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Rio Ferdinand invests in Saudi sports platform

By Neil Halligan
Rio Ferdinand, pictured at the Qatar Grand Prix, said in a statement that Koora Break 'innovates through fan engagement' Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters
Rio Ferdinand, pictured at the Qatar Grand Prix, said in a statement that Koora Break 'innovates through fan engagement'
  • ‘Multi-million-dollar’ investment
  • Sports app called Koora Break
  • Funding to aid expansion

Rio Ferdinand, the former England and Manchester United footballer, has invested in a Saudi sports platform. 

The Ferdinand Group (TFG), a sports and entertainment investment company owned by the ex player, acquired a minority stake in Koora Break, described as the fastest-growing football app in the Middle East and North Africa.

No specific financial terms were announced on the investment, but Koora Break described it as being a “multi-million-dollar deal” that is the first of its kind for an international company to invest in a sports media platform in Saudi Arabia.

Arabic site Koora Break, which was established in 2022, says it has 800 million visitors per month. 

Koora Break plans to use the investment to help it expand across Europe and Asia in both Arabic and English. It has partnerships with the Serie A league in Italy and the Saudi Pro League.

The deal could bring coverage of Arab football competitions to new audiences in European markets, Koora Break said.

In a statement, Ferdinand said: “Koora Break … provides premium football and sports coverage across Saudi Arabia and the region, which will grow significantly ahead of the 2034 World Cup.”

Bader Al Hamad, founder of Koora Break, said the deal shows the platform’s “level of ambition and its potential for rapid expansion and development”. 

“With the support of Ferdinand Group, Koora Break is poised to enter a new phase of growth, creating opportunities for collaboration, enhancing its digital capabilities and redefining fan engagement in the region and beyond,” Al Hamad said. 

Ferdinand, who works as a pundit with UK satellite broadcaster TNT Sports, also has a strong social media presence, with 6.5 million followers on Instagram, 11.5 on X (formerly Twitter) and 1.2 million on YouTube, where he posts his podcast Rio Ferdinand Presents. On the show Ferdinand interviews some of the sport’s biggest names, including Cristiano Ronaldo, whose episode has had 1.5 million views.

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