David and Victoria Beckham have amassed a global empire, with a string of luxury homes, and it could be just the start
As David Beckham marked the start of his 51st birthday with a dinner at London’s super-swanky hotel The Dorchester, he had an extra special reason to celebrate.
For a fortnight on, it has been revealed that ‘Golden Balls’ has reached another pinnacle, this time being named Britain’s first billionaire sports star by the Sunday Times Rich List.
A staggering feat in itself, his elevation to the status of truly mega wealthy is even more extraordinary as he and wife Victoria ’s fortune has more than doubled in the past year. One disappointment will doubtless be the strained family relations after eldest son Brooklyn exposed a rift in the family. It comes amid a rift between Posh and Becks and their daughter-in-law Nicola.
Becks has certainly come a long way from May 2, 1975, when he was born in Whipps Cross University Hospital in Leytonstone, east London, to dad Ted, a heating engineer, and hairdresser mum Sandra. When their football-mad son joined the Manchester United academy in July 1991 aged 16, he was on £29.50 per week. Since then, thanks to his stellar success on the pitch, and string of commercial deals off, he became one of the world’s wealthiest footballers, a global superstar who transcended his sport.
Meeting and marrying ‘Posh Spice’ Victoria cemented their place as celebrity royalty. It just so happens the couple’s near £1.2billion joint fortune is almost twice that of King Charles III.
The family have certainly spent it like Beckham. Sir David, whose first two years were living in a three-bed Victorian terrace in Leytonstone, and Victoria owns a string of lavish homes. They include a £50million, six-bedroom grade II listed home in London’s upmarket Holland Park, and a £20million estate in Great Tew in the Cotswolds, which has its own swimming pool, a lake, beehives, a full-size football pitch and a “wild” outdoor kitchen.
As an aside, they couple also own a £20million yacht – named Seven after Becks’ iconic squad number for Manchester United and England – a 100 foot vessel described as a luxury floating residence.
Back on dry land and their other properties include a £60million property in Miami, complete with nine bedrooms, a spa and views of Biscayne Bay. According to the Sunday Times, the house — which has been extensively renovated – is located on North Bay Road, an exclusive enclave where residents have included Matt Damon and Jennifer Lopez.
And it is Becks’ link to Miami that is the key to the colossal rise in the couple’s estimated wealth in the past year.
The former LA Galaxy star took up the option to buy a new Major Soccer League franchise in the Florida state in 2014. His investment at the time was said to be £16million and the club – Inter Miami – launched four years later.
Having only played their first season in 2020, the club has achieved much success already – clinching the MSL Cup last year – thanks in no small part to the 2023 signing of former Barcelona striker and World Cup winner Lionel Messi. Forbes now values the Inter Miami franchise at £900million, and the Sunday Times Rich List estimates Sir David’s stake at £300million.
On top of that is property around Inter Miami’s new 25,000 seater stadium. Called Freedom Park, it will include shops, hospitality, entertainment and offices. Beckham’s stake in the complex has been put at £400million on its own.
It forms just part of Sir David’s business empire. The umbrella company for his holdings reported record profits in 2024. In 2022, he sold a 55% stake in his businesses to Authentic Brands for £200million. His string of endorsement deals include Adidas, Haig whisky, and Stella Artois.
Victoria has also built a high end fashion and beauty empire, with the last set of accounts showing a surge in sales, although losses also widened. The singer-come-designer has now signed a tie-up with high street chain Gap, with a 38 piece collection launched last month, including jeans, hoodies and T-shirts.
If the Beckham’s weren’t already one of the most famous couples on the planet, their deal with streaming giant Netflix took their stardom to a new level. Becks’ self-titled four-part series was huge viewing success, and led to Victoria signing her own lucrative deal with Netflix.
The show raised more than a few eyebrows given it was made by David’s in-house production house, Studio 99. However, it could well swell the Beckhams’ coffers even more and confirm their place among not just the UK’s, but the world’s super-rich.
