McDaid's Football Special is a soft drink (locally known as a 'mineral') produced by James McDaid & Sons Ltd. in Letterkenny and Ramelton, two towns in County Donegal, Ireland. The two most popular flavours produced by McDaid's are banana and, the most popular, Football Special, which is made with a mix of seven 'secret' flavours. Other currently produced beverages sold by McDaid's include Pineapple, Creamy Cola and American Ice Cream Soda. McDaid's use a local spring water source to produce the beverages.
The original factory in Ramelton was formerly a creamery. Football Special is one of McDaid's oldest and most distinguished products, winning two awards for excellence in 1984 and 1989 from the London Beverage Society.
Edward McDaid, the CEO of the company, was also on the founding board of Swilly Rovers FC, one of the most decorated junior football clubs in Ireland, and, as such, wanted to celebrate winning trophies by filling the cup with a non-alcoholic beverage. They created a drink which has a beer-like foamy head and named it 'Football Cup', which later was changed to Football Special.
Football Special is found most commonly in County Donegal, where it is produced. However, it also on sale in Derry, parts of County Londonderry and in west countyTyrone (especially in Strabane). It also sells in some shops in Belfast. It is usually sold in plastic bottles. Recently, Football Special was used to make Football Special-flavoured cheesecakes, which were sold in SuperValu in Newtowncunningham and Ballybofey. The drink was available nationwide for a period in 2011. Football Special is now also on sale in Glasgow beginning in the summer of 2016.
The brand was the main sponsor of the Foyle Cup in 2011.