Last Updated on September 26, 2026 by Miguel Manjate
Bernard Kamungo’s extraordinary journey from a refugee camp in Tanzania to Major League Soccer is inseparable from his family. Born in the Nyarugusu Refugee Camp in western Tanzania, the FC Dallas midfielder spent the first 14 years of his life in difficult conditions alongside his parents and five siblings before the family was resettled in the United States.
Bernard is the son of Bahizire and Silvie Kamungo and is one of six children. His older brother, Imani Kamungo, became the most publicly visible member of the family because of his enormous influence on Bernard’s football career. It was Imani who believed Bernard could become a professional, found an open tryout with North Texas SC and paid the registration fee that ultimately opened the door to FC Dallas. Bernard has kept his romantic life private, with no reliably confirmed girlfriend, wife or children as of now.
Who Is Bernard Kamungo’s Girlfriend?
As of now, Bernard Kamungo has not publicly confirmed a girlfriend through FC Dallas, Major League Soccer or another sufficiently reliable source.
Kamungo has given numerous interviews about his childhood, parents, siblings, refugee experience and football career, but he has generally kept romantic relationships outside the public spotlight.
There is therefore no reliable basis for identifying anyone as his current girlfriend. Social-media photographs, comments or interactions involving private individuals should not be treated as confirmation of a romantic relationship unless Kamungo chooses to make that relationship public himself.
His current relationship status should consequently be considered private.
Is Bernard Kamungo Married?
There is no reliable public information confirming that Bernard Kamungo is married.
His official FC Dallas and Major League Soccer biographies do not identify a spouse, while detailed profiles of his life have concentrated on his parents and siblings rather than a wife.
As of now, Bernard Kamungo has no publicly confirmed wife.
Does Bernard Kamungo Have Children?
There is no reliable public information indicating that Bernard Kamungo has children.
Neither FC Dallas nor other major sources that have profiled his personal story identify him as a father.
As of now, Bernard Kamungo has no publicly confirmed sons or daughters.
Who Are Bernard Kamungo’s Parents?
Bernard Kamungo is the son of Bahizire Kamungo and Silvie Kamungo.
The couple fled conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and eventually lived in the Nyarugusu Refugee Camp in Tanzania for approximately two decades.
Bernard was born while his family was living in the camp and knew no other home during the first 14 years of his life.
The family consisted of Bahizire, Silvie and six children. They shared extremely limited living space without many of the basic services Bernard would later encounter after moving to the United States.
Food insecurity was a constant concern, and Bernard has repeatedly explained that surviving from one day to the next mattered much more than planning a professional football career.
Bernard Kamungo’s Father: Bahizire Kamungo
Bernard Kamungo’s father is Bahizire Kamungo.
Bahizire is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bernard has specifically explained that his knowledge of French is connected with his father’s Congolese background.
Bahizire and his family were displaced by conflict and eventually found refuge in Tanzania.
He and Silvie spent around 20 years in the refugee camp before receiving the opportunity to resettle their family in the United States.
Information about Bahizire’s earlier occupation or life in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has not been widely documented, but Bernard’s accounts make clear that his parents faced considerable challenges simply providing food and security for six children.
Bernard’s Father and Mother Started Again in America
The Kamungo family’s move to Texas did not immediately mean financial comfort.
Bernard’s parents had to establish an entirely new life after decades spent in a refugee settlement.
Major League Soccer reporting states that his parents worked a variety of jobs after arriving in the United States, including employment at a cookie factory.
For Bernard, however, the difference between life in the refugee camp and life in Texas was enormous.
He remembered being especially excited that food was regularly available after he arrived in Abilene.
In Tanzania, there had been periods when the family ate only once during an entire day. In Texas, school meals and his parents’ employment created a level of stability he had never previously experienced.
Bernard Kamungo’s Mother: Silvie Kamungo
Bernard Kamungo’s mother is Silvie Kamungo.
Like Bahizire, Silvie endured years of displacement and hardship before the family was resettled in the United States.
She raised six children under extremely difficult circumstances in the Nyarugusu Refugee Camp.
Although Silvie has remained outside most football interviews, Bernard frequently speaks about his parents collectively when explaining what motivates him.
His desire to improve his family’s circumstances became especially important when he received the opportunity to pursue professional soccer.
