By Lananh Nguyen
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Former England soccer captain David Beckham signed a multi-year partnership with Bank of America to promote global sports programs ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, he and the bank said about the deal, which was first reported by Reuters.
The British champion, who co-owns Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, boosted soccer's popularity in the U.S. during his playing career and later as an owner by bringing Argentine great Lionel Messi to Miami in 2023.
Beckham expects the World Cup to stoke more soccer interest in the U.S., where viewership has lagged other sports.
"It is the biggest sporting competition in the world," Beckham told Reuters. "I've seen a huge uplift in the support for the game ... we know that there's a huge market there, it's kind of a sleeping giant."
WORLD CUP EXPANDS BANK'S BRANDING
The World Cup begins in June and is sponsored by BofA. The deals with FIFA and Beckham fit with the second-largest U.S. bank's investment in global sports events and programs as a way to burnish its brand, market services and engage with local communities, said David Tyrie, its president of global marketing and digital.
"It'll be an access point for clients and prospects across the board, but what this really does for us is it opens Bank of America's branding to go far beyond traditional financial categories, and hopefully create emotional connections that are going to drive loyalty."
The parties did not disclose financial details about the partnership.
Beckham cited the rising number of MLS soccer teams, stadiums and training academies, combined with the rising number of Premier League fans, as evidence that the sport was gaining ground in the U.S.
"The majority of owners within the MLS see that opportunity (from the World Cup) ... to then push on to the next level and to achieve even more, and make this game more popular in their country," said Beckham, who was knighted by King Charles this month.
(Reporting by Lananh Nguyen in New YorkEditing by Rod Nickel)
