From Lagos to San Diego: Tems Buys into US Club, Becomes First African Female with MLS Ownership
Two-time Grammy Award-Winning, Oscar nominated Nigerian singer and songwriter Tems, has become a part owner of US football club, San Diego FC (SDFC), with the club set to make their debut in the American Major League Soccer (MLS) 2025 season.
Tems is the first African female to be involved in MLS ownership.
“I’m so stoked to announce that I have officially joined San Diego FC ownership group as a Club Partner. Proud to support SDFC’s Right To Dream initiative, empowering young talent on and off the field. Can’t wait for what’s ahead,” she announced on Wednesday in a post on her X handle.
The 29-year-old Nigerian music star, who bought the joint-ownership stake through her company The Leading Vibe, joins high profile names in San Diego’s ownership group, including US actress Issa Rae, World Cup-winning Spanish footballer Juan Mata, retired U.S. Navy SEAL Jocko Willink, and founding partner and San Diego Padres’ MLB All-Star Manny Machado.
““I am thrilled to join San Diego FC’s ownership group and to be part of a Club that celebrates creativity, culture, and the power of community. Football has a unique way of bringing people together, and I am excited to help build something special in San Diego, a city that thrives on diversity and innovation,” Tems added.
In a statement announcing her joint-ownership, San Diego FC noted that “Tems brings her creative spirit and passion for community to the world of soccer as SDFC’s Club Partner.”
“We are delighted that Tems has joined San Diego FC as a Club Partner. Tems is a globally significant artist who will help us to reach new audiences and spread the word about our unique project, which of course has its foundations in sub-Saharan Africa through the unique Right to Dream organization,” said SDFC Chairman, Sir Mohamed Mansour.
Also speaking on her ownership stake, San Diego FC CEO Tom Penn, said, “Tems is an extraordinary artist and cultural force worldwide. We are honored to have her join our Club and bring her visionary perspective to San Diego FC.
“Her passion for empowering the next generation aligns perfectly with our mission, and her commitment to creating opportunities for young talent domestically and globally reflects the core values of Right to Dream. We also look forward to creating meaningful connections between the music world and San Diego FC, uniting communities through the shared power of culture and sport.”
Another Nigerian, Tunde Folawiyo, Chairman, Pave Investments, and Ghanaian Kwamena Afful, Founding Director, Pave Investments, join Tems in the San Diego FC ownership group.
Pave Investments, an African private investment firm, was recently involved in leading an investment group to invest in NBA Africa’s entity.
Although she made her debut in 2018 with her self-produced single, “Mr Rebel,” Tems became globally renowned after being featured on Wizkid’s 2020 single “Essence”.
In 2022, she became the first African female artist to feature at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 when she featured Future’s “Wait for U” alongside Drake.
Tems recently won the 2025 Grammy for Best African Music Performance for Love me Jeje, a song from her critically acclaimed first studio album, “Born in the Wild”, which was released in 2024. It was her second Grammy award, following her 2023 win in the Best Melodic Rap Performance for featuring on Future’s hit song, Wait For U.
In 2023, she was nominated for an Oscar (Academy) and Golden Globe Awards for her contribution as a songwriter in Rihanna ‘Lift Me Up’, soundtrack for Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
