Football: Beckham to play all-star game in China in November

BEIJING (AP) - David Beckham will play in an all-star game in China later this year as part of a deal to help raise the profile of football in the world's most populous country.

The former England captain has signed up to help boost football's appeal in China, which is trying to clean up its image by clamping down on corruption following a series of match-fixing scandals.

"I'm excited by the prospect of promoting the world's greatest game to Chinese sports fans as I've seen firsthand the growing interest in football there," said Beckham, who was linked with a move to play in the Chinese Super League after leaving the Los Angeles Galaxy in December.

"This is a wonderful sport that inspires people across the world and brings families together, so I'm relishing the opportunity of introducing more fans to the game."