During his North Texas SC tryout, Bernard said he thought about his entire family and how far football might allow him to go in helping them.
Bernard Kamungo’s Parents Fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Kamungo family’s story began before Bernard was born.
His parents were forced to flee the Democratic Republic of the Congo because of conflict and instability.
They eventually reached Tanzania and settled in Nyarugusu, one of the region’s largest refugee camps.
The family remained there for years while waiting for the possibility of permanent resettlement.
Bernard therefore grew up culturally connected with both Congo and Tanzania. He learned Swahili in Tanzania and French through his Congolese family background.
English only became an important part of his life after the move to the United States.
How Many Siblings Does Bernard Kamungo Have?
Bernard Kamungo has five siblings.
Abilene Independent School District specifically reported that Bernard moved to the United States with both parents and five siblings, meaning Bahizire and Silvie have six children in total.
Only one of those siblings, older brother Imani Kamungo, has been extensively identified in reliable football reporting.
The names, ages and private lives of Bernard’s other four siblings have not been consistently disclosed by authoritative sources.
For that reason, they should not be identified through speculative social-media searches or surname matching.
Bernard Kamungo’s Brother Imani Kamungo
Imani Kamungo is Bernard’s older brother and arguably the most influential person in his football career.
FC Dallas has repeatedly described Imani as Bernard’s supporter, protector and champion.
While Bernard enjoyed playing football, he did not initially believe he could become a professional player.
Imani saw the situation differently.
After watching Bernard dominate high school competition in Abilene, he became convinced that his younger brother possessed enough talent to play at a much higher level.
Imani Kamungo Believed in Bernard Before Bernard Believed in Himself
Bernard has openly admitted that he did not see himself becoming a professional footballer during high school.
Imani did.
His older brother continually encouraged him to test himself against stronger players and search for opportunities beyond school soccer.
Eventually, Imani began looking online for professional open tryouts.
Some opportunities cost hundreds of dollars simply to attend, an amount that was unrealistic for the Kamungo family.
Then Imani discovered an open tryout operated by North Texas SC, the development team connected with FC Dallas.
The registration fee was approximately $90.
Imani Secretly Registered Bernard for the North Texas SC Tryout
Imani decided his younger brother needed the opportunity even if Bernard himself remained uncertain.
He paid the registration fee and signed Bernard up for the January 2021 North Texas SC open tryout.
Bernard initially worried about spending money on an opportunity that might lead nowhere.
Imani told him that all he wanted was for Bernard to step onto the field and show what he could do.
The brothers then travelled from Abilene toward the Dallas area for the trial.
Bernard impressed the coaching staff almost immediately and earned an invitation to preseason training.
Within weeks, North Texas SC offered him his first professional contract.
Bernard Credits Imani for His Professional Career
Bernard has consistently made clear how important Imani was to his breakthrough.
He has described his brother as the person who saw his potential before anyone else and repeatedly says that Imani is one of the main reasons he became a professional footballer.
The relationship was particularly visible during FC Dallas’s famous 2023 Leagues Cup match against Inter Miami.
Imani attended an FC Dallas match in person for the first time that night.
Bernard scored against a Miami team led by Lionel Messi.
After scoring, Bernard turned toward his brother and later explained that the goal was for Imani because of everything his brother had done to make his career possible.
Bernard and Imani Grew Up Together in Nyarugusu
FC Dallas has published childhood photographs of Bernard and Imani together in Tanzania.
The brothers spent their formative years inside the Nyarugusu Refugee Camp, where opportunities and resources were extremely limited.
Football became an important escape.
Children often created balls from whatever materials they could find because proper football equipment was unavailable or unaffordable.
Those informal games eventually developed Bernard’s dribbling ability, balance and instinctive attacking style.
Neither brother could have predicted that those childhood games would eventually lead to Major League Soccer.
The Kamungo Family Lived in Severe Poverty
Bernard has never hidden the financial hardship his family experienced in Tanzania.
The family of eight lived without electricity and indoor plumbing.
Food was limited, and Bernard has recalled days when eating once was considered fortunate.
Planning far into the future was almost impossible under those circumstances.
As a child, Bernard was concerned more with helping his family survive than imagining life as a professional athlete.
Major League Soccer reported that he even stopped attending school for a period when he was around 11 so that he could sell used clothing and contribute money to his household.
