More than 750,000 inbound visitors to the UK attended a football match in 2010, spending around £595m in the process, according to new figures from VisitBritain.

The agency found that Norwegian visitors are most likely to watch a Premier League match, with popular teams including Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United. Around 40 per cent of those attending football matches said that sport was a primary reason for visiting the UK, with the sport helping boost inbound numbers during quieter periods.

VisitBritain director of strategy and communications Patricia Yates said: "Not only do some of the best players in the world want to play in Britain, but their international fans want to follow them here to savour the atmosphere of a match."