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±«Óãtv Worldwide today announced The Football Association (The FA) has appointed the company as its licensing agent for the England and The FA Cup brands. The brand joins ±«Óãtv Worldwide's licensing portfolio which also includes Doctor Who and Top Gear.

The FA is the governing body for football in England with one of the highest global TV audiences in the world of sport. It is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting English football at all levels from grass roots to the national team. Expert in developing licensing programmes to extend fans' experience of some of the UK’s most iconic TV shows, ±«Óãtv Worldwide has been appointed to secure and manage licensees across a range of categories and to work with The FA’s other partners to help develop The FA's brands and support The FA's mission.

±«Óãtv Worldwide plans to roll out a programme across Europe over the course of the four- year deal announced today. With one of the most recognised sports brands in the world and the iconic Three Lions crest, ±«Óãtv Worldwide will work alongside The FA to give contemporary style direction. New product development will also include player imagery involving some of the biggest names in sport.

Sean McAuliffe, FA Group Head of Business Development at The FA said: "We are delighted to be taking our England and FA Cup licensing programmes forward with a well-established and innovative partner such as ±«Óãtv Worldwide. We are confident that our partnership and combined strategy can yield some very beneficial and successful licences."

Neil Ross Russell from ±«Óãtv Worldwide said: "We're thrilled to be working on one of the most recognisable and iconic brands in sport today. The FA's profile sits perfectly alongside the licensing programmes we've developed with partners from some of the biggest British TV brands plus our sports expertise on the likes of Match of the Day and Question of Sport."

Anna Hollaway