Updating your news feed...
NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s leading online newspaper. Published by Africa’s international award-winning journalist, Mr. Isaac Umunna, NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s first truly professional online daily newspaper. It is published from Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and media hub, and has a provision for occasional special print editions. Thanks to our vast network of sources and dedicated team of professional journalists and contributors spread across Nigeria and overseas, NEWS EXPRESS has become synonymous with newsbreaks and exclusive stories from around the world.
Loading banners
Loading banners...
Football icon David Beckham received about £39 million ($51 million) in dividends from his business empire following a record year for the company managing his commercial partnerships, licensing agreements, and media productions.
The Guardian reported Thursday that accounts for DRJB Holdings, which are expected to be published next week, showed the company’s revenue increased by a fifth to a record $110.5 million last year, up from $92.3 million in 2024.
Pre-tax profit climbed by 46% to $65.7 million, also reaching a record level.
The results came as Beckham expanded his portfolio of advertising and sponsorship agreements surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was held this summer in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
The former England captain appeared in about a dozen ad campaigns during the tournament, working with brands including Lenovo, McDonald’s, Bank of America, Verizon, and PepsiCo’s Lay’s.
DRJB Holdings distributed $51.1 million to shareholders last year, compared with $53 million the previous year. The accounts reportedly show that an additional $61.6 million was paid in special dividends this year.
Beckham sold a 55% stake in his commercial businesses to US brand-management company Authentic Brands Group in 2022 for $292 million. He retained the remaining 45% through Footwork Productions.
His share of the two reported dividend payments amounted to approximately $50.7 million.
Beckham secured several prominent partnerships in the runup to the World Cup, including a multiyear agreement with Bank of America. Under the deal, he became an ambassador for the financial group’s global sports program.
The 51-year-old also launched menswear collections with Hugo Boss, an eyewear range bearing his name through Italian manufacturer Safilo, and a limited-edition Predator football boot with Adidas.
He reached a separate agreement for Beckham & Friends Live, a Paramount+ program broadcast around UEFA Champions League matches.
His other recent advertising work included a Stella Artois campaign with British actor and producer Theo James. The campaign marked the beer brand’s partnership with season two of the Netflix series The Gentlemen.
Studio 99, a studio co-founded by the former star footballer, produced Beckham, a 2023 Netflix documentary that examined his career, family life, and relationship with the media.
It also made a Netflix documentary about Beckham’s wife, fashion designer, and former Spice Girls member Victoria Beckham, which was released last year.
Corey Salter, Authentic Brands Group’s chief executive of entertainment, described Beckham as “one of the most powerful global brands in sport, lifestyle, entertainment and much more.”
Beckham retired from professional football in 2013 after playing for Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain.
Since retiring, he has expanded his commercial interests beyond traditional sponsorship and licensing agreements.
The latest results underline how Beckham has continued to turn his sporting profile into a global business more than a decade after his final professional match.
