Sara Arfaoui: Age, Career, Husband, Children and Latest 2026 Update

Introduction

Sara Arfaoui, also publicly known as Sara Gündoğan, is an Italian model, television presenter and media personality.

She first became known through modelling and Italian television. Her international popularity later increased because of her marriage to German footballer İlkay Gündoğan and her appearance in Prime Video’s Married to the Game.

However, Sara was already building her own professional career before becoming known as İlkay Gündoğan’s wife. She worked as a model, studied psychology and appeared on the popular Rai 1 television programme L’Eredità.

As of July 2026, Sara continues to describe herself publicly as a model and television presenter. She is also a mother of three and remains active in fashion, lifestyle media and social media.

Sara Arfaoui Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Full professional name	Sara Arfaoui Gündoğan
Publicly used name	Sara Gündoğan
Date of birth	17 July 1995
Age	31 years old as of July 2026
Birthplace	Montebelluna, Italy
Childhood city	Nice, France
Profession	Model and television presenter
Famous for	L’Eredità and Married to the Game
Husband	İlkay Gündoğan
Marriage year	2022
Children	Kais, Ella and Kian
Main social platform	Instagram
Instagram username	@saraguendogan

Who Is Sara Arfaoui?

Sara Arfaoui is an Italian model and television personality with experience in fashion, national television and streaming entertainment.

She became known to Italian viewers in 2019 when she joined L’Eredità, one of Italy’s longest-running television quiz programmes.

Sara appeared as one of the programme’s “Professoresse.” This role helped introduce her to a large national audience and gave her an important place in Italian television.

Her public profile later became more international because of her relationship with İlkay Gündoğan and her participation in Married to the Game.

How Old Is Sara Arfaoui?

Sara Arfaoui was born on 17 July 1995.

She turned 31 years old in July 2026.

Her birthday received public attention in July 2023 because it took place on the same day as İlkay Gündoğan’s official presentation as an FC Barcelona player.

During the event, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta surprised Sara with a birthday cake.

Where Was Sara Arfaoui Born?

Sara was born in Montebelluna, a town in the Veneto region of Italy.

Although she was born in Italy, she spent much of her childhood in Nice, France.

According to her official Rai profile, she lived in Nice until she was 18 years old. She later moved to Milan, one of Italy’s leading cities for fashion, modelling and television.

Growing up between Italy and France gave Sara an international background from a young age.

Sara Arfaoui’s Family Background

Sara has publicly discussed having a multicultural family background.

Official Italian television information reported that she spoke French and Arabic because of her family origins.

She has also discussed learning more about Arab culture through her family and watching Arab television while growing up.

Some websites have published conflicting claims about her exact North African family roots. Because these reports do not agree, it is safer to describe her as having publicly discussed Arab or North African family heritage without making a more specific claim.

Sara Arfaoui’s Education

Sara completed a classical secondary-school education in Italy, known as a Liceo Classico diploma.

This form of education usually focuses on subjects such as literature, history, philosophy, Latin and ancient Greek.

Sara later studied psychology in France while also working as a model.

Public information confirms that she was continuing her psychology studies when she joined L’Eredità in 2019. However, there is no strong public confirmation that she completed a university psychology degree.

How Did Sara Arfaoui Start Her Career?

Sara began her professional career as a model.

She has said that modelling was not something she had planned from childhood. The opportunity came unexpectedly and introduced her to travel, fashion, photography and different cultures.

Her modelling career helped her become comfortable in front of cameras and prepared her for work in television.

Sara later moved from fashion into broadcasting, following a path taken by several other international models and presenters.

Readers interested in similar career stories can also explore Rosie Tapner’s journey from modelling to television presenting.

Sara Arfaoui on L’Eredità

Sara’s major television breakthrough came in September 2019 when she joined L’Eredità.

The quiz programme is broadcast on Rai 1 and has been one of Italy’s most recognised evening television shows for many years.

Sara joined the programme as one of four new “Professoresse.”

