Join McDonald’s USA, eMLS and Rising Music Star, Guaynaa, for a Chance to Compete in This year’s eMLS All-Star Challenge presented by McDonald’s

Fans are encouraged to participate in a nationwide FIFA21 open tournament where two finalists will compete among a star-studded lineup on August 22

CHICAGO – August 10, 2021 – Attention all gaming and fútbol aficionados! The Golden Arches is joining forces with Puerto Rican rising star Guaynaa and eMLS for the 2021 eMLS All-Star Challenge presented by McDonald’s, offering two lucky fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in the star-studded FIFA21 tournament.

Gamers and soccer fans across the country are encouraged to register for the eMLS All-Star Challenge Open Qualifiers, which is an online tournament, catered towards casual and amateur players, taking place on Saturday, August 14, 2021 via www.mlssoccer.com/eMLSOpenQualifiers. The top two eligible finalists will have the opportunity to play in the virtual eMLS All-Star Challenge presented by McDonald’s on Sunday, August 22, 2021. The Challenge will feature eight pairs of teams, composed of celebrities, influencers and other pro-gamers, facing off in a single-elimination tournament. 

“Having the opportunity to participate in the eMLS All-Star Challenge presented by McDonald’s is a full-circle moment for me because fútbol and video games were two of my favorite pastimes growing up in Puerto Rico,” said Guaynaa. “I am excited to offer fans, whether of soccer or gaming, the opportunity to participate in the Challenge with some of the biggest names in the soccer and FIFA community and, you guessed it, me!”

As part of the weekend events, McDonald’s is hosting a virtual soccer and gaming youth clinic on Sunday, August 22, 2021. 20 young soccer and gaming fans from underserved communities in Los Angeles County will be treated to gaming consoles and McDonald’s soccer kits, as well as surprise celebrity guest appearances. The eMLS All-Star Challenge, and the surrounding soccer and gaming youth clinic serve as an extension of the McDonald’s commitment to Latino youth by creating unforgettable fútbol memories.

“We are excited to offer new ways to continue bringing the thrill of soccer to the heart of the communities we serve,” said Elizabeth Campbell, Senior Director of Cultural Engagement, McDonald’s USA. “Through this initiative that fuses fútbol, intrinsic to Latino culture, and eSports, a youth passion point, we aim to create memorable moments for McDonald's Latino fans, with an enhanced experience for young soccer and gaming fans.”

In addition to Guaynaa, participants of the eMLS All-Star Challenge presented by McDonald’s also include former soccer Olympian Melissa Ortiz Liga MX legends Luis Hernández and Pavel Pardo and FIFA pros including RemiMartinn.

“The eMLS All-Star Challenge presented by McDonald’s is a celebration of Major League Soccer’s unique gaming culture that continues to connect our diverse fan base in new and innovative ways,” said Camilo Durana, MLS Senior Vice President of Properties and Events. “The incredible support from partners like McDonald’s has enabled the growth of eMLS and made esports a core part of how we celebrate our league and offer experiences to our fans.”

Viewers at home are invited to tune-in to watch this year’s eMLS All-Star Challenge presented by McDonald’s on the MLS Twitch (twitch.com/MLS) or MLS Twitter (twitter.com/MLS) channel on August 22, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. PST. In addition, the soccer gaming clinic will be streamed online from RemiMartinn’s Twitch (twitch.com/RemiMartinn) account at 12:30 p.m. PST.  

The eMLS All-Star Challenge presented by McDonald’s kicks off nearly a week of soccer celebrations, fan experiences, community-focused events and more throughout MLS All-Star week in Los Angeles.

About McDonald’s USA

McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to nearly 25 million customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.

About eMLS

eMLS is the esports and gaming property of Major League Soccer. It was launched in 2018 and is built around the globally popular EA SPORTS™ FIFA franchise. The goal of eMLS is to utilize gaming to reach global audiences, raise the profile of MLS, and grow its next generation of fans. 27 MLS Clubs participated in the 2021 eMLS season. In addition to its core competitive season, which features the best FIFA players in North America each representing a different MLS Club, eMLS also executes more casually oriented gaming programs.

About Major League Soccer

Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer features 27 clubs throughout the United States and Canada, in addition to future expansion teams in St. Louis and Charlotte. For more information about MLS, visit www.MLSsoccer.com.

About GUAYNAA

Jean Carlos Santigo Perez, better known as GUAYNAA, was born in Caguas Puerto Rico. In 2017, after the tragic devastation of Hurricane Maria, Guaynaa released a song titled "Maria" that went viral on all social platforms, where he expressed his anger and frustration at the situation. He went on to release "Rebota'' which became a massive success, and the remix featuring Sech, Becky G, Farruko and Nicky Jam landed him on the Billboard Top 10 Chart. In 2020, he received his first Latin Grammy nomination, in the category “Best Reggaeton Performance” for the song “Chicharrón'' feat Cauty.

In recent months Guaynaa captivated fans across the globe with his single “Se Te Nota,” alongside Lele Pons, which garnered more than 272 million views on its video. He also released a collaboration with Sebastian Yatra, “Chica Ideal,” who’s video accumulated over 134 million views, and he released a collaboration with K-POP sensation Chungha, “Demente.” Last month he released his single and video for “Monterrey” which paid homage to Monterrey, Mexico, and his newest single and video "Cumbia a la gente" featuring Cumbia icon’s Los Angeles Azules is out now.

Media Contacts

For McDonald’s: Ti’Ara Brown, Tiara.Brown@us.mcd.com

For MLS: Angela Alfano, Angela.Alfano@MLSsoccer.com