Meet African women redefining sports business as football club owners

The sports business landscape in Africa is rapidly evolving, and women are playing an increasingly influential role in shaping its future.

From administration and media to marketing and athlete representation, African women are making strides in a historically male-dominated industry.

Their contributions are not only elevating African sports on the global stage but also inspiring the next generation of female leaders.

Here’s a look at four remarkable African women making significant strides in sports business as football club owners.

Tems – Music Icon Turned MLS Club Owner

Nigerian-born Afrobeats star Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has made history by becoming a part-owner of Major League Soccer (MLS) club San Diego FC. Through her company, The Leading Vibe, Tems has become the first African woman to hold ownership stakes in an MLS club.

The two-time Grammy Award winner and Oscar nominee joins other notable figures in the ownership group, including World Cup winner Juan Mata. Expressing her excitement about the opportunity, Tems highlighted the club’s celebration of creativity, culture, and community.

Read Also: Afrobeats star Tems becomes co-owner of MLS club San Diego FC

“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,” she said. “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.”

Akosua Puni Essien – Pioneering Football Club Owner

Ghanaian businesswoman Akosua Puni Essien made history in 2017 when she became the first African woman to own a European football club. She purchased Italian third-division side Como at an auction for €237,000 after the club went bankrupt.

Her vision for the club was to restore its former glory and develop young talent.

“The new owner and her team wish to make both the first team and the youth team grow,” the club announced at the time. “They will put their efforts into creating conditions to take the team back to Serie B and to develop the club’s young talents.”

Although her ownership was short-lived, as the club was later acquired by the Indonesian consortium Djarum Group, Puni Essien’s milestone remains significant as she paved the way for other African women in sports ownership.

Read also: 76% of women’s football fans feel sport lacks sufficient media coverage – Report

Eniola Aluko – First African Woman on an Italian Club’s Board

Nigerian-born British football executive and former player Eniola Aluko made history in 2024 by becoming the first African woman appointed to the board of an Italian top-flight football club, FC Como Women. She was part of Mercury 13, a $100 million investment group that secured a majority stake in the club.

Mercury 13 aims to transform women’s football by acquiring and developing clubs across Europe and Latin America. Speaking on the investment, Aluko emphasized the need to shift the narrative around women’s football and create new opportunities.

“We bought the majority stakes in Como Women; it was the sort of play on how we can shift the narrative of women’s football, how we can speak to a new audience, and how we can create a new world in women’s football by investing in it.”

Aluko, a former Sporting Director at Aston Villa Women and Angel City FC, has also built a successful broadcasting career, providing expert analysis on major football platforms.

Nneka Ede – Secured Ownership in Portuguese Football Club

In 2020, Nigerian woman Nneka Ede acquired a European football club, taking 100% ownership of Portuguese third-division club Lusitano Ginásio Clube, Futebol, SAD.

Ede, a former semi-professional footballer, aimed to not only build the club but also create pathways for young footballers.

“I am excited about this opportunity, and I hope that this new chapter will deepen the already great sporting relations between Nigeria and Portugal,” she said.

These four women—Tems, Akosua Puni Essien, Eniola Aluko, and Nneka Ede—are trailblazers reshaping the sports business landscape in Africa and beyond.