Wednesday, March, 4 2026 - KSI has announced he has purchased former English Football League club Dagenham & Redbridge F.C., outlining an ambitious long-term plan to take the side to the Premier League.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer and Britain’s Got Talent judge,
whose real name is Olajide Olatunji, revealed the takeover in a three-minute
video posted to social media on Tuesday afternoon. The montage included clips
of him playing as the club during his FIFA streaming series and footage of the
team in action.
“I’m so excited to start this journey,” he wrote. “It’s
gonna be a rollercoaster for sure but I hope to bring Dagenham and Redbridge
(@Dag_RedFC) back to the glory days.
“For those of you that are OG fans (Race to Division One),
you’ll know that this is a full circle moment for me. So join me on this
exhilarating adventure and I’ll see you all at Victoria Road this Saturday!
I’ll be streaming too haha.”
Formed in 1992, the East London club plays its home matches
at Victoria Road. The Daggers were relegated from the National League last
season and currently sit 13th in the National League South.
KSI, a lifelong Arsenal F.C. supporter, acknowledged the
surreal nature of the move. He said “It’s surreal, bro, out of this world. The
idea of it excites me so much. Years ago, I saw the excitement, the happiness,
the joy. I want to bring that back and then surpass it. I want the place to be
pumping, I want it to be rocking, I want it to be an event whenever you come
here.”
He added: “Playing a video game and owning a football club
is very different, I know that, but with Race to Division One, it was a
journey. It was hard, but in the end, I did it.
“With this club, I want to do the unthinkable. I want to
take Dagenham and Redbridge to the Premier League. It’s obviously going to take
time, but I’d say the realistic goal is getting out of this league and entering
the National League. We need to improve the team, make some additions that
really take it to another level, and I want to build the community.”
Seeking to reassure supporters, he said: “You guys have been
here way longer than I have, and I know to some of you it might be scary, me
being one of the owners, but I am reachable.
“You can literally tweet me, and I will see it. You can let
your frustrations out to me, or celebrate with me; I’m approachable. What owner
do you know that can see all the fans like this? That’s me, bro. I’m a fighter.
I’ve broken my nose, I’ve broken my hand, I’ve broken my thumb. I’ve been in
tough fights, but I keep going no matter what. With the Daggers, I’m gonna keep
fighting. I’m gonna do everything I can to make sure we succeed. I’m just ready
to get started.”
KSI joins a growing list of high-profile figures investing
in lower-league football. Ryan Reynolds famously bought Wrexham A.F.C. and has
overseen their rapid rise up the English football pyramid. Online reaction to
KSI’s announcement ranged from excitement to scepticism, with some fans joking
that real-life football would prove more challenging than FIFA Ultimate Team.
With more than 50 million followers across social media,
KSI’s arrival is expected to bring increased visibility to the club as it looks
to rebuild following relegation and chart a path back up the divisions.
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