Rio Ferdinand will host the 2026 World Cup draw on Friday evening as England and Scotland await the announcement of their group stage opponents
Abbie Meehan Sports Writer U-35s
13:00, 05 Dec 2025
Kate and Rio Ferdinand moved to Dubai in the summer(Image: JMEnternational/Getty Images)
Rio Ferdinand’s wife has shared photos of the couple’s festivities as her ex-Manchester United defender husband prepares for the World Cup draw. The former defender will be the main conductor of the official event on Friday evening, where Scotland and England eagerly await to find out their group stage opponents.
However, Kate has been preparing heavily for the arrival of Christmas as she poses in festive pyjamas alongside friends Lucy and Melissa. The family, including the couple’s two children Shae and Cree, moved to Dubai during the summer as he recently called out the UK government for their handling of taxpayers’ money.
Now living it up in the United Arab Emirates, Kate shared snaps of the family’s festive activities. These included a visit from Santa Claus and The Grinch, as well as posing in cosy pyjamas with the Christmas characters.
Kate Ferdinand has been getting ready for Christmas with her friend Lucy(Image: Instagram/@xkateferdinand)
Ferdinand was not in any of the snaps posted to Instagram with the caption: “The Christmas celebrations have begun with our babies.”
This is likely due to Rio preparing heavily for the World Cup 2026 draw that he will host in Washington D.C on Friday evening. The ex-England international will be joined by broadcaster Samantha Johnson and a host of sporting icons.
These include Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge and Shaquille O’Neal. Rio isn’t the only main man at the World Cup draw, however, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump both expected to make speeches at the ceremony.
Festivities have begun in the Ferdinand household – pictured here is Kate Ferdinand with friends Melissa and Lucy(Image: Instagram/@xkateferdinand)
Performances from Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger will also happen before the draw, with Heidi Klum, Kevin Hart and Danny Ramirez also co-hosting the event.
Rio will then head back to his loving family in Dubai after calling out the British government for not managing the country in an effective way. Speaking to LBC in November, he said: “If there were things like the health service and what not, and they were flying and working perfectly well then I think people wouldn’t mind paying tax.
“But when things are falling apart, going wrong, you did sit there and go ‘well I’m paying all this tax, but is it really going towards the things that benefit the people that live here’. And that’s the big question that needs answering – and I think a lot of us know the answer to that.”
Rio Ferdinand is hosting the World Cup draw on Friday(Image: Kym Illman/Getty Images)
Rio left his punditry role with TNT Sports last season in favour of the move and admitted that quality time with his family is the most important thing right now.
“He added: “My family is seeing me so much more and I’m spending some quality time with them and I think that’s just been a great thing for.
“I love England and I’m a patriotic guy in that sense, but a new journey, a new chapter, something different, I think is a refreshing new chapter in my life.”
