Tolami Benson is a London-based media and communications professional and the fiancée of Arsenal and England winger Bukayo Saka.
The two have been together since around 2020, meeting during Saka’s early breakout years at Arsenal.
They kept their relationship almost entirely private for years, only becoming publicly known when Tolami was photographed embracing Saka in the stands during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
In November 2025, after five to six years together, Saka proposed during a meticulously planned evening at a luxury London hotel.
The couple announced their engagement with a series of black-and-white photos captioned simply “17.11.25,” the date of the proposal.
Table of Contents
Tolami Benson Biography
She was born on December 3, 2000, and is originally from Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Tolami Benson is roughly a year older than Saka, who was born in September 2001.
She is of Nigerian heritage, sharing that background with Saka, whose parents, Adenike and Yomi Saka, are Yoruba Nigerians who raised him in Ealing, Greater London.
Tolami attended Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School, where she completed her GCSEs, before studying Communication and Media Studies at A-level.
She went on to study Public Relations and Media at Birmingham City University, graduating in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree that laid the foundation for her career in media and communications.
Bukayo Saka
Tolami Benson and Bukayo Saka started dating in 2020, during Saka’s rise from Arsenal’s Hale End academy graduate to one of the Premier League’s most influential young wingers.
The couple deliberately kept their relationship private for years, avoiding joint public appearances and even choosing not to follow each other on Instagram, a level of discretion that multiple outlets have described as unusual for a couple with such a high public profile.
Their relationship first became widely known during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, when Tolami was photographed embracing Saka in the stands in Doha following one of England’s group-stage matches.
She has remained a visible supporter at major tournaments, including UEFA Euro 2024, where England reached the final. Following England’s match against Slovenia that June, the couple shared one of their rare public displays of affection with a kiss on the pitch.
In November 2025, Saka proposed to Tolami during a carefully planned evening at a luxury London hotel.
According to a source cited by The Sun, “Bukayo went all out for the proposal, and the ring he chose is absolutely enormous,” adding that he had organized a special night at a top London hotel and that Tolami was “totally blown away” by the moment.
The couple announced their engagement with a series of black-and-white photographs, including a close-up of the ring, captioned “17.11.25.”
Despite being together for roughly six years, Tolami has never publicly revealed how the two first met.
Speaking to The Times in July 2025, she explained the couple’s approach to privacy, saying, “It’s nice to have things for yourself.”
She also described their relationship in more personal terms, telling the same outlet, “To me he’s just my partner, and I know a whole different side to him.”
Reflecting on balancing Saka’s fame with their home life, she added, “I’m used to people coming up to him, but apart from that we live quite a private life.”
The couple currently lives together in a village in Hertfordshire, where Tolami grew up, sharing their home with two dogs: a teacup poodle named Bailey and a cockapoo named Tucker.
Tolami has said she hopes for a small wedding as they look ahead to married life together.
Career
Tolami Benson has built a genuine and substantive career in media and public relations, distinct from her public profile as Saka’s partner.
She began her professional career working on the shop floor at Harrods before moving into public relations and media planning roles.
In May 2025, she joined Zenith, a major global media agency, as a senior planning executive, working in media buying and planning.
The role marked a significant step forward in her career and predated her engagement announcement later that year.
Alongside her corporate career, Tolami has built a strong social media following and modeling profile, collaborating with a range of UK brands over the years.
Her online presence has been described as a blend of glamour and groundedness, ranging from private jet snapshots and luxury getaways on Instagram to more relatable commute photos she shares on Threads.
Notably, images of Saka are largely absent from her social media accounts, reflecting the couple’s shared decision to keep their relationship private.
Tolami has become particularly well known for her fashion at England matches, developing a “sports chic” aesthetic that blends football shirts with designer accessories and custom-made pieces.
At UEFA Euro 2024, she attracted significant attention for a custom Hattie Crowther corset inspired by England’s kit.
She has continued wearing personalized, tournament-specific outfits throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup, regularly appearing on best-dressed lists and in fashion roundups covering the tournament.
She is also a proud Arsenal supporter and has built friendships with several other Premier League partners, including Milly White and Laura Trossard.