Her role included appearing during the quiz, supporting the programme’s format and interacting with the presenter and contestants.

The official Rai announcement about Sara Arfaoui confirmed her modelling background, education and childhood in France.

This television appearance is an important part of Sara’s career because it proves that she had her own public identity before marrying İlkay Gündoğan.

Sara Arfaoui in Married to the Game

Sara became better known to international viewers in 2024 through Prime Video’s Married to the Game.

The unscripted series follows the wives, partners and families of famous professional footballers.

It shows how football transfers, travel, media attention and busy sporting schedules affect family life.

Sara appeared in the programme alongside İlkay Gündoğan. The series followed parts of their life during the period surrounding his move from Manchester City to FC Barcelona.

Sara returned for the second series in 2025.

Her appearance allowed viewers to learn more about her personality, family responsibilities and desire to maintain an identity outside her husband’s football career.

Sara Arfaoui’s Current Work

As of July 2026, Sara publicly identifies herself as a television presenter and model.

Her latest confirmed major television appearance was in the second series of Married to the Game.

She also remains active in fashion, professional photography, lifestyle media and social media.

In a March 2026 interview, Sara discussed developing new creative ideas and choosing projects that match her current life and personal values.

However, she did not publicly announce a named new television programme, company or official release date.

For this reason, it would be inaccurate to claim that she currently presents a regular Rai television programme.

Sara Arfaoui and İlkay Gündoğan

Sara Arfaoui is married to İlkay Gündoğan, a German professional footballer of Turkish family heritage.

The couple publicly confirmed their marriage in May 2022.

Their civil wedding took place in Copenhagen, Denmark. They later celebrated their marriage with family and friends in Italy and Türkiye.

İlkay Gündoğan is known for playing for Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, FC Barcelona, the German national team and Galatasaray.

Sara has supported her husband at important football matches and career events.

However, she has also made it clear through her work and interviews that she wants to be recognised for her own ambitions and professional achievements.

For another profile connected with the world of international football, read about Magi Sadeq, Mohamed Salah’s wife.

How Did Sara Arfaoui Meet İlkay Gündoğan?

The exact details of Sara and İlkay’s first meeting have not been fully explained through strong official sources.

Their relationship became publicly known before their marriage in 2022.

Because reliable sources do not provide a detailed and consistent story about their first meeting, it is better not to repeat unsupported claims from celebrity websites.

Sara Arfaoui’s Children

As of July 2026, Sara and İlkay Gündoğan have three children.

Their first child, a son named Kais, was born in March 2023.

Their daughter, Ella, was born in February 2025.

The couple welcomed their third child, a son named Kian, in April 2026.

Sara shares selected family moments publicly, but she does not reveal every detail of her children’s daily lives.

She has spoken about the importance of balancing motherhood, marriage and her professional ambitions.

Is Sara Arfaoui Only Famous as İlkay Gündoğan’s Wife?

No, Sara Arfaoui is not only famous because she is married to İlkay Gündoğan.

She had already worked as a model and appeared on Italian national television before their marriage.

Her role on L’Eredità began in 2019, several years before the couple publicly confirmed their wedding.

Sara had also been studying psychology and building her modelling career.

Her marriage increased international interest in her life, but it did not create her entire professional identity.

The most accurate description is that Sara is a model, television presenter and media personality who is also married to a famous footballer.

Sara Arfaoui’s Languages

Sara has a multilingual background.

French is believed to be one of her strongest languages because she grew up in Nice.

She also uses Italian because of her birthplace, education and television career in Italy.

Official Rai information reported that she spoke Arabic because of her family background.

Sara has also communicated publicly in English through interviews, television appearances and social media.

However, her exact level of fluency in every language has not been officially measured.

Sara Arfaoui’s Instagram

Sara’s main public social-media platform is Instagram.

She uses the username @saraguendogan, reflecting her married name.

As of July 2026, her account has around one million followers, although follower numbers can change every day.

Her Instagram profile describes her as a television presenter and model.

