McDonald’s UAE, so every child can join in, regardless of experience. Rounding things off, each program concludes with a celebratory awards ceremony recognizing participants’ progress and achievements.

“Watching children at the Junior Sports Academy gain confidence, discover new sports, and make new friends has been truly inspiring,” said Walid Fakih, CEO of McDonald’s UAE. “With the addition of football and cricket this season, we look forward to welcoming even more families”.

The Junior Sports Academy’s football and cricket sessions will run as follows, with padel and basketball returning later in the year:

Football: January 24 – March 14

Cricket: January 31 – April 4 (with a one-week break for Eid al-Fitr)

Registrations are AED 100 per child while the rest of the academy cost is fully subsidized by McDonald’s UAE, with spots available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sign your little ones up here: https://mcduae.com/event/junior-sports-academy

Background Information

McDonald’s

In 1917, 15-year-old Ray Kroc lied about his age to join the Red Cross as an ambulance driver, but the war ended before he completed his training. He then worked as a piano player, a paper cup salesman and a Multimixer salesman.

In 1954, he visited a restaurant in San Bernardino, California that had purchased several Multimixers. There he found a small but successful restaurant run by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald, and was stunned by the effectiveness of their operation. They produced a limited menu, concentrating on just a few items – burgers, fries and beverages – which allowed them to focus on quality and quick service.

They were looking for a new franchising agent and Kroc saw an opportunity. In 1955, he founded McDonald’s System, Inc., a predecessor of the McDonald’s Corporation, and six years later bought the exclusive rights to the McDonald’s name and operating system. By 1958, McDonald’s had sold its 100 millionth hamburger