Beckham is England's most marketable asset

Pepsi have joined Umbro, Nationwide, Carlsberg and McDonalds as an official FA sponsor, with a partnership that will last until the 2006 World Cup.

The American drinks company will focus their sponsorship on youth football and also supply the England team with soft drinks, while helping choose the Euro 2004 song should the national team qualify for the finals.

FA commercial director Paul Barber confirmed talks had been under way since the start of the season and that the company were not put off by the resignation of chief executive Adam Crozier in November.

It's taken a long time to pull this deal together but it's a good one FA spokesman Paul Barber

He said: "It's a multi-million pound deal and we're happy with it as it's in line with our board's expectations.

"We've been talking to them exclusively for months and they were even in our office on the day Adam resigned - in another room.

"The marketing conditions haven't been great since the terrorist attacks on 11 September in sports marketing. Budgets have been cut and there is now the uncertainty over a war with Iraq.

"It's taken a long time to pull this deal together but it's a good one."

Pepsi director of marketing Karen Goffe added: "We went through a difficult period with Adam leaving but we're confident we'll be able to promote a great brand through the FA."

Barber defended the decision to add the soft drinks firm to fast food chain McDonald's.

"Diet is all about balance and no-one would suggest a drink of Pepsi and a McDonald's burger a day will affect your diet badly," he said.