Football Gave Bernard Kamungo an Escape
Despite those hardships, football provided Bernard with enjoyment and a sense of freedom.
He and his friends played for hours on dirt spaces between homes in the camp.
Proper footballs were rare, so children improvised using plastic, cloth and other available materials.
Bernard later credited those years with developing some of the natural qualities that would make him effective as a professional winger.
There was no academy coaching or structured tactical development, but there were thousands of hours spent with the ball.
The Kamungo Family Moves to the United States
Life changed dramatically in 2016 when the family received approval to resettle in the United States through the International Rescue Committee.
Bahizire, Silvie and their six children left Tanzania and settled in Abilene, Texas.
Bernard was approximately 14 years old.
The move introduced the family to an entirely different environment, including reliable access to food, electricity, education and employment opportunities.
Bernard knew Swahili and French when he arrived but had to learn English after reaching Texas.
Bernard Kamungo Learned English After Moving to America
Adapting to an English-speaking country was one of Bernard’s first major challenges.
He has explained that he initially struggled because English was unfamiliar to him.
Kamungo used school, daily conversations and online resources such as YouTube to improve.
Eventually, he became comfortable communicating in English while maintaining his Swahili and French background.
The language journey became another example of the dramatic adjustments the entire Kamungo family had to make after leaving Tanzania.
His Family Could Not Afford Elite Club Soccer
Bernard quickly became an outstanding school soccer player after arriving in Texas.
However, entering the traditional American elite youth soccer system was financially difficult.
Competitive club programs could require significant fees, travel expenses and equipment costs.
For a refugee family still establishing itself financially, those expenses were unrealistic.
Bernard therefore developed primarily through school soccer and informal adult pickup games rather than expensive academy programs.
His unusual development path makes his eventual rise to MLS particularly remarkable.
Bernard Kamungo at Abilene High School
Kamungo became one of the most dangerous players in West Texas high school soccer.
After beginning in middle school, he eventually starred for Abilene High School.
His speed, dribbling and finishing ability made him extremely difficult for school-level defenders to contain.
Despite those performances, Bernard still did not initially believe a professional career was realistic.
Imani’s confidence ultimately became the bridge between high school soccer and the professional game.
Bernard Thought About His Family During His Professional Tryout
When Bernard finally stepped onto the field at the North Texas SC tryout, he carried Imani’s advice with him.
His brother had told him to remember his family and where they had come from.
Bernard later said that he began thinking about how far soccer might allow him to go and whether success could help his family.
That motivation helped him make the most of his opportunity.
He was one of only a handful of players invited from the open tryout into North Texas SC’s preseason environment.
Bernard Kamungo Signs His First Professional Contract
North Texas SC signed Kamungo to his first professional contract on March 25, 2021.
The opportunity required another important family discussion.
Bernard was still completing high school, and his parents wanted to make sure he finished his education rather than abandoning school immediately for soccer.
North Texas SC worked with him so he could finish his studies while beginning his professional career.
He graduated from Abilene High School in May 2021.
Bernard Kamungo’s First Professional Goal
Kamungo made his professional debut on April 24, 2021.
He entered North Texas SC’s match against Fort Lauderdale CF as a substitute and scored only minutes later.
The moment was emotional for the entire family, particularly Imani, whose belief had created the opportunity in the first place.
Bernard continued improving and eventually became North Texas SC’s leading scorer.
His performances soon attracted the attention of the FC Dallas first team.
FC Dallas Signs Bernard Kamungo
FC Dallas signed Kamungo to its first-team roster in August 2022.
The transfer completed an extraordinary rise from high school soccer to Major League Soccer in less than two years.
Bernard made his MLS debut later that season.
His breakthrough campaign arrived in 2023, when he began scoring important goals and established himself as one of Dallas’s most exciting young attacking players.
Bernard Kamungo Became a U.S. Citizen
Another important moment for the Kamungo family came on May 24, 2022, when Bernard became a United States citizen.
The milestone came roughly six years after his family had left the refugee camp and begun rebuilding their lives in Texas.
Citizenship eventually opened another football opportunity.
Bernard was called into the United States Olympic national-team program in 2023 and later received a senior USMNT call-up.
Bernard Kamungo Makes His United States Debut
Kamungo made his senior United States national-team debut on January 20, 2024.
