Rio Ferdinand Foundation partners with LDN UTD to host Inter-Borough Esports Championships

British esports organisation LDN United is partnering with Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand's charity organisation to host an esports competition meant to tackle youth unemployment in the United Kingdom. The initial announcement for the inaugural LDN UTD Inter-Borough Esports Championships was made last week, where the London-based esports team revealed it was backed by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. On Tuesday, they announced a partnership with the Rio Ferdinand Foundation to host the tournament. 

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The aim of the competition will be to encourage the youth in the regions of Hackney, Kingston, Lambeth and Lewisham boroughs to explore careers in esports. Players will compete in FIFA 21 and NBA 2K21 tournaments, along with a host of workshops for the digital skills needed to thrive in the rapidly growing industry. This includes video content editing, video recording/production, public speaking, graphic design and social media management. Some attendees will even get an opportunity to intern with the esports team.

Multiple universities have partnered with the event to run the various workshops. Staffordshire University, University of Salford and University of East London are some of the universities named in the report. 

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Sadik Khan backs LDN UTD's initiative

Last week, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan opened up on tapping the massive esports market to boost youth employment in London. Sadiq Khan emphasised the importance of esports which has created jobs for players across the globe, including London. Khan took note of the millions of pounds the esports industry is generating for the economy. 

As a part of Khan's Sports Unites programme, they funded LDN UTD's upcoming esports championship, which will be a first of its kind interactive tournament. "With that growth comes a level of responsibility, and I am proud that my Sport Unites programme is able to help fund LDN UTD, an organisation who are using their platform and the power of esports," Khan said in last week's press release. 

The tournaments of the LDN UTD Inter-Borough Esports Championships will be played between December 5 and 19. It will be hosted by popular FIFA content creator Rambo and a broadcast of the same will be done on LDN UTD's official Twitch channel. Tassal "Tass" Rushan, 26, a British pro FIFA player, will also be a part of the initiative. Tass plays for North American esports team FaZe Clan. 

Registrations for the tournament and the workshops will start on November 16 and will remain open until November 17. The same can be done by visiting LDN UTD's official website. 

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Rio Ferdinand net worth

According to Wealthy Gorilla, the Rio Ferdinand net worth figure in 2020 stands at $75 million. Ferdinand retired from football in 2015, having played for Man United, QPR, Leeds and West Ham. The six-time Premier League champion played over 709 games in career, 445 of which came for the Red Devils. The 42-year-old represented England 81 times. 

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Disclaimer: The above mentioned net worth figure has been sourced from various media reports. This website does not guarantee 100% accuracy of the same.

(Image Credits: AP, LDN UTD Instagram)