PAYMENTS
FOOD FINTECH AT SCALE
When it comes to payments infrastructure, there’ s no better example of just how this model works than McDonald’ s. As Official Restaurant Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the fast food giant has had to scale its digital ordering and payments infrastructure, bolstering a high-volume, tech-enabled retail ecosystem. Throughout the tournament, McDonald’ s restaurants will serve millions of fans through a combination of mobile-first ordering, self-service kiosks and integrated delivery platforms.
At the core of this strategy is frictionless payment. McDonald’ s is expanding support for contactless cards, mobile wallets and app-based payments, all while continuing to use data analytics to personalise offers and streamline checkout experiences.
By digitising the iconic golden arches for such a large-scale event, McDonald’ s has an opportunity to stress-test its digital infrastructure at scale. By integrating realtime data flows across payments, inventory and customer engagement systems, the company optimises operations during peak demand periods.
Morgan Flatley, Executive Vice President, Global Chief Marketing Officer and New Business Ventures at McDonald’ s, says:“ This continued longstanding collaboration with FIFA … offers McDonald’ s a unique opportunity to bring people together and to promote our values beyond borders with communities worldwide.”
70 June 2026