Rio Ferdinand announces TNT Sports departure after 12 years
Rio Ferdinand has announced he will leave UK sports broadcaster TNT Sports following Saturday's Champions League final after 12 years as one of the key faces of its coverage.
Ferdinand, 46, has been a pundit for TNT Sports, formerly BT Sport, since 2013 and has featured prominently in TNT Sports' coverage of the Premier League and Champions League.
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He said following his departure he will focus on his podcast, Rio Ferdinand Presents, and his other business ventures.
'I have made the difficult decision to step away from TNT Sports after the Champions League Final,' Ferdinand said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
'Since retiring from football, it has been a privilege talking about the game I love for a decade for sports fans watching on BT Sport and TNT Sports. I want to acknowledge the tremendous support from the team behind the scenes, whose hard work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.
'To everyone at TNT Sports, we have a brilliant end to the season to look forward to on Saturday and for now all focus will be on what I think could go down as one of the great European finals.'
Statement: After ten incredible years, I have made the difficult decision to step away from @tntsports after the Champions League Final…. pic.twitter.com/71A9EJPBye
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) May 28, 2025
Ferdinand was still playing for Manchester United at the time of his first punditry appearance for what was then BT Sport in 2013.
The former England defender was announced as one of TNT Sports' main pundits upon its rebrand in 2023, alongside Peter Crouch and Joe Cole. Paul Scholes, Robbie Savage, Steve McManaman and Owen Hargreaves also regularly feature in its Premier League and European coverage, while Karen Carney joined the company in September 2024.
He was one of TNT's most prominent pundits for their biggest matches, but at times faced criticism from viewers for his perceived partisan coverage of Manchester United matches. Ferdinand made 455 appearances for United during his playing career, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008.
Ferdinand's exit comes amid the British broadcaster's growing slate of sports coverage. In February 2024, TNT Sports announced it had agreed a four-year deal alongside the BBC to broadcast the FA Cup. It has rights to the majority of European matches in the UK, including Champions League — alongside Amazon Prime — as well as all Europa League and Conference League games with several Women's Champions League games. It also secured rights to 52 Premier League matches in the 2024-25 season.
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TNT also gained broadcasting rights to cycling, tennis, the Olympics and winter sports after integrating with Eurosport in February.
'As I turn the page to the next chapter, carry with me countless memories,' Ferdinand added. 'I am excited about what the future holds, spending more time with my family, focusing on Rio Ferdinand Presents & my other business interests. I hope to stay connected with all of you in different capacities.'
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