Ugandan musician and passionate Arsenal supporter Ykee Benda has received special recognition from Emirates and Arsenal for his longstanding support of the North London club.
Ykee was among the Arsenal fans in Uganda recently recognised through an Emirates-Arsenal initiative celebrating the club’s supporters across Africa. As part of the recognition, he received an original Gabriel Magalhães jersey from last season’s Champions League final, among other special gifts. Arsenal’s official website confirms the defender’s name is spelled Gabriel Magalhães.
The recognition comes after Arsenal’s Premier League triumph sparked massive celebrations across Uganda and the wider East African region. Ugandan Arsenal supporters took to the streets, social media platforms and fan gatherings to celebrate the club’s long-awaited league title.
For Ykee, however, his connection with Arsenal has extended far beyond his music career.
The singer has built a strong football community through Fan Bench, a football fan platform he founded about two years ago. The initiative brings together supporters to banter, discuss matches and experience Premier League football together, creating a community that has increasingly become a hub for football-related entertainment before, during and after matchdays.
Ykee’s passion for Arsenal has also been well documented. Local sports and entertainment publications have previously highlighted him as one of Uganda’s most prominent Arsenal supporters.
His journey from the music industry into football fan culture through Fan Bench continues to show how football fandom can create communities and platforms that extend far beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch.