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The campaign kicks off on 9 May with a range of interactive content under the heading: "The World Cup on AOL in association with Northern Rock."

Football fans will be able to access news, previews, scores and match reports and watch video footage of the 50 greatest World Cup goals of all time. Interactive elements include a World Cup Fantasy League and a "Fan Zone" area, which allows visitors to air their own views.

The sponsorship will run until the end of the World Cup on 9 July. Northern Rock claimed that the deal offered "high visibility and strong cut-through" to its audience.

The six-figure deal was negotiated between Northern Rock's media agency, MediaVest Manchester, and TWMS, which works with AOL on its sales in the North of England.

Elliott Muscant, the head of the MediaVest Manchester division MVi, said: "AOL provided a clear understanding of what we wanted to achieve and it worked with MVi to provide a truly tailored package."