After Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney invested in Wrexham, another US celebrity is getting into Welsh football, although at a much lower level.
50 Cent has confirmed he is sponsoring the under-14 girls’ team at AFC Rumney in Cardiff after a chance meeting with one of the players’ fathers - who was working with the New York rapper on tour.
AFC Rumney’s under-14 girls will now wear kits bearing the name of 50 Cent and also G Unit, the group he has been in alongside Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks. The inclusion of G Unit is puzzling, with the collective having disbanded and Fiddy last year saying there would never be a reunion - but the football team’s manager does not seem to mind.
Richie Brown, the coach of the under-14s and under-17s girls’ teams, told Sky News: “You expect it to be a ‘no’ and then when he says ‘yes’ it’s a huge surprise, and then you’re massively grateful straight away.
“I’ve been involved in girls’ football for almost 10 years now so I’m promoting it this side, trying to do the best I possibly can, and when you’ve got someone as high profile a name as him, you just know he’s going to take it to the next level.”
Brown added that the girls will get new tracksuits as well as home and away kits for the 2023/24 season.
While a TV documentary similar to that of Welcome to Wrexham is unlikely, Curtis Jackson - as he was born - might at least benefit from some exposure having not released an album for nine years. Most recently, Fiddy was seen alongside Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham in The Expendables 4.
50 Cent is currently on his Final Lap tour of Europe and has not commented on the sponsorship deal. He is set to play in London on November 11, 17 and 21.