Her content commonly includes:

• Fashion photographs
• Professional photo shoots
• Travel
• Football events
• Family moments
• Lifestyle updates
• Brand-related content

Sara previously used public names and usernames connected with Sara Arfaoui and Sara Benamira, but she now mainly uses Sara Gündoğan online.

Sara Arfaoui’s Public Image

Sara’s public image combines fashion, television, football and family life.

Many media reports introduce her as İlkay Gündoğan’s wife because he is a globally recognised footballer.

However, Sara’s own career began before their marriage.

She has worked in modelling, appeared on Italian national television and taken part in an international streaming series.

Her interviews also show that she wants future projects to represent her personal interests and not depend only on her husband’s fame.

Sara Arfaoui and Manchester Restaurant Comments

Sara received widespread media attention in 2022 after commenting on restaurants in Manchester.

She said she had struggled to find the type of fresh Italian and sushi food she preferred.

Her comments were widely reported and sometimes presented as criticism of the entire city.

In later interviews, Sara explained that she had initially found it difficult to build her own social life in Manchester.

Over time, she made friends, developed a routine and became emotionally connected to the city.

After moving to Barcelona, she admitted that she missed parts of her life in Manchester.

This shows that her experience changed as she became more settled.

Interesting Facts About Sara Arfaoui

Sara was born in Italy but spent most of her early life in Nice, France.

She moved to Milan when she was around 18 years old.

She studied psychology while developing her modelling career.

Her major Italian television opportunity came through L’Eredità in 2019.

She appeared in the first and second series of Married to the Game.

She speaks or uses several languages, including French, Italian, English and Arabic.

She married İlkay Gündoğan in 2022.

She became a mother for the first time in 2023.

As of July 2026, she has three children.

She now mainly uses Sara Gündoğan as her public name.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Sara Arfaoui?

Sara Arfaoui is an Italian model, television presenter and media personality. She is known for appearing on L’Eredità and Married to the Game.

What is Sara Arfaoui famous for?

She is famous for her modelling work, Italian television career, Prime Video appearances and marriage to footballer İlkay Gündoğan.

How old is Sara Arfaoui?

Sara Arfaoui is 31 years old as of July 2026.

When is Sara Arfaoui’s birthday?

Sara Arfaoui’s birthday is 17 July.

Where was Sara Arfaoui born?

She was born in Montebelluna, Italy.

Where did Sara Arfaoui grow up?

She spent much of her childhood in Nice, France.

What does Sara Arfaoui do?

She works publicly as a model and television presenter.

Who is Sara Arfaoui’s husband?

Her husband is German professional footballer İlkay Gündoğan.

When did Sara Arfaoui get married?

Sara and İlkay Gündoğan married in 2022.

How many children does Sara Arfaoui have?

As of July 2026, she has three children: Kais, Ella and Kian.

Was Sara Arfaoui famous before meeting İlkay Gündoğan?

Yes. She was already working as a model and appeared on Rai 1’s L’Eredità before their marriage.

What television programmes has Sara Arfaoui appeared in?

Her best-known television appearances are L’Eredità and Married to the Game.

What is Sara Arfaoui’s Instagram username?

Her main public Instagram username is @saraguendogan.

Did Sara Arfaoui study psychology?

She studied psychology in France, but reliable public sources do not confirm that she completed a psychology degree.

What languages does Sara Arfaoui speak?

She has publicly used French, Italian, English and Arabic, although her exact fluency level in every language is not officially documented.

Conclusion

Sara Arfaoui is an Italian model, television presenter and international media personality.

She first gained public recognition through modelling and Italian television. Her role on L’Eredità helped establish her as an on-screen personality before her marriage brought wider international attention.

Her appearances in Married to the Game later gave viewers a closer look at her family life, personal challenges and professional ambitions.

As of 2026, Sara is a mother of three who continues to maintain a strong public presence and explore opportunities in fashion, television and lifestyle media.

Her story is not simply about being married to a football star. It is also about creating an independent career while managing family life in the highly visible world of professional football.