Beckham Banks £38.5m as World Cup Ad Deals Lift Profits 46%

Sir David Beckham has collected a £38.5m payout from his sports, fashion and media business after the 2026 Men's Football World Cup advertising boom drove the company to record profits.

DRJB Holdings, the vehicle that houses the Beckham brand, reported a profit of almost £50m in 2025 — a 46% jump from the previous year. Sales rose from £72.2m to £84m over the same period.

The surge was fueled by a string of advertising partnerships signed in the runup to the tournament. The roster includes Bank of America, McDonald's, Verizon and PepsiCo's Lay's brand.

Beckham's presence was inescapable during the summer's World Cup broadcast coverage. In the US, fans struggled to watch a match without encountering the former England captain pitching Stella Artois, Home Depot or Lay's crisps — sold as Walkers in the UK.

Beyond advertising, Sir David expanded his product portfolio last year. He launched menswear collections with Hugo Boss, released a pair of Adidas Predator football boots and introduced an eyewear range with Italian glasses maker Safilo.

Revenues at DRJB also benefited from growth in Beckham's health supplements business.

The dividend arithmetic is striking. DRJB paid its shareholders £38.9m during the financial year, then followed with a special £46.6m payment after the year closed. Sir David's share of those distributions came to roughly £38.5m, reflecting his near-half ownership stake.

The remainder of DRJB belongs to New York-based Authentic Brands Group, the company that also owns Reebok and controls the brand rights to other celebrities, including comedian and actor Kevin Hart.

Authentic's entertainment chief executive, Corey Salter, said the results demonstrate that Sir David's name is "one of the most powerful global brands in sport, lifestyle, entertainment and much more."

"It's been an outstanding year, from new partnerships to important philanthropic campaigns and overall brand growth," Salter said.

The financial milestone cements Sir David's status as Britain's first billionaire sportsman, a distinction that once seemed improbable for a player who built his reputation on the pitch. The commercial machine now surrounding his name spans banking, fast food, telecoms, beer, DIY retail, fashion and supplements.

The World Cup windfall also marks a turn in the Beckham narrative. Sir David previously drew criticism for serving as an ambassador for the 2022 Men's Football World Cup in Qatar, a country where same-sex relationships are illegal. "It was an important competition and one I was proud to be part of," he said at the time, adding that he had engaged with the LGBTQ community during the tournament.

The latest results suggest that controversy did little to dent advertisers' appetite for the Beckham name. With Authentic Brands Group deepening its celebrity-licensing portfolio and Sir David's product lines multiplying across categories, DRJB enters its next financial year with momentum — and shareholders who have just collected more than £85m in combined distributions.