The English FA has netted more sponsorship income than any other national governing body at this year's World Cup, with annual revenue from such deals totalling more than £49m.
Lucrative contracts with brands such as Nationwide, McDonald's, Pepsi, Carlsberg and Umbro put the FA more than £22m a year ahead of its nearest counterpart, the Italian FA, which brings in £27.6m a year in sponsorship, followed by France with £25.5m, Japan with £16.58m and Brazil with £16.57m.
Marketing's research also showed that of the 20 richest footballers in the world, based on annual income derived from personal-endorsement deals, seven are English - a higher proportion than any other country.
Not surprisingly, England captain David Beckham tops the players rich list. He earned £12.85m last year from tie-ups with brands including Adidas and Pepsi. This places him significantly ahead of Brazil striker Ronaldo with £9.12m and France midfield star Zinedine Zidane's £4.56m.
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