Tete Yengi’s rise from semi-professional football in Adelaide to Australia’s FIFA World Cup squad is one of the most unlikely stories in modern Socceroos history.
This article covers his net worth, salary, contract details, career earnings, and everything you need to know about the journeyman striker who finally made the biggest stage.
Tete Yengi’s Biography
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Tete Yengi |
| Date of Birth | November 28, 2000 |
| Age | 25 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Height | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) |
| Weight | 83 kg |
| Position | Centre-Forward |
| Current Club | Machida Zelvia (on loan from Livingston FC) |
| Turned Professional | 2019 |
| Net Worth | Approximately $150,000 USD |
| Annual Salary | Estimated $120,000 USD |
Early Life and Career
Tete Yengi was born on November 28, 2000, in Adelaide, South Australia.
He grew up in the city alongside his older brother Kusini Yengi, who would go on to become a professional footballer before him.
Football was always part of the Yengi household, but Tete’s path into the game was anything but straightforward.
He began his formal development at the South Australian National Training Centre before joining the Croydon Kings in 2015. In 2017, he moved to the Adelaide Comets, one of the most respected clubs in South Australia’s National Premier Leagues competition.
As the Adelaide Comets FC player profiles note, Yengi started in the club’s under-18s under coach Dimi Panagis and was considered a late bloomer in his development.
He made his senior debut for the Comets in 2019 under coach Kon Antoniou, who gave him opportunities to influence games as a goalscoring forward.
He responded with a goal in the NPL semi-final against Metrostars in a 4-1 win — a result that took the club to the grand final for the very first time. He then had a standout 2020 season under Barney Smith, where he became a regular starter.
Despite his brother Kusini earning a professional contract with Adelaide United, Tete was not picked up by the A-League club. That setback only sharpened his resolve to prove himself elsewhere.
Professional Career
Tete Yengi’s professional journey began in December 2020 when he signed a scholarship deal with the Newcastle Jets, earning nine A-League appearances during the 2020-21 season.
It was a solid if modest start, and the experience gave him a taste of top-flight Australian football.
In September 2021, Yengi moved to England, signing for League One side Ipswich Town. He joined their under-23 setup before heading out on a series of loan spells that would ultimately define him.
He joined Finnish side VPS Vaasa in April 2022, where he had an outstanding season — scoring ten goals in 27 appearances across all competitions.
That form earned him another Finnish loan, this time at KuPS Kuopio in 2023, where he added a further goal in eleven outings. A loan spell at Northampton Town in EFL League Two also featured during that period.
According to his Transfermarkt profile, Yengi completed a permanent transfer to Scottish Premiership club Livingston on January 1, 2024, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal.
He hit six goals in his first full season, including an extra-time winner against Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup.
In Livingston’s promotion-winning campaign, he contributed ten goals across all competitions, including an outrageous long-range effort against Falkirk and a goal in the SPFL Trust Trophy final against Queen’s Park.
As reported by ESPN, Socceroos coach Tony Popovic first noticed Yengi while watching him in Scotland, then tracked him more closely as he moved to Japan.
In January 2026, Livingston sent him on loan to Japanese J1 League side Machida Zelvia, a club already competing in the AFC Champions League Elite. It was that move that ultimately sealed his World Cup call-up.
On June 7, 2026, Yengi made his international debut for Australia against Switzerland in San Diego.
He scored an equaliser in the 56th minute to secure a 1-1 draw — a remarkable way to begin a Socceroos career, just days before the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Australia subsequently named him in their Group D squad, where they face Turkey, the United States, and Paraguay.
Tete Yengi’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Tete Yengi’s has an estimated net worth of approximately $150,000 USD.
He built this wealth through professional football contracts across Australia, Finland, England, Scotland, and Japan. His earnings have been modest by elite football standards — Yengi spent the majority of his career in lower and mid-tier leagues before his move to Livingston began opening more financially rewarding doors.
Contract
Yengi signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Livingston FC on January 1, 2024. He is technically still a Livingston player as of mid-2026.
On January 25, 2026, he moved to Machida Zelvia on loan until June 30, 2026.
As confirmed by the Livingston FC official website, Machida paid a six-figure loan fee and hold an option to make the transfer permanent for a further six-figure fee if they choose to exercise it at the end of the loan term.
With his World Cup performances likely to attract fresh interest from clubs, his contract situation is one to watch closely heading into the summer transfer window.
Salary
Tete Yengi’s precise salary figures have not been made public. Based on wage benchmarks for Scottish Premiership players at clubs like Livingston and J1 League mid-tier sides, his annual salary is estimated at approximately $120,000 USD.
Livingston are not one of the higher-paying clubs in Scottish football, and Yengi’s profile prior to 2026 did not command significant wages.
As noted on Capology, detailed salary data for Yengi is available to subscribers but has not been publicly disclosed in verified form.
His Machida Zelvia loan arrangement is believed to carry a salary comparable to mid-range J1 League wages for foreign players.
Career Earnings By Year
| Season | Club | Competition | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–2020 | Adelaide Comets | NPL SA | Amateur/semi-professional wages |
| 2020–2021 | Newcastle Jets | A-League | Scholarship/entry-level contract |
| 2021–2022 | Ipswich Town | U23 | Academy-level contract |
| 2022 | VPS Vaasa (loan) | Veikkausliiga | Modest professional wages |
| 2022–2023 | Northampton Town (loan) | EFL League Two | Modest professional wages |
| 2023 | KuPS (loan) | Veikkausliiga | Modest professional wages |
| 2023–2024 | Livingston FC | Scottish Premiership | Mid-tier professional contract |
| 2024–2025 | Livingston FC | Scottish Championship / Premiership | Promotion season |
| 2025–2026 | Machida Zelvia (loan) | J1 League / AFC Champions League | Loan with six-figure buy option |
Career Statistics
| Season | Club | Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–2020 | Adelaide Comets | NPL SA | 6 | 2 | — |
| 2020–2021 | Newcastle Jets | A-League | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | VPS Vaasa | Veikkausliiga | 27 | 10 | 8 |
| 2022–2023 | Northampton Town | EFL League Two | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | KuPS | Veikkausliiga | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023–2024 | Livingston | Scottish Premiership | 16 | 4 | 2 |
| 2024–2025 | Livingston | Scottish Prem. / Championship | 32 | 7+ | — |
| 2025–2026 | Livingston / Machida | Scottish Prem. / J1 League | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 136+ | 26+ | 10+ |
FAQs
What is Tete Yengi’s net worth?
Tete Yengi’s estimated net worth is approximately $150,000 USD. He earned this through professional contracts in Australia, Finland, England, Scotland, and Japan. No official figure has been publicly verified.
How much does Tete Yengi earn per year?
Yengi’s annual salary is estimated at around $120,000 USD based on wage benchmarks at Livingston FC and Machida Zelvia. His exact figures have not been publicly disclosed by the club or his agency.
Is Tete Yengi related to Kusini Yengi?
Yes. Tete Yengi is the younger brother of Kusini Yengi, an established Socceroo who has earned 11 international caps for Australia. Both brothers grew up in Adelaide and played youth football at the same clubs.
When did Tete Yengi make his Socceroos debut?
Tete Yengi made his international debut for Australia on June 7, 2026, in a 1-1 friendly draw against Switzerland in San Diego. He scored the equalising goal in the 56th minute, making it a debut to remember just days before the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Which club does Tete Yengi play?
Yengi plays for Machida Zelvia in Japan’s J1 League, on loan from Scottish Premiership club Livingston FC. Machida hold an option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the loan on June 30, 2026.
