Rio Ferdinand and his wife Kate’s have stunned fans by bidding farewell to the UK for a lavish new life in Dubai, after falling in love with the United Arab Emirates’ ‘happy and vibrant’ lifestyle.
And while the couple already boast a combined net worth of more than £57 million, experts have told Daily Mail that a move to the Middle East could offer even more opportunities to boost their bulging bank balances.
In an Instagram post, Rio and Kate shared that they’re ‘scared, excited and nervous’ about the move, but were ready for a ‘fresh start’ in the same city where they met eight years ago.
Intertalent chairman Professor Jonathan Shalit OBE has now told Daily Mail that by combining Rio’s ‘elite sporting heritage’ with their ‘relatable’ nature as parents, they could land deals in fashion, tourism and real estate.
He added that the couple, who both have vast followings on social media, could also create a vast array of ‘digital products’ and ‘parenting workshops,’ having shared insight into their life as a blended family.
Rio and Kate Ferdinand could ‘combine elite sporting heritage with modern family relatability’ to land a string of big-money deals, after the couple relocated to Dubai
In an Instagram post, Rio and Kate shared that they’re ‘scared, excited and nervous’ about the move, but they were ready for a ‘fresh start’ in the same city where they met eight years ago
Jonathan said: ‘The opportunities for Kate and Rio in Dubai will naturally build on the strong positioning they’ve established in the UK, where they are best known for resilience, blended family life, and wellbeing.
‘Together they’ve become trusted, relatable voices with Rio fronting campaigns with McDonald’s & BBC Children in Need on mental health, and Kate leading inclusive fashion collections with F&F at Tesco, and the pair showcasing their humour and chemistry in Nando’s campaigns.
‘Their brand today is defined by honesty, family, and aspirational relatability.
‘Kate in particular commands admiration for the remarkable role she has taken on as a mother to Rio’s children after the loss of his first wife, which has deepened the public’s connection to her.
‘In Dubai, they can translate this goodwill into significant opportunities. Likely areas include luxury and family-focused brand partnerships across fashion, wellness, and real estate; influencer and tourism and high-value speaking engagements where Rio’s sporting legacy and Kate’s family and wellbeing expertise will resonate.
‘They could also create digital products, from parenting courses to online workshops, and explore investment partnerships in property or hospitality.
‘Together, they combine elite sporting heritage with modern family relatability and authenticity, making them ideal ambassadors for Dubai’s luxury and lifestyle positioning.’
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede also told Daily Mail that given the vast wealths of most living in the UAE, it’s no surprise the couple could add to their fortune bty moving there, with Rio drawing the most attention due to his sporting background.
While the couple already boast a combined net worth of more than £57 million, experts have told Daily Mail a move to the Middle East could offer even more opportunities
Rio, who quit TNT Sports in May after 10 years with the channel, has continued to share football content on his YouTube channel, and could earn even more cash with public speaking gigs
Meanwhile, since rising to fame on The Only Way Is Essex, Kate has released collections with Very and F&F at Tesco, and also launched her online community Blended
He said: ‘With the news that Rio and Kate Ferdinand are moving to Dubai they can see their earnings increase a lot over the next few months.
‘Brands in the UAE have a lot of money and I am sure they will be clambering overthemselves to work with the pair both together and individually.
‘Rio is a great public speaker and many businesses will want him to do talks and appearances which can see him increase his earnings and make a lot from these kinds of appearances.
‘Soccer is huge over there so to have him in Dubai means that he may be approached to set up a football academy or at least be a face of a football related brand.
‘With properties appearing all over the area, they may start to invest in developments and put their name to some of them in a way to entice UK residents to come over and live the Dubai dream.
‘Kate’s podcast and brand blended will continue to engage new followers and I can see them making a lot of money going to events and making appearances at openings which happen all the time in Dubai.
‘It’s a shrewd move, and many people are going there for the quality of life and business opportunities – look at the success of stars like Lisa Scott Lee and Caroline Stanbury who enjoy a fabulous life over there and make the most of their brand collabs and campaigns!’
Rio is already a trusted football pundit after working on TNT Sports for 10 years, and following his decision to leave the broadcaster in May, rumours swirled that he could be courted for a big-money deal by a US broadcaster.