He had previously described receiving a U.S. call-up as a dream for both himself and his family.
The achievement carried particular meaning given the family’s journey from displacement in Congo, decades in a Tanzanian refugee settlement and eventual resettlement in Texas.
For Bernard, representing the United States became another symbol of the opportunities his family found after beginning a new life there.
Bernard Also Received a Tanzania Call-Up
Before representing the United States at senior level, Bernard received a call-up from Tanzania in 2023.
The invitation reflected his birthplace and deep connection to the country where he spent his childhood.
Although his parents came from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bernard was born and raised in Tanzania until age 14.
His football identity therefore reflects several parts of his family story: Congolese roots, a Tanzanian childhood and an American adulthood.
Where Does Bernard Kamungo’s Family Live Now?
FC Dallas’s official biography states that the Kamungo family remains in the United States and has continued to have strong ties to Texas.
The family initially settled in Abilene, later spent time outside Texas and subsequently returned to the state.
Bernard’s football career also remains centered in North Texas through FC Dallas.
He continues to speak frequently about helping his family and remembering the circumstances from which they came.
Bernard Kamungo’s Current FC Dallas Career
Bernard remains an FC Dallas midfielder and wears number 77.
In January 2025, the club signed him to a new three-year extension.
FC Dallas’s current roster information lists him under contract through 2027, with additional club options for the following seasons.
His career includes MLS goals, Leagues Cup performances, a United States senior international appearance and recognition as one of Major League Soccer’s notable young players.
Those achievements represent a remarkable change from the childhood circumstances in which professional soccer did not seem possible.
Bernard Kamungo’s Family FAQ
Who are Bernard Kamungo’s parents?
Bernard Kamungo’s parents are Bahizire Kamungo and Silvie Kamungo. They fled conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and spent approximately two decades living in a refugee camp in Tanzania before relocating their family to the United States.
Who is Bernard Kamungo’s father?
Bernard’s father is Bahizire Kamungo. He is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and raised Bernard and his siblings with Silvie during their years in Tanzania.
Who is Bernard Kamungo’s mother?
Bernard Kamungo’s mother is Silvie Kamungo. She and Bahizire raised six children under difficult conditions in the Nyarugusu Refugee Camp before the family was resettled in the United States.
How many siblings does Bernard Kamungo have?
Bernard Kamungo has five siblings. The family that moved to the United States consisted of his parents and six children.
Who is Bernard Kamungo’s brother?
His best-known sibling is older brother Imani Kamungo. The names of Bernard’s other four siblings have not been consistently disclosed through authoritative football sources.
Who is Imani Kamungo?
Imani Kamungo is Bernard’s older brother and one of the most influential figures in his football career. Imani identified Bernard’s professional potential, paid for his North Texas SC open tryout and drove him from Abilene to the Dallas area for the opportunity.
Did Imani Kamungo help Bernard become a professional?
Yes. Bernard repeatedly credits Imani with helping launch his career. Without telling Bernard initially, Imani registered him for the North Texas SC open tryout that ultimately resulted in his first professional contract.
Where are Bernard Kamungo’s parents from?
Bernard’s parents are originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They fled conflict and lived in Tanzania before eventually resettling in the United States.
Was Bernard Kamungo born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
No. Bernard was born in the Nyarugusu Refugee Camp in Tanzania while his Congolese parents were living there as refugees.
How many people are in Bernard Kamungo’s immediate family?
Bernard grew up in a family of eight: his father Bahizire, mother Silvie and six children.
Who is Bernard Kamungo’s girlfriend?
As of now, Bernard Kamungo has not publicly confirmed a girlfriend through a reliable source.
Is Bernard Kamungo married?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Bernard Kamungo is married.
Does Bernard Kamungo have children?
There is no reliable public information indicating that Bernard Kamungo has children.
When was Bernard Kamungo born?
His official football records use January 1, 2002 as his date of birth. Kamungo has explained that exact birthdays were not something his family could easily track or celebrate during his childhood in the refugee camp.
Which club does Bernard Kamungo play for?
As of now, Bernard Kamungo plays as a midfielder for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer and wears number 77.
Miguel Manjate is a football journalist and editor covering the Premier League, European competitions, and transfer news, with a strong focus on match analysis and data-driven reporting.
