Fast food operator McDonald's and the Football Association (FA) have secured a new partnership in a bid to help increase participation and improve standards in English grassroots football.

The four-year scheme aims to provide support to 200,000 coaches and 400,000 volunteers through the FA and McDonald's networks, as well as ensuring that 75 per cent of youth clubs achieve FA Charter Standard by the end of 2014. It is hoped that the partnership will lead to the creation of 150 Charter Standard Leagues, which recognises competitions that incorporate the Respect initiative and encourages more people to play the sport.

McDonald's has already been working alongside the FA for the past eight years as a community partner, which has driven the recruitment and training of more than 10,000 community coaches and a quarter of the company's restaurants supporting local football clubs. FA chief executive Ian Watmore said: "Our joint achievement in recruiting and training more than 10,000 coaches is tribute to the potent power of the partnership.

"The investment and focus on driving up standards in English grassroots football will have a positive impact on young players, the coaches, the parents and ultimately the national game as a whole." McDonald's chief executive Steve Easterbrook added: "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."