Is Joel Embiid an Arsenal fan?
Yes. In his own words, Joel Embiid is an Arsenal fan.
Joel Embiid Full fan file: every team he roots for, with receipts
“I'm not even going to mention Arsenal because I don't want to be the reason why they lose.”
Inquirer.com, January 30, 2024. Backed by SI (2018) and Sportskeeda (2023).
Last checked November 4, 2026: the quote still matched the page word for word.
What has Joel Embiid said about Arsenal?
Joel Embiid brought up Arsenal himself in a January 30, 2024 interview with Inquirer.com, and the line he used is about as superstitious as a fan gets. "I'm not even going to mention Arsenal because I don't want to be the reason why they lose." He named the club while saying he wouldn't name it, which is a reasonable way to confirm a favorite without jinxing it. Because the words are his own, the answer to whether he follows the club is yes.
Did Joel Embiid grow up an Arsenal fan?
The sourcing doesn't say when his fandom began, so the timeline has to be built from his background. Embiid was born on March 16, 1994, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. He was discovered at a basketball camp by Luc Mbah a Moute, a fellow Yaoundé native and NBA player, and with Mbah a Moute as his mentor he moved to the United States at age 16. He played at Kansas in 2013–2014 and was taken third overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2014, where he has played since. Arsenal is a London club, and nothing in his biography ties him to London, so the connection is a stated preference, not a hometown tie.
When did Joel Embiid become an Arsenal fan?
No source gives a start date, but Arsenal shows up consistently across several years. SI wrote on January 12, 2018 that "Joel Embiid is a big Arsenal fan and he gave us some insight into why on Thursday." In October 2023, Sportskeeda carried his reaction to an Arsenal result: "Massive win!!!! Gooners". The Inquirer.com interview followed in January 2024. Those sources run from 2018 to 2024, and none of the coverage suggests the fandom has lapsed.
Does Joel Embiid like Arsenal?
By his own account, yes. He celebrates its wins publicly, and he told Inquirer.com in January 2024 that he would not mention the team because he did not want to be the reason it loses. Arsenal is not his only soccer allegiance. ClutchPoints wrote in June 2017 that he was an avid supporter of Real Madrid, and Flamengo has been reported as another club of his.
Which other athletes are Arsenal fans?
Two other players are linked to the club. Jaylen Brown has been reported as an Arsenal fan. Giannis Antetokounmpo has said he is still one deep down.
Questions people ask
Is Joel Embiid an Arsenal fan?
Yes. He referred to the club in a January 30, 2024 Inquirer.com interview, saying he wouldn't mention Arsenal because he didn't want to be the reason they lose.
What has Joel Embiid said about Arsenal?
Besides the Inquirer.com remark, he reacted to an Arsenal win with "Massive win!!!! Gooners", as reported by Sportskeeda on October 8, 2023.
Which other athletes are Arsenal fans?
Jaylen Brown has been reported as a fan, and Giannis Antetokounmpo has said he is still one deep down.
Did Joel Embiid grow up an Arsenal fan?
The sources don't say when it started. He was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and moved to the United States at 16, and his Arsenal fandom is documented from 2018 onward.