She’s Bringing Global Recognition to the Club!

Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated artist Tems is expanding her influence far beyond the music world. The Nigerian-born singer, songwriter, and producer has officially joined San Diego FC as a club partner and minority owner ahead of the team’s highly anticipated 2025 MLS expansion season. According to reports from MLS Soccer, The Associated Press, and Billboard, her addition marks one of the most culturally significant ownership announcements in recent MLS history.

Widely celebrated for her soulful vocals and artistic vision, Tems is now channeling her creativity into the world of sports. Her involvement reflects a growing trend of global entertainers stepping into professional team ownership — but Tems’s entry stands out, not only for her rising international stature but also for what her participation symbolizes for African representation in U.S. sports.

“We are delighted that Tems has joined San Diego FC as a club partner,” shared SDFC chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour in a statement reported by AP News. He emphasized that Tems is “a globally significant artist who will help us reach new audiences and amplify our unique project,” which is deeply tied to sub-Saharan African talent development through the Right to Dream academy system.

Tems, who recently won a Grammy for Best African Music Performance with her hit “Love Me JeJe” from her acclaimed album Born In The Wild, has earned international praise for her boundary-pushing artistry. As Billboard noted, her music has reshaped the global perception of contemporary African sound — and now, she brings that same transformative energy to sports ownership.

She joins an impressive roster of San Diego FC partners known for excellence and community impact, including Issa Rae, Juan Mata, Jocko Willink, and Manny Machado. This diverse ownership group reflects the club’s intention to build not just a competitive team, but a cultural institution grounded in empowerment and global connection.

Tems enters the ownership structure through a collaboration with Pave Investments, an African private investment firm known for its role in the 2021 investment group backing NBA Africa. As Reuters highlighted, this move strengthens SDFC’s ties to African innovation and talent development. Pave Investments’ leadership — including chairman Tunde Folawiyo and founding director Kwamena Afful — will also join the expanded ownership group.

San Diego FC CEO Tom Penn told The New York Times that Tems represents “an extraordinary creative force whose passion for uplifting the next generation aligns perfectly with our mission.” He added that her participation will support the club’s ambition to create pathways for young players domestically and across the globe, reflecting the core values of Right to Dream.

San Diego FC is set to make its MLS debut on February 23, facing defending MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy, with its home opener at Snapdragon Stadium on March 1 against St. Louis CITY SC. With Tems on board, the club is poised to make an impact both on and off the pitch — blending sport, culture, and global storytelling in a way few MLS teams have done before.