FAT players get free burgers

Thailand's top football players will feast on free burgers as part of a three-year sponsorship deal with American fast food giant McDonald's worth $1.2 million.

McDonald's will provide 25 million baht (NZ$1 million)  for the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) and will offer five million baht (NZ$205,000) in products, in exchange for shirt sponsorship for the next three years, starting this month.

"This will be a great help towards our efforts to reach the 2014 World Cup finals," said FAT president Worawi Makudi.

"This funding will help develop our game, especially youth football, and all the players, junior and senior, will get to enjoy the food too," he added.

Thailand's national team, which is currently 110th in the FIFA rankings, signed a five-year kit sponsorship deal with US sports giant Nike in 2007 for an undisclosed figure.

The team has never qualified for the World Cup finals and is now being coached by former England and Manchester United captain Bryan Robson.

- Reuters