David Bankham: Ex footballer 'earned £19m' from World Cup endorsements
Footballer turned global brand made a staggering amount from ubiquitous presence at the tournament
David Beckham did not play at the 2026 World Cup, having retired from football 13 years ago, but he was unmissable over the tournament, both in stadiums and in the adverts, which reportedly netted him a cool £19 million.
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Despite having almost nothing to do with the tournament, Becks, 51, was rarely off-screen as he watched most of England's matches - getting noticeably more excited than his wife, Victoria, at a win over Norway.
Beckham won 115 caps for England and captained his country from 2001 to 2006, playing in three World Cups. These days, he is the president and co-owner of Inter Miami, but he remains hugely marketable despite retiring in 2013.
Ahead of the tournament, Beckham was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he also made the trip across the pond to watch Wimbledon in the Royal Box.
He quickly travelled back to the US for England's knock-out rounds, where he was usually joined in stadiums by his children Cruz, Romeo and Harper - with his eldest son Brooklyn still estranged from the family.
How much did David Beckham earn from World Cup 2026 adverts?
According to reports, Beckham will earn £19 million from the World Cup thanks to his many adverts and endorsement deals. He has appeared in ad campaigns for:
- Bank of America,
- Lay’s (Walkers) crisps,
- Home Depot,
- Pepsi,
- McDonald’s,
- Stella Artois,
- Adidas.
"It feels like he is in every single advert at this World Cup," said football culture vlogger Ore Olukoga.
"The man is everywhere. And World Cup aside, he is always on television or billboards, doing an ad campaign for something. He retired when most of the players at this World Cup were still at school.
"I've got to give it to him because he understood this concept of being a brand very early on.
"He has been able to marry his footballing achievements alongside his aspirational lifestyle. The two of those have always gone hand in hand."
He added: "These brands don't need David Beckham to bring awareness to their brands, but they do want someone with relevancy, someone with cultural currency, someone with a level of fame that very few people on this planet can match.
"David Beckham is the guy you are looking for if that is your criteria."
It has been estimated that Beckham has earned more money since retiring from football, thanks to his advertising and investments in Major League Soccer in the US. His five years playing for Los Angeles Galaxy are also thought to have netted him £193m.
He now has a net worth of £1.19 billion, according to the Sunday Times Rich List, becoming last year the first British athlete to reach billionaire status.