“I really want to support him” — Bukayo Saka’s fiancée Tolami Benson opens up on love, Nigeria and her World Cup journey

For much of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Tolami Benson’s matchday outfits have become almost as anticipated as England’s team sheet.

From bespoke Three Lions-inspired looks to carefully curated accessories, the 25-year-old former media strategist has emerged as one of the tournament’s standout fashion figures.

But according to Benson, the attention surrounding her style has never been the objective.

Speaking in what is arguably her most revealing interview yet with Who What Wear, Benson explained that every matchday look begins with the same intention: finding a way to support Bukayo Saka while staying true to her own style.

“I want to support, and I really want to wear the England kit, but in ways that work for me,” she said.

“Every Euros has felt very different. Also, it’s different climates, different feelings in the air, different England kits.”

Benson said each host city and country shapes the way she dresses, revealing that she also draws inspiration from the people and cultures around her while remaining mindful of the places she visits.

“It’s the places, the cultures, being sensitive to the environments where you are, because at the end of the day, when you’re visiting someone else’s country, you have to be respectful. All those things feed into my approach for dressing for games.”

She also revealed that her elaborate matchday outfits have become part of the couple’s own routine.

“He comes out. He sees my different outfits. So if you’re gonna show up, show out, you know?” Benson said.

“I’m Nigerian—this is how we are. It’s more special for him to know that I’m putting that much effort in to come and to show up for him and represent him and be there.”

The influencer, currently signed to UTA, added that she even shares her nail designs with Saka before games, describing it as “a fun, good bonding experience too.”

Beyond the World Cup spotlight, Benson traced her love of fashion back to her childhood and the influence of her Nigerian upbringing.

“I’ve always loved fashion,” she said, recalling how her mother studied fashion before moving from Nigeria to England, where she later retrained as a nurse.

She described growing up in a culture where clothing was rarely off the rack. Instead, outfits for weddings and traditional celebrations were created from scratch, with families selecting fabrics before working alongside tailors to bring their ideas to life.

“My mum would let me get involved by picking things—like how I wanted my skirt or what style of dress I wanted. Then we’d go to the tailor, and the tailor would make the dress.”

Those experiences sparked a lifelong appreciation for bespoke fashion and eventually inspired Benson to start customising her own clothes.

“As I got older, I was quite shy, so fashion was something I enjoyed doing on my own. It was my way of being able to speak without actually having to speak to a room full of people.”

Benson explained that learning to sew from her mother also helped her overcome the frustration of finding clothes that didn’t suit her proportions.

“I didn’t want to wear things that didn’t fit me. It didn’t feel right. So I just had to learn to dress my body in a way that felt authentic to me.”

Today, that same creative process continues to define the looks that have captivated football fans throughout the World Cup.

“Sometimes I’ll just sit and sketch it with my iPad and rework it, or I’ll just start from scratch,” she revealed, offering a glimpse into the work behind the one-of-one outfits that have become one of the tournament’s biggest fashion talking points.