Recently Rio’s management company New Era signed a partnership with Beverly Hills-based talent agency giants WME.
A switch in focus to the US would make sense. With the World Cup taking place across the Atlantic next year, WME are focusing on securing opportunities in the US for Ferdinand both on and off the screen. They currently represent the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Jessica Alba and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Prior to his Dubai move, Rio had also shared he wants to focus on his work as an ambassador for travel business Football Escapes, which offers football holidays with bespoke coaching for families.
The company, founded by Sam Hubert and Bobby Zamora, is based in the UK, but has sites in Dubai, Portugal, Spain and Cyprus.
While Rio has stepped away from his TV work, he continues to share his thoughts on the week’s Premier League fixtures through content on his YouTube channel Rio Ferdinand.
The former England star presents shows Rio Presents, Rio Meets and Rio Reacts for this channel, which has amassed over one million subscribers.
Meanwhile, since rising to fame on The Only Way Is Essex, Kate has become a well-trusted fashion mogul, releasing collections with Very and F&F at Tesco.
The former reality star has also presented branded content for companies such as Hello Fresh, and The Turmeric Company.
In 2021, Kate then shared that she was launching her online support network Blended, a community for families meshed together by ‘a break up, fostering, adopting, loss’ or other circumstances, following her own experiences as a step-parent.
As part of her network, Kate also hosts a podcast offering advice and stories from other experts and members of blended families.
On Sunday, the couple shared that they had made the bold decision to relocate to Dubai with their family, posting snaps of their lavish new home on Instagram
Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Kate shared an array of snaps of their new life abroad and gave a glimpse into their plush new home
On Sunday, the couple shared that they had made the bold decision to relocate to Dubai with their family, posting snaps of their lavish new home on Instagram.
Kate shared a snap of their crisp cream living room filled with plush interiors, as well as a sweet snap from their new bed with son Cree.
She captioned the snaps: ‘A new chapter, a fresh start — because if we don’t try, we’ll never know✨.’
‘Ahhh! We’ve talked about this for so long, and now it’s finally real… we’re here, we are making a new home in the place we met!
‘Missing some of our specials already & a bit scared, excited & nervous — but more than anything, ready for fresh starts and new beginnings ❤️.’
Their celebrity pals were quick to congratulate the couple on their move.
Rio recently revealed the motivation behind his decision to relocate to Dubai just months after quitting his punditry role at TNT Sports.
The former Manchester United and England defender announced in May that he was parting ways with the broadcaster at the end of last season to focus on his business interests.
Ferdinand, whose time on TNT Sports (previously known as BT Sport) spanned 10 years, has decided to relocate with his family to the United Arab Emirates, despite his 19-year-old son Lorenz signing his first professional contract with Brighton in July.
‘There’s not one reason,’ Ferdinand told The National, opening up on the decision. ‘I went for the Global Soccer Awards at Christmas and I hadn’t been there properly for about seven or eight years. I used to go there all the time before.
‘We spent time with a couple of (partner) Kate’s friends who lived there and I just saw a different side to it. I also have a business out there, Football Escapes.
‘In Dubai, it feels like they’re valued and the lifestyle means that they’re happy and vibrant with a good energy for the kids. Lifestyle, safety, weather and just a new life.
‘I wanted a new chapter and I’ve been doing TNT (TV) since I retired for the last 10-11 years. When I made the decision, I thought ‘this must be 30 years when my life is driven by the fixture list.’ Not now. I’m not leaving football, but it’s just not the governing body of my life now. I’ve got to be honest, it feels nice.’
The Manchester United legend went on to admit that his children’s education was a key motivation behind the move.
‘I thought about moving, then we went back again in February for a little look at the schools just in case and it just pricked my mind to think about it,’ he added.
‘That was almost like a big kicker for me because the education system felt different, felt better for my kids. The children who are coming are 14, which is perfect because it’s their two years of GCSEs starting this August.
‘Then we’ve got a four and a two-year-old, so it’s perfect timing for them as well. And the curriculum is English curriculum, but it’s just done a different way. I feel the teachers in the UK feel a little bit like undervalued, underpaid.’
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .