Rio Ferdinand and wife Kate moved from London to Dubai (Image: Dave J Hogan, Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand has spoken candidly about his life in Dubai after his wife confessed to feeling homesick. Ferdinand, 47, Kate, 34, and their children swapped London for the emirate last summer. However, the family were compelled to briefly abandon their £6.5million home earlier this year owing to the conflict that has gripped the Middle East.
The family chose to temporarily move to Portugal, London and the Maldives, after taking shelter in the basement of their Dubai home following Iranian missile strikes in the region. They have since returned to the country, with Ferdinand shedding light on his day-to-day life in the Arab state.
Speaking to The Times, he said: “My kids are having a real-life adventure [in Dubai]. My eldest daughter is 14. She loves that she’s got a bit more freedom here than she would have had in London. My five-year-old boy likes that he gets to play more football. The kids are absolutely loving the outdoor-living aspect.”
Ferdinand and Kate have a family of five children: the two children they had together, Cree and Shae, and children from his marriage to his late wife, Rebecca Ellison: Lorenz, Tate and Tia.
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Ferdinand and Kate first crossed paths in Dubai in 2016 while on separate holidays and tied the knot in September 2019. Despite their well-documented fondness for life outside the UK, a source close to Kate has revealed she remains uneasy about the region owing to the continuing threat posed by the USA and Israel’s joint military offensive across the Middle East.
An insider told Heat: “While he is thrilled to be back in Dubai, Kate is putting on a brave face. She feels she’s going through the motions at the moment. Rio has assured her it’s now safe, but she is still scared.”
Kate announced she and Rio had relocated to Dubai in August 2025 (Image: Instagram)
The report further suggests that Kate will be returning to the UK for the summer and may also spend time in Portugal while Ferdinand is away in the United States for the World Cup.
Speaking on her Blended podcast in February, Kate broke down in tears after admitting she has “struggled” living in Dubai. “I am enjoying it, but I miss home quite a lot,” she admitted. “I can’t talk about it because I get upset. I feel like we’ve opened our eyes to a different world. But I love London. I do feel happy in Dubai, but I’m just missing a part of me.”
An insider told the Mirror in February: “She’s struggling. She’s really missing home. She’s not enjoying it. And even though she’s got the kids and she’s got Rio there, she’s homesick. She can’t stop it and it’s very difficult. It’s just not home.”
Following his retirement from football in 2015, six-time Premier League champion Ferdinand ventured into punditry, establishing himself as a regular fixture on UK television with TNT Sports. He stepped away from that position in the summer of 2025 to concentrate on his private life and to manage Rio Ferdinand Presents, his own YouTube channel.
Rio Ferdinand and wife Kate in Dubai (Image: xkateferdinand/Instagram)
Ferdinand has also formed part of the BBC’s World Cup coverage squad since 2014, participating in their broadcasts of the previous four major tournaments. However this year, the former Leeds United defender has markedly different arrangements for the tournament that’s taking place in North America, Canada and Mexico.
He told The Times: “This World Cup is the first time I am going to a tournament as a fan. I’m looking forward to being able to take it in.
“Normally, I’ve got to do loads of research and have a massive A4 booklet with all the names, stats and data. I’m staying in an Airbnb for the whole tournament with my mates, which is going to be unreal. I can chill, watch the games and have a barbecue. It’s like a lads’ holiday.”