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United Kingdom Anton Ferdinand is a former professional footballer who transitioned into a media personality and mentor, advocating for diversity and inclusion within sports. After a distinguished career with clubs like West Ham United and Sunderland, he now provides guidance to young players and engages in significant media work, including a BBC One documentary addressing racism in football.
The partnership provides student-athletes enrolled in Ferdinand Collective programmes with opportunities to play and study in the USA.
Ferdinand Collective has secured major partnerships with Reebok, Veo, and other entities for junior premier league teams.
A powerful new football club created by Anton & Rio Ferdinand, aiming to inspire players and build individuals.
West Ham United extended its partnership with NWVA as the club's Official Vehicle Recovery Partner, with Anton Ferdinand involved in the announcement.
A franchise aimed at making football more accessible and inclusive for everyone in Britain, seeking new franchisees.
Anton Ferdinand is working as a former footballer creating pathways for aspiring footballers and empowering individuals.
Anton has been invited to speak by companies including Visa on issues surrounding racism, diversity and equality.
Anton featured in BT Sport’s Draw the Line Campaign, to raise awareness of the issue of online hate.
Anton has been invited to speak by organisations including the NHS on issues surrounding racism, diversity and equality.
Anton has been invited to speak by companies including Green Park on issues surrounding racism, diversity and equality.
Anton is an Ambassador for the blood cancer charity DKMS.
Anton is an Ambassador for The RACE Equality Code, a framework designed to set standards and accountability for organisations to achieve diversity and inclusion.
Anton Julian Ferdinand, born February 18, 1985, in Peckham, South London, embarked on a professional football career as a center-back. He began in the West Ham United academy at age nine, signing a professional contract in 2002. His senior team debut for West Ham was in August 2003. Ferdinand played a crucial role in West Ham’s promotion back to the Premier League in the 2004-2005 season, scoring his first goal for the club. He earned the Premier League Player of the Month award in January 2006, becoming part of the first pair of brothers to achieve this, alongside his brother Rio Ferdinand. His time at West Ham included 138 league appearances and 5 goals before moving to Sunderland in 2008.
At Sunderland, Ferdinand made 85 appearances over three seasons. He later joined Queens Park Rangers in 2011, making 44 appearances. During his tenure at QPR, he was involved in a high-profile racial abuse incident with Chelsea captain John Terry, leading to a police investigation and FA charges against Terry. Ferdinand’s club career also included loan spells and transfers to Bursaspor (2013), Antalyaspor (2013-2014), Reading (2014-2016), Southend United (2016-2018), and St Mirren (2018-2019). He retired from professional football in July 2019.
Post-retirement, Ferdinand has become a prominent media personality, appearing on broadcasters such as Sky Sports, BT Sport, and TalkSPORT. In 2020, he released the BBC One documentary “Anton Ferdinand: Football, Racism and Me,” which explored racism in football and his personal experiences. He actively participates in discussions with organizations like the FA, PFA, Premier League, and Kick It Out to combat online abuse and promote lasting change in football. Ferdinand has spoken for various companies on diversity and equality and was a contestant on “Dancing on Ice” in 2025, finishing in third place.
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