David Beckham has withdrawn a $51m (£39m) dividend from his commercial empire, buoyed by a wave of lucrative sponsorship deals tied to this summer's Fifa World Cup in the United States.
The former England captain fronted around a dozen advertising campaigns during the tournament, partnering with major brands including Lenovo, McDonald's, Bank of America, Verizon and Lay's, the PepsiCo-owned crisps label. That flurry of activity contributed to a standout financial year for DRJB Holdings, the umbrella company overseeing Beckham's various commercial ventures.
According to figures set to be filed with Companies House next week, DRJB Holdings' revenues jumped 20% to $110.5m, up from $92.3m the year before. Pre-tax profits rose even more sharply, climbing 46% to reach a record $65.7m.
The company distributed $51.1m in dividends to shareholders over the period, slightly down from $53m the previous year. Beckham, who retired from playing in 2013, sold a 55% stake in his business interests to American brand management firm Authentic Brands Group in 2022 for £200m. As a result, he retained 45% of the total payout, translating to roughly $23m from that dividend round. However, an additional $61.6m in special dividends was issued this year, bringing Beckham's total take to approximately $51m.
DRJB Holdings operates across three main divisions. The largest, DB Ventures, manages Beckham's partnerships with brands such as Hugo Boss. Seven Global handles licensing arrangements, including with Adidas, while Studio 99 serves as the production arm behind projects like the 2023 Netflix documentary series Beckham and last year's Netflix documentary focused on Victoria Beckham.
Ahead of the World Cup, Beckham had already secured a multiyear ambassador role with Bank of America's global sports programme. During the year he also expanded into fashion and lifestyle products, launching new menswear lines with Hugo Boss, an eyewear collection with Safilo, and a limited-edition Adidas Predator boot bearing his name.
Additional revenue streams included a fresh agreement for Beckham & Friends Live, a Paramount+ programme broadcast alongside Uefa Champions League coverage, and a Stella Artois campaign featuring Beckham and actor-producer Theo James, promoting the beer's tie-in with the second season of Netflix's The Gentlemen.
Corey Salter, chief executive of entertainment at Authentic Brands Group, praised Beckham's continued commercial pull, describing him as "one of the most powerful global brands in sport, lifestyle, entertainment and much more." Salter added: "What these results show is that behind the Beckham brand is a strong and highly effective team within Authentic, set up with the financial discipline and strong fundamentals to continue to grow profitably through 2026 and beyond."
Beyond his branding and media ventures, Beckham has diversified into other sectors, including as a co-founder of supplement company IM8, launched in 2024, and as an investor in BeeUp, a honey-based fruit snack business.
The 51-year-old was also honoured earlier this year with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, further cementing his status as one of the most commercially successful figures to emerge from the sport.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football.